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I"m not doing too well. Obligatory I'm doing better than many here, but I still feel that I have my own problems. For one, I'm younger than many people here, s

by iMage 7y ago

I"m not doing too well. Obligatory I'm doing better than many here, but I still feel that I have my own problems. For one, I'm younger than many people here, so about a year from now I've got all of the fun of the college application process to look towards. This year I've started taking all of my classes at my state's university, which has been a very good experience academically, so for the first time there is a real feeling that my grades matter. This stems from two roots, first I have a feeling of imposter syndrome when it comes to learning and also I'm worried about being a class in which I have a hard time following the professor or the assignments seem unclear, which I am currently experiencing in one of my classes. Also, I still have activities at my high school before and after university, so I spend over two and a half hours every day commuting. That ties into another of my problems, I feel like I over-invest in everything I do and it often hurts, though I have yet to be entirely burned by anything. Currently I'm on an FRC team, and have lead an initiative to put rookies through FTC and I'm the main student coordinator on that while feeling that I myself don't know enough or have the time to learn. This post in itself has been disconcerting for me, I've always felt that my mindset is very similar to others on HN, just a decade or two younger, and I very much imagine being in similar situations to many here a few years from now. I'm struggling with questions such as whether I'll be able to get into top colleges, or even the worth of getting into such programs assuming that financial aid is hard to come by.

jedberg 7y ago
It sounds like you're a teenager taking some college courses while finishing high school? Or an early admit for college? I did that too. I started taking college courses when I was 11. It really sucked when I blew out the curve in the class and 18/19 year old kids wanted to beat me up for it (I can't entirely blame them, but luckily the prof was cool and threw my grade out of the curve). I ended up only doing college in summers -- I never took the option to go full time in college. Some other kids in my program did. One of them really wanted to get into CalTech, but they denied him, saying he wasn't well rounded enough. So the next year he joined every club on campus and tried to be President of as many as possible. He burned out and had to take a year off from all school. I tell you all of this to tell you that you are not alone, there are other people out there who have been there with you. > I feel like I over-invest in everything I do and it often hurts If that's how you feel, you should cut back. Burning out before you hit your 20s isn't good. If you do one or two less clubs or activities, it won't really make much difference in your life. > first I have a feeling of imposter syndrome when it comes to learning We all do, especially when you're in college at such a young age. But just imagine how all the older kids feel seeing you there. They probably feel like much bigger imposters than you! > I'm worried about being a class in which I have a hard time following the professor or the assignments seem unclear Go to office hours and ask for help. Profs don't look down on you for doing this, they look up to you for being responsible. And if you still can't do it, just drop the class. There is no shame in dropping a class that just isn't for you. > I'm struggling with questions such as whether I'll be able to get into top colleges, You're starting college early, you'll almost certainly get into a top college if you keep your grades up. I had a 3.1 GPA in high school, but simultaneously had a 3.5 in my college classes, which counted as a 4.5 for admissions, so I still got into Berkeley. > or even the worth of getting into such programs assuming that financial aid is hard to come by. Usually top colleges make sure you can attend. Harvard is free if your parents make less than $60K a year, and I think Stanford is too. And I don't think the private companies ever turn down anyone for loans. Getting money for college is easy (too easy), the big question is if you are getting sufficient value for that money. Hang in there buddy, and don't stress so much. Enjoy being a care-free teen without responsibilities while you still can.

by iMage 7y ago

jedberg 7y ago

It sounds like you're a teenager taking some college courses while finishing high school? Or an early admit for college? I did that too. I started taking college courses when I was 11. It really sucked when I blew out the curve in the class and 18/19 year old kids wanted to beat me up for it (I can't entirely blame them, but luckily the prof was cool and threw my grade out of the curve). I ended up only doing college in summers -- I never took the option to go full time in college. Some other kids in my program did. One of them really wanted to get into CalTech, but they denied him, saying he wasn't well rounded enough. So the next year he joined every club on campus and tried to be President of as many as possible. He burned out and had to take a year off from all school. I tell you all of this to tell you that you are not alone, there are other people out there who have been there with you. > I feel like I over-invest in everything I do and it often hurts If that's how you feel, you should cut back. Burning out before you hit your 20s isn't good. If you do one or two less clubs or activities, it won't really make much difference in your life. > first I have a feeling of imposter syndrome when it comes to learning We all do, especially when you're in college at such a young age. But just imagine how all the older kids feel seeing you there. They probably feel like much bigger imposters than you! > I'm worried about being a class in which I have a hard time following the professor or the assignments seem unclear Go to office hours and ask for help. Profs don't look down on you for doing this, they look up to you for being responsible. And if you still can't do it, just drop the class. There is no shame in dropping a class that just isn't for you. > I'm struggling with questions such as whether I'll be able to get into top colleges, You're starting college early, you'll almost certainly get into a top college if you keep your grades up. I had a 3.1 GPA in high school, but simultaneously had a 3.5 in my college classes, which counted as a 4.5 for admissions, so I still got into Berkeley. > or even the worth of getting into such programs assuming that financial aid is hard to come by. Usually top colleges make sure you can attend. Harvard is free if your parents make less than $60K a year, and I think Stanford is too. And I don't think the private companies ever turn down anyone for loans. Getting money for college is easy (too easy), the big question is if you are getting sufficient value for that money. Hang in there buddy, and don't stress so much. Enjoy being a care-free teen without responsibilities while you still can.