Wasting Potential

Pre-College Topics High School Life
1

Hi, thanks for coming! I’m currently a underachieving high school sophomore hoping to turn around and reach for the stars. My stats may be above average, but I feel like I’ve been wasting my potential for the past decade, relying on my natural talent over the ultimately dominant power of hard-work and dedication. Without further ado, here are my achievements/profile. Please be open with your criticism; don’t be afraid to hurt my feelings, I may be asking for it!

Ethnicity: First Gen Asian American
Income: Financial aid will be minimal, if any at all

No SAT/ACT yet
Grades: 3.71 GPA (Unweighted)
B’s in PE(lol my fault completely) and AP Human Geo
A’s in College Precalc, Honors English, Band, Physics, Chem.
AP HuG: 4 (Should’ve studied)

Soph Year Classes:
AP Calc AB
AP Euro
Honors Bio
Honors English 2
AP Calc BC2
AP Chem
AP CompSci

Currently A’s in top 4, we work in a block schedule where we finish 2 credits in one year.

EC’s
Regional Soccer Runners-up
Varsity Soccer
HiMCM(High School Mathematical Modeling Competition)
Chess Scholastic State Champ
Hired to teach at a summer Chess Camp 3 years back-to-back
ARML State Team
Aime Qualifier
Top AMC 12 score for sophomores and under in state
Tutored Burmese refugees
NHD State Qualifier
Metro Leadership Council

My frustration is that I haven’t put full effort into my activities, and I’m having trouble focusing on one to work up on nationally. I want to have a chance at a top school, and I think I’m capable, but the way I’ve rolled through middle school prevents me from having a strong specialty. Math seems to be my strong point, but there is no way I’m going national. Same with chess and soccer, I am too far behind to hope for outstanding merit. If you were in my shoes what options would you consider? Is there any reasonable chance at top 30-ish schools?

Thanks for helping shape a better me!

2

Hi,
Your class load looks very rigorous so that shouldn’t be a problem; just maintain good grades.
With ECs, I see you happen to have a lot. I would slim down the number of Ecs until you have a few you really enjoy and like, so you can focus on those and become really good, not just mediocre.

3

Wait… you are what,15 or 16 years old? And you have been “wasting your potential for the last decade”… so, since age 5? This way lies madness. You have not wasted anything just because you haven’t (and may not) achieve national success in some activity. You have clearly explored some varied interests – soccer, chess, math. That is EXACTLY what you should have been doing for the past several years.

It is okay to pick one of your activities, and focus more time on it. Raise your level, and accomplish as much as you can. But don’t give up everything else you like for it.

You seem to be on a very good track to succeed academically and in college. Remember that there are thousands of colleges in the U.S., and many (hundreds) offer a very fine education. Don’t fixate on “national” accomplishments – focus on good grades, a few ECs that you really like, and eventually good test scores. Try to be a decent person and hard worker in the classroom so your teachers feel good about recommending you.

Do those things, and you will have the opportunity to attend a fine college. Don’t make yourself crazy trying to “reach your potential”.

4

@intparent @MPC6789 Thanks for the replies. Yeah, I think I was in my rant mood. I hope to get into the best school I can, but I’ll be completely happy with the alternative. I’m just frustrated by my progression. Right now I have no clue where I want to go with my EC’s, and my parents have been unusually supportive(“It doesn’t matter where you go, we will still love you.” It almost sounds like they expect me to fail). I feel like I’m slipping, and I hate the loss of control(a dumb thing to hate), so I’m pulling from my jar of specific interests, which is pretty much empty. You guys are right, I’m probably paranoid.

5

They aren’t kidding – they WILL love you no matter where you go to college. And everyone will love you more if you don’t become an automaton trying to squeeze every drop of “potential” out of yourself. Give yourself permission to do well, but not obsess.

6

Not that it matters a whole lot…but imagine how you made others who are genuinely trying to improve their grades and all when you say that you are “wasting your potential” when you have nearly straight As, you will be finishing AP Cal BC in your second year, you got a 4 on your AP test without studying, and are involved in all those ECs…?

We don’t have to be politically correct all the time, but wording your “problem” a little differently and showing some sensitivity will go a long way…and will likely avoid misinterpretations of arrogance and shallowness (i.e. obsession with numbers and awards as opposed to genuine desire for learning and self-improvement).

My general recommendations would be to focus on your interests (as others have already mentioned). Also, I do not see any foreign language in your first two years of high school? The top universities usually like to see 4 years (3 years at a minimum) of foreign language aside from your native tongue.

7

I don’t think this poster was humble bragging… I just think he is at risk of falling into that mindset that his life will be over if he doesn’t attend one of the top half a dozen colleges.

Good point about the foreign language.

8

@ohiopop I’m sorry if I came off as arrogant, I’m just in awe of how many talented people colleges go through, and confused on how to stand out. I don’t believe in bragging in any form, especially online(You could be lying, nobody gives a *, it doesn’t really matter). I want to guarantee getting in one, but that is impossible for practically anyone. I know many that are much better than I am, I just but what I have together and there is nothing special, nothing revealing my personality. I am fluent in Chinese, as a second language, so if I go over the AP material during the summers I can most likely past the AP test, as there is no Chinese at my school. I did/do not mean to be insensitive, and apologies to anyone affected by it. This is my good side, I’ve got so many issues :(( !To me I believe that it’s your career that matters more than which college you go to, and how high your grades are, but if I can go for it, why not?

@intparent thanks for the support. I don’t doubt that my parents will love me, but their mindset right now has an air of ‘Plan B’. I may seem obsessive, which is because it’s true, but only to a certain degree. I won’t kill myself if I don’t get in, there so many more opportunities ahead. But if I reach out now, it may put me in a better position in the future. I understand as a result of lurking that selecting the highest ranked college you get accepted to is a recipe for disaster, and I will definitely take that into consideration when it’s all over.

As a teenager, I tend to leave out important stuff. I’m currently fighting a video game addiction, and since I can manage school pretty well most of the time, I’m just trying to fill in the gaps with useful activities to prevent myself from slipping back. This is what makes me hate myself. I have a frustratingly obsessive personality, and sometimes it just isn’t focused on the right things.

I’ll work on EC’s and find something that is right for mean. I’m thinking of starting a business or charity. Do you know how colleges value them?

Are there any exercises to manage time better and stop spending loads of it on meaningless things?

In your experience, is a year and a half enough to improve?

9

Do not bother with the Chinese AP. if you speak it at home ( assuming you do), colleges will not consider it an accomplishment. Also don’t take the subject test.

You might want to read the book “How to Be a High School Superstar” by Cal Newport. He can help you think about how to take ECs you enjoy to another level. In my experience, if you pick activities you are interested in and like, it is a lot easier to stay focused on them and not get distracted.

10

You have a nice start in math. I’d try to spend this year aiming for USAMO. It will look good on Caltech and MIT apps which ask for Amc 12 and AIME scores and math helps save time on sciences etc. So it is pretty useful. I’d avoid any Bs. In subjects like p.e you could have avoided but there’s no use crying over spilt milk. Try to get all As from now on. Also aim for Harvard MIT . that will make you more qualified for the 30s as well as more motivated. Note, this is just a suggestion based on your stats and stuff. If you hate math, don’t care about top schools etc, don’t mind Bs, that’s cool too. Also think about what you want to do in the future like a passion. Considering you made AIME already I’d suppose you may like math, though if it was forced go for what you like. Also, picking up a language like French German Spanish or Latin may be nice, especially If you are Asian since taking chinese can be seen as lazy. That’s what I’d do anyway. But then again, I’m just someone like you and tried to get out, but be realistic that overcoming those with greater potential who have been at it for the past decade will be slightly hard ( what a litote lol). Best of luck and don’t push yourself too hard. Far too many overestimating their spirit break. I Think video games and hanging out are essential. Don’t be too nerdy lol. If you are, essays will suck too so keep that in mind.

11

I second this advice: Read How to Be a High School Superstar (book, blog) by Cal Newport now for excellent ideas for consolidating your background and packaging, while living a good life (not crazed) in high school.

12

First, the simple fact is most of us adults, at some points, feel we either missed our real potential or missed some sidebar we could have developed. Life involves a lot of tasks that take our attention and time.

So what most of us do is focus on the good parts- and I don’t mean that as some Pollyanna, knee jerk, superficial sweetness. I do mean a realistic assessment. You’re doing reasonably well in school, have a nice range of activities. Rather than focus on what’s wrong and then harshly labeling yourself “obsessive,” how about taking a breath? Don’t second guess your parents’ faith in you. I like that you say you’d like to replace some gaming with something more valuable- that’s an insight many kids don’t have. Now you have to decide what that is and find it.

The colleges really don’t value “starting a business or charity.” The do value when kids connect with opportunities/established programs that already exist. This gives you a chance to plug into an existing org, learn to succeed in the ways those adults value (things like showing up, taking on responsibilities and contributing, etc.) it might be some consistent local community effort or some work in your field. It can be small and grow. You can be surprised when small efforts add up and you find some satisfaction in that.

You don’t have to have some “national” engagement. But you do need to develop some personal perspective- and some grounding. Use your insight for more than self critique. Best wishes.

13

@lookingforward thanks for the support, I tend to set goals that have a significant chance of failing, which clearly isn’t good for my self esteem(On the other hand, my ego could use some trimming).

@andyis Do you have any advice on how to study for the USAMO? I like math competitions, and I’ve tried to spend large chunks of time studying for a big competition like the USAMO, but I only know one guy who got in and he’s pretty crazy(in a good way). Do you have any tips on how to improve an AIME score?

Thanks for all the positive feedback, I’m really starting to get the big picture. I’m still gonna reach for a top school, but I’ll work smarter. Time to read Newport’s book and blog! BTW, I hope I didn’t really come off as the HYPSM or bust type of guy. I’m just worried if I don’t pass a certain threshold I’ll end up going to the state college back home(which isn’t bad, I just want to leave). I know I’m still relatively early in my high school career, but if I continue on this track, what schools could I think about as a target? I really want to go to NYU, it’ll be my fantasy to go AD(I’ll probably need to write out by essays in iambic pentameter). :smiley:

14

Um… you can find a better dream school than NYU, okay? Terrible financial aid and just not enough bang for the buck. We can help you find one, come back and see us next year when you have some test scores (and find a copy of the Fiske Guide to Colleges to get some ideas). :slight_smile:

15

@intparent At least I’m making my bad decisions early! We are just out of financial aid range, but I guess NYU is pretty expensive. TBH I’d love to go to Columbia, but I’m not going to bank on it. Yes, I’ll take the SATs or ACTs and report back in the summer.

16

I’ve heard you just take AOPS and practice tests and enter contests, repeat. Then again, I suck at math very badly so I would just consult the person who got in that you know. Maybe he/she can even tutor you