> They've gone all in on a dumb, onerous, do x, do y, do z to succeed worldview that's inherent in high school. This is a half truth. They do things that typic

> They've gone all in on a dumb, onerous, do x, do y, do z to succeed worldview that's inherent in high school. This is a half truth. They do things that typically are not that difficult for smart kids with good study skills like get good grades and get good SAT scores. > I'm at least a little suspicious of students who have so willingly grabbed onto that system and don't see through it for the farce it is The really smart and wise kids precisely see it for the farce that it is. As such, they do what it takes to get good grades and spend the rest of their time doing something that is actually interesting and/or productive. The idea that getting into an elite school is just a matter of grinding harder than the next person is just a misguided perception that works occasionally at best, and often for reasons that aren't stated. For example, a recruited athlete who can also grind academics is actually a strong candidate, but the key is the "recruited athlete" part rather than the "grind academics" part.