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College Confidential (just a guess) is made up of over-achievers and some liars . If you need some advice, stop by the parents forum... The way GPA is calculated is often misleading. I understand that many schools weight grades by up to two points which means that a 3.8 is really not a 3.8.
It sounds like you have a balanced life, like most normal teens. My youngest took more AP classes then his brother or sister and that was 5. All three had no trouble finding colleges that they liked and were accepted to.
I agree. Some schools rank AP/honors courses on a 5.0 scale so they could have a 3.8, which is really a low B average. What most of these kids don't know is that colleges toss these scales and recalculate on a 4.0 scale. Our school doesn't inflate grades but they do have 2 class rank systems. If you take AP/Honors courses they have a formula that they use that takes into consideration how many classes you have taken that are AP/Honors and your grades in those classes and you get an honor's rank. That is the rank they send to colleges. If you never take an honors/AP class you could not finish in the top of the class (and realistically you couldn't finish higher then top 50% or so). Colleges seem to like this system because it gives a better representation of where they finished compared to other kids taking the same course levels.
Some people (Such as myself) Function more efficiently under a heavier load.
I know it sounds odd, but I have been getting done more rapidly with 19 Hour terms than my current 15 hours... because I know how much I have to do and knock it out quicker.
I am not sure if we are on or off-topic here but I would like to comment on this.
Some people just work more efficiently and quicker than others. The French have a term for it .... 'puissance de travail'.
I had one guy who worked for me. He came in at 9am and was gone by 5pm. But he did more in his 8 hours than most people did in 12 hours and he almost always got it right first time. It sometimes upset his co-workers but project leaders loved him.
Some people (Such as myself) Function more efficiently under a heavier load.
I know it sounds odd, but I have been getting done more rapidly with 19 Hour terms than my current 15 hours... because I know how much I have to do and knock it out quicker.
I'm the same way. I think most people are. When we have a heavy load, we know we can't procrastinate so we don't. I carried 18 credits while working 24 hours a week with an hour and a half commute from campus to work during my last semester in college. While I only pulled a 3.6 GPA that semester, I'm amazed at what I got done. I have no idea how I got it done but I did. My lab partner was in the same boat but somehow, we pulled it off.
I think when you know you have to get something done, you do. Sometimes, it helps not having time to actually think about how much you have to do.
I spend a lot of time on a website that's is sort of like this but purely for high school and college related posts. I see posts saying that as a sophomore some people are taking AP bio, AP calculus, AP gov etc ( which I don't even know how it's possible) and then in addition to taking 6 AP classes they're self studying 3 extra AP classes ( refering to all high schoolers now), in 12 extra curricular clubs and upset because they scored a 2250 on the SAT and because they're pulling a 3.89 overall GPA.
Now maybe because I am a teenager I see this unreasonable but what do you all think. I feel like if I was to enroll myself and put that much on my plate I would crazy. As a teen I feel like it's important to have a social life. Now I don't go out partying every weekend but I like to have people over, I go out to the movies, take trips to the city and ocassionally I do go to a party. How can anyone with this much of a workload have any sort of non academic life? I know I'm in AP history and sometimes I get 3 hours of homework on top of homework for my other 8 classes.
Opinions/ thoughts? Am I really that off and out of touch with reality or am I sort of right?
I think that the people who post on college confidential tend to be the top of the top of the top (or they are lying). I wouldn't waste a whole bunch of energy worrying about them. Take a challenging course load in high school. That means take the hardest classes you can get A/B in and do well in them. There will be a college for you.
I spend a lot of time on a website that's is sort of like this but purely for high school and college related posts. I see posts saying that as a sophomore some people are taking AP bio, AP calculus, AP gov etc ( which I don't even know how it's possible) and then in addition to taking 6 AP classes they're self studying 3 extra AP classes ( refering to all high schoolers now), in 12 extra curricular clubs and upset because they scored a 2250 on the SAT and because they're pulling a 3.89 overall GPA.
Now maybe because I am a teenager I see this unreasonable but what do you all think. I feel like if I was to enroll myself and put that much on my plate I would crazy. As a teen I feel like it's important to have a social life. Now I don't go out partying every weekend but I like to have people over, I go out to the movies, take trips to the city and ocassionally I do go to a party. How can anyone with this much of a workload have any sort of non academic life? I know I'm in AP history and sometimes I get 3 hours of homework on top of homework for my other 8 classes.
Opinions/ thoughts? Am I really that off and out of touch with reality or am I sort of right?
If you're on that website, it is to be among the top percentage of high achievers that are competing for limited spots in very elite universities. For those trying to get into those colleges, a 3.89 and a 2250 on their SAT is absolutely a failure, as they won't get their coveted spot. It's like training to be an olympic gymnast, and falling off the bar at a qualifying competition.
Everybody's different, and I'm sure those teens are wondering how anybody has the time to update their facebook account daily. There is no wrong or right, its just different. Society needs scientists to cure cancer, surgeons, obgyns, dentists, chiropractors, nurses, and medical billers . Each will require a different level of commitment and dedication to their field, and only a few are willing to take on the personal sacrifice required in very competitive fields.
Quote:
Originally Posted by golfgal
They are exaggerating, period. First, there just aren't that many AP classes to take that they could take 9 AP classes 9-12th grades--there are only 32 offered through the AP program to begin with. Second, there are required courses that most schools have that do not have an AP equivalent, like band or choir, algebra, geometry, etc. Third, there are not enough hours in the day to do everything they say. AP Courses - Advanced Placement Course Descriptions
There are of course enough AP classes to take 9 in your TOTAL highschool years! In some schools, 9 would actually be a very low number. Now if your school does not offer 9, that is a different story, but top students would probably self study or do an independent study with an AP teacher. But larger and more competitive highschools certainly offer many, many more, and expect their top students to take more than 9.
If you still have algebra and geometry as a prerequisite as a sophmore, I don't think you're worrying about that many AP classes. I've never heard of a band or choir as a prerequisite.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Momma_bear
I think that the people who post on college confidential tend to be the top of the top of the top (or they are lying). I wouldn't waste a whole bunch of energy worrying about them. Take a challenging course load in high school. That means take the hardest classes you can get A/B in and do well in them. There will be a college for you.
Very true. Challange yourself to the most of your ability. Also realize that while these people have VERY high IQ, and probably higher than both yours and mine, there is an "optimal IQ". While these people will succeed in the academic life, and might very well in their careers, many will struggle with their social lives and sometimes lack things like common sense. You will be much happier in your life if you are well rounded.
If you're on that website, it is to be among the top percentage of high achievers that are competing for limited spots in very elite universities. For those trying to get into those colleges, a 3.89 and a 2250 on their SAT is absolutely a failure, as they won't get their coveted spot. It's like training to be an olympic gymnast, and falling off the bar at a qualifying competition.
Everybody's different, and I'm sure those teens are wondering how anybody has the time to update their facebook account daily. There is no wrong or right, its just different. Society needs scientists to cure cancer, surgeons, obgyns, dentists, chiropractors, nurses, and medical billers . Each will require a different level of commitment and dedication to their field, and only a few are willing to take on the personal sacrifice required in very competitive fields.
There are of course enough AP classes to take 9 in your TOTAL highschool years! In some schools, 9 would actually be a very low number. Now if your school does not offer 9, that is a different story, but top students would probably self study or do an independent study with an AP teacher. But larger and more competitive highschools certainly offer many, many more, and expect their top students to take more than 9.
If you still have algebra and geometry as a prerequisite as a sophmore, I don't think you're worrying about that many AP classes. I've never heard of a band or choir as a prerequisite.
Very true. Challange yourself to the most of your ability. Also realize that while these people have VERY high IQ, and probably higher than both yours and mine, there is an "optimal IQ". While these people will succeed in the academic life, and might very well in their careers, many will struggle with their social lives and sometimes lack things like common sense. You will be much happier in your life if you are well rounded.
No, she was saying that they were taking 9 EVERY year in high school-9-12--not possible.
AP Calc AB in 10th grade? Doable but rare. That would mean that the student went through Alg II/Trig by 8th grade and did Pre-Calc (a prerequisite for Calc in many school systems) in 9th. Again doable but rare.
AP Bio in 10th, absolutely doable, either as a first timer or as a follow on to regular Bio in 9th.
AP Gov't? That's a 10th grade class in my system. Rather AP US Government and Politics is. AP Comparative Government is not.
Self-study or on-line is dicey. The student could take the AP exam (anyone can if they're willing to pay the $87/test) after sel-study, but it likely couldn't be listed on their transcript for an AP grade. CollegeBoard only recognizes a limited number of on-line providers from which the student can receive transcript credit for AP.
It's not unsual for a select group of students to take 4 or more AP classes per year, much of it depends on what schedule model the school is on and the willingness of the school system to provide on-line resources for any courses not offered during the school day.
In my experience as both a teacher of AP, and now as an AP Coordinator, students that take more than 5/year start having a drooling and twitching problem starting around the middle of January.
No, she was saying that they were taking 9 EVERY year in high school-9-12--not possible.
Oh, 9 a year would of course be impossible. But I don't see where she says that:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jazzii
I see posts saying that as a sophomore some people are taking AP bio, AP calculus, AP gov etc ( which I don't even know how it's possible)
that's three sophmore year. While AP calculus is rare as a sophomore, there are many gifted children that do take it that early. AP Bio and AP gov... if you want to take some of the harder science and history AP classes by the time you graduate, you better take these as a sophomore.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jazzii
and then in addition to taking 6 AP classes they're self studying 3 extra AP classes ( refering to all high schoolers now), in 12 extra curricular clubs and upset because they scored a 2250 on the SAT and because they're pulling a 3.89 overall GPA.
This is referring to all highschoolers now... and while taking 6 classes and studying for 3 is excessive, if you want to be a National AP Scholar by Junior year so you can put in your college applications, sometimes you have to self study. Some find that the self study is a lot less time consuming. These are kids that are used to absorbing information very quickly.
Every one it was an exaggeration!!!! I apologize lol. I was just using that as an exaggeration to get my point across which it did because it's what everyone has noticed lol
Every one it was an exaggeration!!!! I apologize lol. I was just using that as an exaggeration to get my point across which it did because it's what everyone has noticed lol
Here we all thought the people you were referencing were bull****ters and it turns out the bull****ter was you.
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. If you need some advice, stop by the parents forum... The way GPA is calculated is often misleading. I understand that many schools weight grades by up to two points which means that a 3.8 is really not a 3.8.
