<p>Some comments are not overly appropriate...sorry about those. Ignore the first 2 comments. Start with the one by "seminole" and enjoy :)</p>
<p>These are my replies to the people who commented...Unfortunately, I wasn't actually able to post my comments on the site (I wonder why...it's like a freaking war zone...) but this is what I WOULD have said...:D</p>
<p>gigss: Well yah...child actors are called "precocious" for a reason. Precocious=smart=can handle the Ivies' workloads. They may get straight A's from their tutors (which I doubt), but don't you think Harvard's admissions officers are smart enough to look into the curriculum and see exactly how good--or bad--it is? </p>
<p>Amazo The Wizard: He may have been an exception. However, he's not THAT bad as a politician, if not a leader...and in general, wealth and prestige is earned...or at least held on to. That implies intelligence, more like ruthlessness, and great potential. I am very, very poor and I go to Harvard. Many of my friends at Harvard are poor as well, or at least not "blindingly rich" or whatever. Excellence in education? Yes. Very much so, but one thing about Harvard is that they don't treat you like a baby. If you get all D's, that's your problem. You wasted your education. They're not responsible for making sure you retain the information. And, um...you do realize there are better ways to get your point across than using "f-ing" every five words?</p>
<p>netsez: As for "tougher schools"...um...have you <em>been</em> to Harvard? Before you say anything, yes, I got into UChicago--early action. However, congrats on your degrees...I'm not a math person, so those are doubly impressive to me :) However...I'm a little annoyed with the whole everything-but-science-is-easy.Not saying science is easy, but it seems to be for my best friends, who find it far easier than anything humanities- or social-sciences-related. Yes, learning history facts is easy, analyzing and understanding societal factors is not. Consider this column Open-Mindedness 101. Take offense at that if you will. </p>
<p>iamstooopid, markus82, Gavrilo, and devoe: I love you. </p>
<p>lina 2: "i do agree that state colleges can be harder, but did you ever think that they might be harder only to the type of people they accept?" ouch...but yes, exactly. Everything is relative. I don't think I would have trouble at a public school, but I certainly have to study hard here, not meaning that in any kind of egotistical way (!!!). Basically, wherever you are, you're right--you're put in there and you have to study as hard as the class requires. Now that I've written that completely wrong and probably majorly offended you, I didn't mean it at all like that and I hope you're doing well in your classes...:) don't party too hard!</p>
<p>"so yes, for the vast majority of cases, going to an ivy is HARDER because the kids there are all damn smart." (iamstooopid) Exactly. Every student has perfect scores and took 9 classes a year in high school (well, that's exaggerated, but you know what I mean); they did everything they could to get where they are now, they didn't "just apply". These are literally the smartest kids in the world, and will go on to be the smartest people in the world. I'm not going to lie--I didn't get all As--but I'm proud of my grades (over 3.5) because they reflect an immense amount of work. Great job...the "class average" is ridiculously difficult. Just curious...which Ivy?</p>
<p>MadSam: You're right. I just consider those to be "Ivies" along with the rest...some, like Dartmouth, I don't really consider to be Ivies, even though technically they are. </p>
<p>mageevu: I agree--it's all about competition and the environment forcing you to think faster, better, "smarter", all that stuff. I know some brilliant people who have done just fine at state schools, but I wouldn't be able to survive in that kind of environment; I need people around me who want to discuss things on a "higher level".</p>