<p>I've always set high expectations for myself, and lately, with so many of my extracurriculars becoming big and time-consuming, my grades have been slipping. I'm sure many of you will be able to understand what I mean by "slipping" when I explain that I got 2 B's last semester. I've always been a straight-A student. While I have become much more accepting of those grades this semester (and the potential that I will get 1 B this semester too), my extracurrics have spiraled into a busy bowl full of chaos. Not unorganized chaos...but that busy sort of chaos that tickles your brain and leaves you no peace. And I am a junior. 'Nuff said.</p>
<p>I haven't necessarily been having a hard time balancing or prioritizing my activities; the issue is that I am so frazzled about everything and have been so overwhelmed with everything else that I've lost the ability to give my 110% potential on some school things that really do matter. It isn't a burden set by my parents; I've had high expectations of myself during my whole life, and having met those thus far, it's frustrating and stressful for me to keep falling short. It isn't about the B I will likely get - it's about the fact that I COULD honestly get an A, but my own self preventing me from doing so. I'm not trying to lightly say that "oh I'm smart enough to do this" or anything like that; it is really true that I could be doing much better if I weren't so busy. At this point, it's difficult for me to drop things - in fact, I'm only doing a few things anyway - and I keep telling myself to pull myself through until the summer. But I'm quite ready to combust, especially with AP/IB exams coming up and my brain feels so fatigued. :-/ With my dream school, Harvard, becoming more tangible and "real," I feel like I should be doing more and working even harder, but my body just isn't able to follow anymore. Sometimes I feel like giving in, letting it all go, and ending all my stress, but then I wake back up to reality and know that that wouldn't help me with anything.</p>
<p>I guess this turned out to be more of a rant, but I would really appreciate your advice and input...stories, experiences, anything...about what I should do or what you would do in a similar situation. I hope that you will understand what my issue is - it isn't just a "I want Harvard. I got Bs. I fail at life," but concerns primarily the disconnect between my mind and my body, and an overall disappointment that I'm not reaching my expectations.</p>
<p>I think you need to remember that colleges don’t only look at grades.
Just do the best you can to the point where it’s out of your hands. Then focus on other important admission factors.
Finish the junior year off with some volunteer work. Try to get in at least 25 hours over the summer because colleges love that stuff, and take it from someone who has done around 70 hours of the stuff since 7th grade: it makes you feel really good to help out.
Find some extracurricular activities that you enjoy. That way you can have a bit of a life in high school and you can figure out what exactly you want to do in college.
Prepare yourself for your AP exams. Make a study schedule (ex: 1 hr of studying AP #1, 30 minute break, 1 hr of studying AP #2, etc.).
Focus on the tasks at hand. You will be fine.</p>
<p>Somebody very close to me got into Stanford and Harvard with a 3.7 GPA. You can do it!</p>
<p>EDIT: According to CollegeBoard, this is what Harvard considers in an application:</p>
<pre><code>* Alumni Relation
Character/Personal Qualities
Application Essay
Extracurricular Activities
Geographical Residence
Interview
Racial/Ethnic Status
Recommendations
Rigor of secondary school record
Standardized Test Scores
Talent/Ability
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Academic GPA
First generation college student
</code></pre>
<p>Focus on appealing to all categories, not just GPA</p>
<p>@Aerobug, thanks for the advice. I want to mention that I do have extracurriculars that I love and consistent volunteer work - somewhere between 300 and 400 hours so far - and I just feel that my issue is more of an emotional one rather than merely about the grades.</p>
<p>What I’ve been trying lately is just rewarding myself for meeting some goal. Like last night when I was super tired and struggling to do my tedious homework… I would just say out loud “yeah… another problem done”. Sometimes I will set up with myself to work x amount of time and then go outside and run around and get some fresh air and wake up my brain and then come back in and work for x time… repeat or have a special treat or something. </p>
<p>I get where you are at. Just try to give yourself easily attained incentives to keep up the motivation to meet the expectations. Stress is relieved with the “rewards” along the way, and then of course by meeting the expectation… that reduces a lot of the stress.</p>
<p>I agree with what sMITten says. Also, you said you volunteer a lot, make sure it is something you like doing! I am a senior in AP courses, do track, and I volunteer every friday at a local hospital. I also work at a retirement home. With all the stress of APs and track, the volunteering/working relaxes me so much. It is a nice break from all the work. While I know the stress is still there and I am tired of doing anything, I can at least relax a little bit. Then once AP tests are over it will hopefully all will work out. If you don’t like the volunteer work you are doing that could add to the stress on top of it, which doesn’t help at all. Best of luck:)</p>