<p>So, who would like to give an honest opinion?</p>
<p>Are those hyper-active/ventilating CCers what you would call the "norm" in top colleges, or would you just say that they are the creme de la creme of the applicant pool?</p>
<p>Don't worry, I'm hyperventilating too.</p>
<p>Hmmm, I personally wouldn't mark myself as an overachiever by standard definition, but hmmm, I think that top colleges are just composed of highly passionate students who want an education and are willing to go all out to succeed: an overachiever. Though I think that a good percent of undergraduates at top colleges are the typical overachievers.</p>
<p>It depends on how you define an overachiever.</p>
<p>As the college admissions process becomes more competitive, each student must look out for his or her future and demonstrate their abilities in greater, more prominent ways. As this mindset becomes more common, the definition of an overachiever changes, and what one who was once declared an overachiever may now be considered average. </p>
<p>But, yeah, a good amount of CCers will be in a group you could classify as 'overachievers', not all of them in the group by choice, some because of their personality. </p>
<p>Personally, I'd probably declare myself an overachiever, at least relatively speaking. Although I do enjoy to slack, I tend to "overachieve", pushing my comfort zone and testing my abilities. I find it intriguing and exciting and probably would be doing it regardless of the competitive admissions process, although it does spur me on now and then.</p>
<p>I think they make up about 10% of the top colleges at most...probably less.</p>
<p>I don't want to say because I don't know, but I'm not surprised on how competitive it is. Think about the school that you go to. There are like over thousands of kids like the best student in your class; I'm sure.</p>
<p>I agree with confused_student on this part:</p>
<p>
[quote]
I think they make up about 10% of the top colleges at most...probably less.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>This is the cream of the crop of HS students, with a few pieces of fabricated statistics thrown in the mix. If you have noticed, the acceptance rates of students on CC are rather high, given what is seen on the various decision threads in their corresponding college fora.</p>
<p>I hate all you people.</p>
<p>....:)</p>
<p>Way too much complainers</p>
<p>Way too many overly anxious genuises who need constant validation.</p>
<p>Don't worry; your Ivy Leagues are filled 30% or more with people who had an "in" to get there. Legacies, etc....
Let's face it, W wasn't exactly a genius at Yale. </p>
<p>The real question is whether or not a hard working, bright (yet, socially "average") student will be accepted into the Ivy elite social climate of privilage. And, will it matter?</p>