ATAR Notes: Forum

VCE Stuff => Victorian Education Discussion => Topic started by: chikopapi on January 31, 2008, 07:16:47 pm

Title: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: chikopapi on January 31, 2008, 07:16:47 pm
Hey

So I'm above average at English, infact last year I was in a class full of deadbeats so i looked awesome in comparison and won the class prize.

However this year, Im in a class of freakin nerds. Like the cream of the crop guys who are all really competitive, arrogant, etc. I seriously have like the top 10 smartest guys in my school in my class.

Is this a good or bad thing? I probably won't look so good in comparison, and my SAC scores will probably be lower if all these guys are way better. Right?
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: enwiabe on January 31, 2008, 07:22:55 pm
I was in that exact situation myself. I was in a class that saw: one 50, one 49, two 47's, one 45, four 44's, two 42's a 40 go off. This was in a class of 18. I shit you not. I was about 4th-5th ranked for SACs, and because everyone did amazingly on the exam, I was benefitted accordingly, despite doing worse on the exam than those who had a lower SAC ranking than me. So, yeah, work HARD at the SACs, try to beat them, and you will reap the fruits of your labour. :) Personally, the only reason I was in my position was because I got near full marks for creative writing and the oral which accounts for roughly 50% of the SAC marks. So, yeah, find something you're good at and drive it home. Get a good ranking in your smart class and you'll be lifted up, no matter what.

EDIT: Sorry, I had to go back through the high achiever's list and change the "who got 40s" list because I was confusing people in my year level with people in my actual class.
EDIT2: Just working that out... that was in an English class with a median SS of 44...
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: Collin Li on January 31, 2008, 07:30:04 pm
I agree with enwiabe.

It can only be a good thing if you take advantage of it. Other people who are in shit schools are faced with the burden of coming 1st so they can rely do not have to rely on their cohort's exam marks, whereas in a competitive class, you will be motivated to work harder, which will benefit your exam performances, but if you manage to draw a good rank in your SACs, you will also benefit from the higher average of your cohort.
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: brendan on January 31, 2008, 07:37:40 pm
All the research says: it is a good thing. The researchers call it "positive peer effects"
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: Pencil on January 31, 2008, 07:51:19 pm
It's a good thing.
I don't really look at it from a statistical point, but in terms of classroom discussion (especially in a subject like english) you will really benefit from hearing the ideas of people who know what they are on about
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: ?HI? on January 31, 2008, 08:01:26 pm
I suppose it is a good thing, mostly. Being in a class full of bright students can enlighten you to how good you actually are. For instance, if you were in a class full of less smart people, then you might think that you're awesome when that's not really true in comparison with the upper end of the state. So, it's good to give you some perspective.

However, I think it's bad if you dislike added stress and competition.
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: melodrama on January 31, 2008, 09:44:20 pm
i've been told by teachers that you get pulled up by your cohort in terms of exam marks, but i don't really have the stats to back that up.

i was in a class of two 50s and four 45s, and performed poorly in all my sacs. i ended up with a 45 in spite of screwing up the pov part of the exam. sure, being in a whizzbang class caused me a lot of grief during the course of the year, but i'm laughing now :D
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: brendan on January 31, 2008, 10:04:03 pm
i've been told by teachers that you get pulled up by your cohort in terms of exam marks, but i don't really have the stats to back that up.

i was in a class of two 50s and four 45s, and performed poorly in all my sacs. i ended up with a 45 in spite of screwing up the pov part of the exam. sure, being in a whizzbang class caused me a lot of grief during the course of the year, but i'm laughing now :D

yeah they are teachers and not statisticians for a reason, they don't have a good grip of statistics.
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: Ren on January 31, 2008, 10:31:22 pm
Personally I think you benefit from having students above you as you have motivation to keep up with them, as well as they are great to have in class discussions as you can discuss/share ideas.
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: TrueLight on January 31, 2008, 10:59:19 pm
according to my past psychology teacher (who was awesome) it's a good thing
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: RD on February 01, 2008, 08:17:01 am
complete opposite for me, I'm in a class with not so smart people..
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: kido_1 on February 01, 2008, 04:45:24 pm
I would definitely say being in a class with really smart people is a great thing.

Competition is awesome..
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: droodles on February 02, 2008, 12:07:32 pm
i'm in toothpicks class so i will probably get 30+ for english
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: bubble sunglasses on February 02, 2008, 12:15:59 pm
i'm in toothpicks class so i will probably get 30+ for english

  Is everyone in your school like you and Toothpick?
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: dcc on February 02, 2008, 12:51:00 pm
my classes are just LOL for intelligence factor.

its really funny when your sitting in a study period and you hear 3 self-indulgent students having a discussion about time and the universe, but they're getting it all wrong!  The skill to not interrupt people and tell them they're wrong truly is a great one.
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: droodles on February 02, 2008, 01:01:47 pm
i'm in toothpicks class so i will probably get 30+ for english

  Is everyone in your school like you and Toothpick?

as in we have a batch of trolls and a batch of intellects?
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: gfb on February 02, 2008, 01:52:39 pm
Chikopapi, I seriously think your describing yourself with the word "arrogant". Just let it flow dude, if you start thinking like this before anything starts, you'll lose at the end.

You should forget "others" and put your personal best in this year.

Cheers.
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: Mao on February 02, 2008, 02:10:38 pm
Chikopapi, I seriously think your describing yourself with the word "arrogant". Just let it flow dude, if you start thinking like this before anything starts, you'll lose at the end.

You should forget "others" and put your personal best in this year.

Cheers.

QFT

at the end of the day wherever you are with whoever in ur class, you'll still need to try your best, so might as well just forget all these complications and do the best you possibly can, simple :P
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: brendan on February 02, 2008, 02:11:45 pm
Hey

So I'm above average at English, infact last year I was in a class full of deadbeats so i looked awesome in comparison and won the class prize.

However this year, Im in a class of freakin nerds. Like the cream of the crop guys who are all really competitive, arrogant, etc. I seriously have like the top 10 smartest guys in my school in my class.

Is this a good or bad thing? I probably won't look so good in comparison, and my SAC scores will probably be lower if all these guys are way better. Right?

you could always ask to be in a more stupid class or you can go to a government school.
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: midas_touch on February 02, 2008, 02:19:45 pm
Having competition can only be a good thing, especially if you are in that kind of mindset yourself. My class only had about 2-3 others who were around my level in a class of 20 or so, and so I probably didnt put as much effort into english as I would have if there were more people around my level/better than me. Still, considering I got a 41, I cant really complain much at all.
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: Rietie on February 02, 2008, 03:23:33 pm
Hey

So I'm above average at English, infact last year I was in a class full of deadbeats so i looked awesome in comparison and won the class prize.

However this year, Im in a class of freakin nerds. Like the cream of the crop guys who are all really competitive, arrogant, etc. I seriously have like the top 10 smartest guys in my school in my class.

Is this a good or bad thing? I probably won't look so good in comparison, and my SAC scores will probably be lower if all these guys are way better. Right?

you could always ask to be in a more stupid class or you can go to a government school.

That's an answer I would give (the one about the government school).
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: kido_1 on February 02, 2008, 03:43:20 pm
The psychology cohort is pretty good for my year.
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: sheepz on February 02, 2008, 10:53:59 pm
yeah i think its a good thing because you get the competition and motivation to work harder rather than slack off (which was what i did in year 9 and 10) lol...
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: kido_1 on February 02, 2008, 11:00:16 pm
Yeh, sometimes that really annoying competitor in your class pushes you to work harder,which is inadvertently a great outcome!
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: bubble sunglasses on February 03, 2008, 08:40:34 am
i'm in toothpicks class so i will probably get 30+ for english

  Is everyone in your school like you and Toothpick?

as in we have a batch of trolls and a batch of intellects?

  As in you're all LULZ.....in a good way :D
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: bubble sunglasses on February 03, 2008, 08:44:22 am
The psychology cohort is pretty good for my year.

 Although for Spec, you'll probably have to pit yourself against other FSNers. We [BSSC, 2006] had 2 45ers but usually outright top score in Bendigo is around low 40's.
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: droodles on February 03, 2008, 10:22:58 am
im more lul than toothpick, too e-z
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: kido_1 on February 03, 2008, 12:54:07 pm
The psychology cohort is pretty good for my year.

 Although for Spec, you'll probably have to pit yourself against other FSNers. We [BSSC, 2006] had 2 45ers but usually outright top score in Bendigo is around low 40's.

 So True!
This year the highest I think was 40/41 in Spec.

Edit: moved post outside of quote tags
Title: Re: Im in a class with REALLY smart people - good or bad?
Post by: Toothpaste on February 03, 2008, 09:36:22 pm
i'm in toothpicks class so i will probably get 30+ for english
im more lul than toothpick, too e-z
Lulz.

How does that work?