In a competitive and academically-driven environment like the Upper School, it is difficult not to compare yourself to others or get caught up with your imperfections. Nobody is perfect, regardless of what it may seem like, and instead of comparing ourselves to others or an unachievable level of perfection, we should appreciate how far we have come and strive to improve for the future. Especially in a school without any class ranking, colleges will see your grades, scores, and progress, not how well you rank against someone else.
A practice of academic competition is the comparison of test scores and answers. While most people acknowledge the negative effects of talking about test scores, people still talk about them. Additionally, after taking a test, many people ask others for answers to certain questions, which increases test-taking stress and negatively impacts people who didn’t receive the same answer. The competition associated with our schoolwork takes the focus away from individual progress and learning, which are the overall goals of the class.
It is important to find the balance between the desire for better and the acknowledgement of improvement. Regardless of whether it is academic, goal setting for the future can help motivate people to become better versions of themselves. While this is important, it must be done in moderation to keep sight of progress and the bigger picture of life. Instead of focusing on the points you didn’t get, focus on what you did, and use the information you receive to prepare better for the next time.
Regardless of whether you achieve your academic goals, we go to a challenging school, and colleges recognize this. This difficult baseline level of academic rigor makes it unnecessary to take every hard class, which lets students focus on their passions or potential future majors. Taking every AP in every class is not the smart decision, as it sacrifices mental health for college credit. The desire to be perfect, or to appear perfect, whether for colleges, others, or yourself, is not a winnable endeavor, and instead, focusing on living a more full life is a better strategy.
