Discouragement

[lockness]

I finished 8th grade this summer and at the time of writing this I am fourteen years of age. I need to be heard for my own sanity. To start, school has always discouraged me, so much. It has hurt my self-confidence more than anything. I love the content of most subjects. Science, math, and social studies are my favorite. My biggest issue with school is handing work in on time. When I do the work and when I study, I get A's. I work very hard on subjects outside of school. This summer I've a lot of time on biology, physics, and maths. I believe I talked about this in a previous thread, but it's been on my mind recently and it's been driving me crazy. How can some students get straight A's, when they're complete idiots? Here's an example: The student that won the science award for 8th grade doesn't know what an enzyme, or even hemoglobin is. He won the science award. And these students don't know anything but somehow maintain straight A's and continue to higher levels. It's like they forget everything they learn. They have no desire to learn either, no ambition. Now I'm starting high school with all college prep classes. I hate that. I hate myself for not trying harder. My dream is to be a surgeon. If not that, pathologist, if not that, then neurologist. And if neither of those, then marine biologist or micro biologist. One more thing I need to vent about: the student who got the 'team award' (an award that is for academics and for being what the teachers call a 'good person') was a total **** ****. That year he hurt me physically. Everything he says is beyond stupid. I don't think I've ever heard him say anything kind. I have no clue what the faculty saw in him. They're either blind or crazy. And after seeing all these douche bags and *****s, I look at my grades and imagine how other people must see me. If they're that inept while getting straight A's, it makes me think how awful I am getting C's. It makes me feel inferior to all of them. I hate it. You may be thinking I just don't like kids who get good grades or something, which I assure you is not the case. My best friend got the best math grades and awards anyone in our school will ever receive. And I am very proud of him, he worked hard for all of it and is very intelligent. I can respect him, but not the other people. I have no respect for someone that is voted a 'good person' who verbally and physically torments people. I wish I could redo middle school and get in honors classes. I feel mediocre having to take college prep. I know if I tried, just a little bit, I could've gotten in honors. I didn't try in middle school because I was certain I wasn't going to go anywhere in my life. However, that thought changed drastically. I'm now prepared to do whatever it takes for a career that I listed before. But the feeling of being mediocre and inferior to a bunch of *****s is discouraging. And seeing my grades compared to theirs is degrading. There's so many classes I want to take. I wanted to take AP Calculus. I can't because I'm doing Algebra I in 9th grade which to me is pathetic... So I'm doing a lot of self-teaching this summer. But colleges don't care about that, neither do schools. Will colleges accept me if I have college prep freshman year? I know the obvious answer is yes but I need to see someone else say it... More specifically, Uconn? I'd love to get into Uconn. Anyways, my two main questions are:

Should I feel inferior to other students because of my poor grades?
Will colleges (like Uconn) accept me with Algebra I and College Prep freshman year of HS?

Thank you very much for reading, your time is greatly appreciated.

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[deleted480308]

I finished 8th grade this summer and at the time of writing this I am fourteen years of age. I need to be heard for my own sanity. To start, school has always discouraged me, so much. It has hurt my self-confidence more than anything. I love the content of most subjects. Science, math, and social studies are my favorite. My biggest issue with school is handing work in on time. When I do the work and when I study, I get A's. I work very hard on subjects outside of school. This summer I've a lot of time on biology, physics, and maths. I believe I talked about this in a previous thread, but it's been on my mind recently and it's been driving me crazy. How can some students get straight A's, when they're complete idiots? Here's an example: The student that won the science award for 8th grade doesn't know what an enzyme, or even hemoglobin is. He won the science award. And these students don't know anything but somehow maintain straight A's and continue to higher levels. It's like they forget everything they learn. They have no desire to learn either, no ambition. Now I'm starting high school with all college prep classes. I hate that. I hate myself for not trying harder. My dream is to be a surgeon. If not that, pathologist, if not that, then neurologist. And if neither of those, then marine biologist or micro biologist. One more thing I need to vent about: the student who got the 'team award' (an award that is for academics and for being what the teachers call a 'good person') was a total **** ****. That year he hurt me physically. Everything he says is beyond stupid. I don't think I've ever heard him say anything kind. I have no clue what the faculty saw in him. They're either blind or crazy. And after seeing all these douche bags and *****s, I look at my grades and imagine how other people must see me. If they're that inept while getting straight A's, it makes me think how awful I am getting C's. It makes me feel inferior to all of them. I hate it. You may be thinking I just don't like kids who get good grades or something, which I assure you is not the case. My best friend got the best math grades and awards anyone in our school will ever receive. And I am very proud of him, he worked hard for all of it and is very intelligent. I can respect him, but not the other people. I have no respect for someone that is voted a 'good person' who verbally and physically torments people. I wish I could redo middle school and get in honors classes. I feel mediocre having to take college prep. I know if I tried, just a little bit, I could've gotten in honors. I didn't try in middle school because I was certain I wasn't going to go anywhere in my life. However, that thought changed drastically. I'm now prepared to do whatever it takes for a career that I listed before. But the feeling of being mediocre and inferior to a bunch of *****s is discouraging. And seeing my grades compared to theirs is degrading. There's so many classes I want to take. I wanted to take AP Calculus. I can't because I'm doing Algebra I in 9th grade which to me is pathetic... So I'm doing a lot of self-teaching this summer. But colleges don't care about that, neither do schools. Will colleges accept me if I have college prep freshman year? I know the obvious answer is yes but I need to see someone else say it... More specifically, Uconn? I'd love to get into Uconn. Anyways, my two main questions are:

Should I feel inferior to other students because of my poor grades?
Will colleges (like Uconn) accept me with Algebra I and College Prep freshman year of HS?

Thank you very much for reading, your time is greatly appreciated.

1. Calm down
2. No one cares what class you took freshmen year HS or really what college you go to. If you get great grades and scores in college you can go to med school
3. No one cares how smart you are, they care what you produce.
4. Stop telling yourself how much smarter you are than everyone else, they were smart enough to turn in their work and get the grades. You have quite literally proven to be mediocre so far, change your behavior and earn exceptional grades if you wish to be perceived as academically exceptional
5. Again, relax. You are in high school. Just get good grades, don't get arrested, and enjoy being a kid

 

[CrazyboyMD]

You should not feel inferior at all due to your low grades. My best piece of advice Is to become actively engaged in the classroom, and take the time to speak to the teacher about what is troubling you.

I am sure schools like UCONN will accept you, even if you are taking college prep Algebra 1. What you should do is show improvement. Get some good extracurricular
activities in there too.

Listen, I know how you feel about the whole award thing. You remind me of myself. I can assure you, you should not feel horrible about it. Reevaluate your work ethic and make some changes. You can succeed.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Stop comparing yourself to others and just focus on being good yourself.

 

[Tchotchke]

highschool you is not the same as college you. Med schools are about college you. Try to focus on yourself, and stay motivated internally, not based on other people. Go to college and do your best. Take a summer class at a local school before you start college to lighten your workload. Med schools dont give a rat's *** about your highschool workload. To get into college, keep up your grades (an A in algebra 1, and an A in Calc? both are As) and manage your time wisely when it comes time to study for the SAT or ACT.

 

[AttemptingScholar]

If you become a doctor, no one will care about anything you did in high school, college, or medical school, unless it's a felony. At the end of the day, you need to be successful in a residency program. The other stuff just gets you there easier. It's hard, but put it in perspective. I once failed a test in elementary school (I got a 50%! I was so angry at myself). Looking back, I care literally not at all. That will continue on.

Your questions for right now are: "How do I get better grades than I have been previously?" and "How do I deal with failure in a constructive and healthy way?"

 

[oelizas]

You have plenty of time to take the classes that interest you. No one cares what math you take freshman year, and it won't hold you back so you shouldn't care either. Just focus on improving yourself, and stop worrying about the people around you. It's not worth it.
Do what interests you, and follow your ambitions. Get good grades, stay out of trouble, get a decent SAT/ACT score, and do extracurriculars that you genuinely enjoy. Ultimately, medical schools will not care about this stuff, but it sets you up for success when things do start to matter. Most importantly, relax!! You have lots of time in the future to feel this stressed out. I know that it can be frustrating to see people be rewarded when they don't deserve it, but just remember that if they didn't actually put in the work then their "reward" is just a piece of paper or a trophy. They don't actually have the skills to back it up, which are the real prize.

 

[THEBACKANDFORTH]

Hey there,

I went to a poor high school where i finished in the bottom third of my class... from there i squeaked into my state school with a good ACT score and subpar grades. My advice: HS doesn't matter. Learn, have fun, BE NICE TO OTHERS EVEN WHEN OTHERS ARENT NICE. Talk to your teachers, try hard (but not so hard that you're stressed), and study for the SAT/ACT when it comes. Things have a tendency to work out. Also, don't worry about a prestigious school, state schools are for real people and real life.. And you will have the time of your life too.

Did I mention that this former crappy student just graduated college with a 3.9 gpa and has a pretty decent shot at getting into med school? And even if he doesn't it will be okay. Things have the tendency to fall into place if you just keep your eyes peeled for the silver lining.

Also, don't talk about yourself in the third person. That's just lame!

 

[WholeLottaGame7]

Paragraphs. We needs them.

Maybe that's why you're getting Cs...

I only say that because everybody else has been helpful, seemed like it was time for someone to bust your balls/ovaries.

 

[Turkishking]

I finished 8th grade this summer and at the time of writing this I am fourteen years of age. I need to be heard for my own sanity. To start, school has always discouraged me, so much. It has hurt my self-confidence more than anything. I love the content of most subjects. Science, math, and social studies are my favorite. My biggest issue with school is handing work in on time. When I do the work and when I study, I get A's. I work very hard on subjects outside of school. This summer I've a lot of time on biology, physics, and maths. I believe I talked about this in a previous thread, but it's been on my mind recently and it's been driving me crazy. How can some students get straight A's, when they're complete idiots? Here's an example: The student that won the science award for 8th grade doesn't know what an enzyme, or even hemoglobin is. He won the science award. And these students don't know anything but somehow maintain straight A's and continue to higher levels. It's like they forget everything they learn. They have no desire to learn either, no ambition. Now I'm starting high school with all college prep classes. I hate that. I hate myself for not trying harder. My dream is to be a surgeon. If not that, pathologist, if not that, then neurologist. And if neither of those, then marine biologist or micro biologist. One more thing I need to vent about: the student who got the 'team award' (an award that is for academics and for being what the teachers call a 'good person') was a total **** ****. That year he hurt me physically. Everything he says is beyond stupid. I don't think I've ever heard him say anything kind. I have no clue what the faculty saw in him. They're either blind or crazy. And after seeing all these douche bags and *****s, I look at my grades and imagine how other people must see me. If they're that inept while getting straight A's, it makes me think how awful I am getting C's. It makes me feel inferior to all of them. I hate it. You may be thinking I just don't like kids who get good grades or something, which I assure you is not the case. My best friend got the best math grades and awards anyone in our school will ever receive. And I am very proud of him, he worked hard for all of it and is very intelligent. I can respect him, but not the other people. I have no respect for someone that is voted a 'good person' who verbally and physically torments people. I wish I could redo middle school and get in honors classes. I feel mediocre having to take college prep. I know if I tried, just a little bit, I could've gotten in honors. I didn't try in middle school because I was certain I wasn't going to go anywhere in my life. However, that thought changed drastically. I'm now prepared to do whatever it takes for a career that I listed before. But the feeling of being mediocre and inferior to a bunch of *****s is discouraging. And seeing my grades compared to theirs is degrading. There's so many classes I want to take. I wanted to take AP Calculus. I can't because I'm doing Algebra I in 9th grade which to me is pathetic... So I'm doing a lot of self-teaching this summer. But colleges don't care about that, neither do schools. Will colleges accept me if I have college prep freshman year? I know the obvious answer is yes but I need to see someone else say it... More specifically, Uconn? I'd love to get into Uconn. Anyways, my two main questions are:

Should I feel inferior to other students because of my poor grades?
Will colleges (like Uconn) accept me with Algebra I and College Prep freshman year of HS?

Thank you very much for reading, your time is greatly appreciated.

You do realize you are young. You could barely pass HS, go to a CC, and still get in med school

 

[singasongofjoy]

I finished 8th grade this summer and at the time of writing this I am fourteen years of age. I need to be heard for my own sanity. To start, school has always discouraged me, so much. It has hurt my self-confidence more than anything. I love the content of most subjects. Science, math, and social studies are my favorite. My biggest issue with school is handing work in on time. When I do the work and when I study, I get A's. I work very hard on subjects outside of school. This summer I've a lot of time on biology, physics, and maths. I believe I talked about this in a previous thread, but it's been on my mind recently and it's been driving me crazy. How can some students get straight A's, when they're complete idiots? Here's an example: The student that won the science award for 8th grade doesn't know what an enzyme, or even hemoglobin is. He won the science award. And these students don't know anything but somehow maintain straight A's and continue to higher levels. It's like they forget everything they learn. They have no desire to learn either, no ambition. Now I'm starting high school with all college prep classes. I hate that. I hate myself for not trying harder. My dream is to be a surgeon. If not that, pathologist, if not that, then neurologist. And if neither of those, then marine biologist or micro biologist. One more thing I need to vent about: the student who got the 'team award' (an award that is for academics and for being what the teachers call a 'good person') was a total **** ****. That year he hurt me physically. Everything he says is beyond stupid. I don't think I've ever heard him say anything kind. I have no clue what the faculty saw in him. They're either blind or crazy. And after seeing all these douche bags and *****s, I look at my grades and imagine how other people must see me. If they're that inept while getting straight A's, it makes me think how awful I am getting C's. It makes me feel inferior to all of them. I hate it. You may be thinking I just don't like kids who get good grades or something, which I assure you is not the case. My best friend got the best math grades and awards anyone in our school will ever receive. And I am very proud of him, he worked hard for all of it and is very intelligent. I can respect him, but not the other people. I have no respect for someone that is voted a 'good person' who verbally and physically torments people. I wish I could redo middle school and get in honors classes. I feel mediocre having to take college prep. I know if I tried, just a little bit, I could've gotten in honors. I didn't try in middle school because I was certain I wasn't going to go anywhere in my life. However, that thought changed drastically. I'm now prepared to do whatever it takes for a career that I listed before. But the feeling of being mediocre and inferior to a bunch of *****s is discouraging. And seeing my grades compared to theirs is degrading. There's so many classes I want to take. I wanted to take AP Calculus. I can't because I'm doing Algebra I in 9th grade which to me is pathetic... So I'm doing a lot of self-teaching this summer. But colleges don't care about that, neither do schools. Will colleges accept me if I have college prep freshman year? I know the obvious answer is yes but I need to see someone else say it... More specifically, Uconn? I'd love to get into Uconn. Anyways, my two main questions are:

Should I feel inferior to other students because of my poor grades?
Will colleges (like Uconn) accept me with Algebra I and College Prep freshman year of HS?

Thank you very much for reading, your time is greatly appreciated.

Woah, take a deep breath.
1) middle school generally sucks for almost everyone. Literally no one I know looks back on middle school fondly.
2) Also, no one except probably your parent(s) care what your grades were in middle school, and they won't even care next year. High school is a fresh slate.
3) People can be good at memorizing for a short while and doing well on tests (e.g., cramming the day before, getting a good grade, but forgetting most of it shortly thereafter because cramming is a terrible way to get things into long term memory). So people can be good at that but still suck at other areas of life skills (like being a nice person, or practical skills).
4) In a lot of more rural areas, like where I grew up, there aren't enough students/teachers to offer enough classes that taking calculus as a freshman would even be possible. Some of us were able to take algebra 1 in 8th grade, but no one took calculus before junior or senior year, and there was no "honors" track. There was just the "vocational" curriculum (I can't remember what the specific term was- folks who took classes like gardening and car repair at the tech school nearby) and "everybody else." The only honors classes were English. There were 4 AP classes total in the whole school- history, bio, calc, and english, and most people couldn't take all of of them because they were each only taught once every 2 years (or maybe 1.5?) and didn't always fit into people's schedules. Yet many of those folks went to excellent schools and some of them got PhDs and MDs with no problem. Whether or not you're in honors track or college track or whatever terminology your school uses isn't a big deal at this point. So stop comparing yourself to others (I know, way easier said than done) and focus on what opportunities are in front of you and what you are interested in. Just get a fairly decent GPA, which sounds like you will do now that you're more motivated by classes, and find a couple of extracurriculars that you actually really enjoy, whatever they are, whether or not they are related to medicine/hard sciences. If after a couple of semesters you're doing great and still feel like it, you could probably ask about what it would take to switch into honors track, but don't lose sleep fretting over it. You can be pretty unremarkable in high school and still go on to med school or PhD- that is what doing well in undergrad is for.

Also, like others have said, if you are planning to pursue a graduate degree, you should worry less about the prestige of your undergrad and more about the financial feasibility of it os you can get out with minimal or no debt. That's what's REALLY important about undergrad, if you want to eventually go to grad school. That, and go to a place that is big enough that you can get some good research opportunities while you're there, which is pretty much any medium-sized or larger state school.

 

[InTypical]

Long time reader, first time poster here, but I believe you are worrying more about what your peers think of you than yourself. And with adding un-needed information in your question such as you being physically abused kind of makes where you are trying to get at a bit confusing. To answer your two final questions though,
1: Yes, it is not uncommon to feel inferior to people with better grades than you, but this isn't 'wrong', instead, take insight from them and realize that maybe you can ask them for help or try learning what makes them get better grades than you!
2: What college you get into is entirely up to you, but "poor grades" as you describe them will surely limit where you want to go after highschool. I cannot fully answer this last one question because you are not in Highschool yet, and your middle school grades WILL NOT matter. Just keep your head high, and don't get too full of yourself, because I sense you have some jealousy and some other negative emotions from reading your question. It will get better, no matter your situation, as long as you keep going forward! Just my $.02