If you want to get into a good college, don't follow some other posters' advice to slack off on some "less important" classes.
Seconded. I'm worried I'm one of the posters who seemed to be giving this advice, so, to clarify:
In some classes you care about remembering the material, internalizing it, and understanding it. In these classes, use spaced repetition, don't cram for tests, do reading outside of class, go in for help when you need it, and pay attention in class.
In other classes, you care about getting an A. Turn in all the homework, cram for tests, pay attention in class if necessary and make sure you understand the material well enough to succeed on tests. I recommend studying a lot for the first test, and then, depending on your grade, deciding how much studying will be necessary in future. In a lot of high schools, it is possible for very bright kids to get As while doing nothing. If and only if this is the case, you should consider whether doing the work is worthwhile.
In a lot of high schools, it is possible for very bright kids to get As while doing nothing. If and only if this is the case, you should consider whether doing the work is worthwhile.
And note that if you intend to pursue any kind of more challenging studies (anything involving heavy math, for instance), you should probably get into the habit of doing the work even if you could get As by doing nothing. Otherwise there's a high probability that you'll suffer from the curse of the gifted:
...When you were in college, did you ever meet bright kids who graduat
As a continuation of the original Welcome thread (if you haven't gone there, go there fist) I think we need a separate introduction thread for highschoolers.
Who: As a demographic, I think that we can probably be characterized by:
1. Our newness to LW.
2. Our uncertainty about which college or career to choose.
3. (if we are in a public school) Looking for ways to game the system (because we're not learning much in it).
4. Our potential to make a huge impact (the best advantage is an early start).
5. An lack of face to face interaction with intellectual people.
Why: I can think of several things this could help highschoolers with.
1. See where you stack up compared to others your age (We're probably all big fish in small ponds. At least I am. Let's get an idea of what the big pond is like).
2. Make friends with people like you.
3. Consider college and career ideas you hadn't considered before.
4. Perhaps find people to apply with for the Thiel Fellowship.
5. Find a chavruta to go through the sequences with you.
What: Tell us the following:
1. How old/what year are you?
2. How have you tried to enhance your education beyond what's normally offered at schools?
3. How many rationalist/philosophical people are at your school/family?
4. What careers/schools are you considering?
5. Are you going to apply for a Thiel Fellowship?
6. EDIT: link to your old "introduce yourself" post.
If you're not in highschool, tell us what you would have told your old highschool self.