<p>Well, I'm getting a B+ in my french class but I got a first place gold medal in the French National Contest (like top 15 out of 20 thousand in the level). Just given this information, what would they think?</p>
<p>It could be viewed 2 ways:</p>
<ol>
<li>IN YOUR FAVOR: School has massive grade deflation, which makes your B+ look impressive.</li>
<li>NOT IN YOUR FAVOR: You’re really lazy (ie don’t do the work, etc) but are smart. Colleges generally frown upon this.</li>
</ol>
<p>golfer111 was dead-on. If you go to a top school, #1, and if you go to an “easy” school, I’d bet #2.</p>
<p>Its not really a top school, but my french teacher is particularly hard (i doubt anyone gets A’s in her classes and only few A-s, and those who do probably work their asses off).</p>
<p>I lol’ed when I read #2 because that’s exactly me, and the rest of my transcript “screams” it. But only a little bit lazy… By which I mean I would get a lot of A-'s and B+'s but nothing lower (in fact I got ZERO A’s in my freshman year even though I skipped three years in math and physics - all A-/B+).</p>
<p>Now, do they actually necessarily frown upon smart kids being lazy? I hope they don’t O_o.</p>
<p>Of course they do.</p>
<p>Yeah, actually they’d rather have an average kid who works like a horse than a smart kid who doesn’t do any work.
Because in college, there’s NO way you’re gonna graduate off of sheer intelligence unless your Sheldon from TBBT. It’s all about hard work. Period.</p>