<p>Hi, everyone, I'm new to this forum and am still a freshman in HS. I recently shifted my entire courseload to rigorous honors courses, on top of the fact that my school is rather competitive to begin with. My first test of the semester was a Mythology Test in which i received a 94. This was conceivably a horrible grade, as most of the class was used to the teacher's testing format and most received 100's, hence the depression I was left in upon receiving my 94. On my biology test I scored 100 along with 6 other kids in my class; the rest scored above 90. The other honors track scored mostly 100's. I also did not do so well on my math final due to careless mistakes and received an 83. It is truly a horrid grade and left me feeling as an abject failure. On all of my finals I received 90's and higher and I had a 94 average which is also despicable (since my courses weren't honors yet). I was wondering if any of you genius CCers (sounds like sarcasm, so sorry) can give me any tips on how to compete with the upper echelon of my class and score higher more "certainly and definitely" on tests (in need of a better phrase, but typing this hastily). I am mainly an A student, but I need to get the A plus, the higher average, and whichever way one chooses to look at it, both positively or negatively, I have espoused to the harsh, competitive curriculum. Please advise me on how to do much better and be the top in my class.</p>
<p>Rule #1: Don’t screw up!</p>
<p>Rule #2: LOL at your predicament</p>
<p>Sucks for you. Tool.</p>
<p>he has posted this over 6 different times on different boards…</p>
<p>Dude, you’re 14 (15?). Chill out. Go watch the Olympics, treat yourself to some cake or ice cream. Reevaluate your priorities. It’s not worth going to Harvard if you put yourself through four years of agony. Have some fun, explore your options, an A-average is not bad. Start planning for college in junior year. :)</p>
<p>You’re the same kid who wrote the “HS Freshman too preoccupied w/Ivies!!!” thread. I thought I recognized you.</p>
<p>i can’t tell if you’re kidding or not. if you’re not, i apologize for thinking that you might have been, but it’s just that i didn’t think anyone could be preoccupied with grades to such an extent that they are calling A’s horrible. A’s are already excellent, plus who cares what your grades are if you are learning and understanding the material? develop critical thinking skills, not test-taking skills. :)</p>
<p>i doubt that many Harvard students got straight A+'s when they were in hs, because they were probably focusing on more interesting/important things. you don’t hear any truly successful people citing getting A+'s instead of A’s as the cause of their success.</p>
<p>I rate this satire 8.6/10. Keep up the good work.</p>
<p>Satire. Very nice.</p>
<p>Maybe one day he will be able to bump that 8.6 to a 10 and become successful as a result.</p>
<p>Your predicament is too dire for the wise men and women in Harvard to save you, learn to love your local community college.</p>
<p>a 94? how dare you? GET OUT.</p>
<p>Dude…</p>
<p>A 94 is barely passing. An 83 is a failing grade.</p>
<p>What you have to understand that the American grading system is so padded for underachievers that the grades are not what they tell you.</p>
<p>If you’re trying to get into an elite school, anything below an A+ is unacceptable.</p>
<p>Think of it this way: When they could fill their classes ten times over with straight A+ students, why would they pick anyone with even one single grade below that?</p>
<p>A+ Decent
A Passing
A- The equivalent of a “D”
B+ and below = Failing</p>
<p>Also, I am extremely disconcerted by the fact that your failing grade was in a mere Mythology class. How do you expect to get the 98 average needed in classes like AP Chemistry and AP US History? It will be a near impossibility.</p>
<p>Also, you’re not yet on the Honors track? Most applicants have been on the honors track since elementary school in some sort of way. Hopefully, you are in GATE or CTY. Otherwise, you’re totally screwed.</p>
<p>You might want to start looking at schools like UC Riverside and Azusa Pacific University.</p>
<p>Remember, colleges are becoming increasingly selective, and only 1% of the world’s population has a college degree.</p>
<p>Sorry, but you’ve already ruined your chances. Just hope that you can still get into community college.</p>
<p>Guys, come on. Lay off. Next thing we’ll see is a suicide note.</p>
<p>Your 94 is killing me. Please…
Haha…</p>
<p>Nah…if the OP is really legit, then I understand his/her predicament. It isn’t a matter of the grade value as much as it is a relativistic argument. If his/her peers are performing at a level that the poster feels he/she is capable of, it is no surprise whatsoever that he/she has a resulting depression or feeling of inadequacy. Maybe none of you are as competitively disposed (though I dare say that most of you probably are given this is collegeconfidential) as this person, but I don’t think it too difficult to imagine that a neurotic high-aiming high-schooler would happen to find his/her way onto this forum. </p>
<p>To the OP: Valuing high achievement is an admirable quality though I also maintain that beating oneself up about it incessantly can lead to obsession and even serious depression. I would like to add that while my fellow posters are joking, they have some merit in their ridicule. Grades alone won’t get you anywhere. Enjoy your time in high school and pursue something you love instead of freaking out about grades. You’ll only bolster your college chances in the long run.</p>
<p>Thanks for the sole, mature response ^</p>
<p>^
Thank you for posting the same thing in like 9,999 forums.</p>
<p>P.S.</p>
<p>We WERE completely serious about your grade issues. Most who get accepted to Harvard are perfect people. Some may have slipped up and gotten a 94 on a quiz or god knows a test, but an 83 is practically a no-go…</p>
<p>Think of it this way:</p>
<p>There are over 20,000 valedictorians of large schools in this country who are absolutely spotless in everything.</p>
<p>But Harvard only has so many class spots. If you aren’t a valedictorian, it’s almost impossible to get in unless you’re a legacy, a recruited athlete, or are in 17 different clubs like anacrusis.</p>
<p>I think this about the twelfth time I’ve seen this thread. We psychiatrists refer to this sort of behavior as “attention-whoring.”</p>