It has been brought to my attention that the class of 2009 (currently Juniors in high school) will be the largest graduating class in U.S. history. As a class member, I ,myself, feel pressured. Why you ask? The difficulties of getting into a college, university, or even a job opportunity are the primary reasons I want to posture myself to become the best student I can be. Students need to research colleges and scholarship programs to gain a broad understanding of the application process as well as determine what is most important to them in a college. I have a good friend in the class of 2008 whom is a member of the National Honor Society, maintains a 3.9 GPA, and scored a desired amount on the ACTs, but she did not get accepted into a highly desirable state college. Most 2009 graduates will be applying for colleges, making the competition to get into a college significantly harder than what it is now, as if it isn't stressful enough. These understandings have inspired me to try harder in school and be more involved in school activities which will translate to making my college application more appealing. I have come to understand that it highly important for students to make the most of all opportunities that come their way and not take life for granted. Although the class of 2009 will be the largest ever, I am confident that I can get into an excellent school and become a successful adult in life.
The Class of 2009
By x3ohsoosweet - Posted on February 25th, 2008
I SO know we're your coming from. I'm a junior as well and I swear that our graduating year (class of '09) is seriously some of the smartest kids out there, well in my class anyway. You presented a not-so-comforting thought though..I feel just as pressured as well but it does inspire me to do my best and makes me really determined to accomplish what I want to in life. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this -- I easily relate!
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"No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world. And normally he doesn't know it." -- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
You're definitely vesting too much on where you go to college. The fact is, much though Harvard and the other Ivies would like to convince you otherwise, your undergraduate education does not define who you are or how successful you will be. I personally think that high schoolers need to cool it and just enjoy life for what it is... not for what it has the potential to be. You'll go to college, a good one no doubt, and you'll succeed in life. If you're really, really lucky, maybe you'll even be happy on top of that.
I think that as a generation we really need to get our priorities worked out.
Studies have actually shown that the college you go to does not affect your happiness at all. Not one iota.
Studies have actually shown that the college you go to does not affect your happiness at all. Not one iota.
Where did you see that our class would be the largest class?
I read it on MSN.com and on my local news.
This is a serious issue. Competition is one thing, but competing against such a huge amount of people for scholarships, college, future jobs....that's not something you're going to look forward to.
Getting into college is not really that big of a deal if you have "your head on straight." You obviously feel stressed about making it into a college that you think you deserve. Well, you probably deserve that college of your dreams. Just keep on working hard like you have and see how far you have come. I agree that you should have fun in the process. Plus, block out any pessimistic feelings you have towards success because success can not really be measure. To me success is just being happy by being with the one's I love, having a good life style, and having necessities in life like food, water, and shelter.
You may be a bigger class than that of 08, but that doesn't mean you have it worse. I read an article about how the class of 08 (my class) has it the hardest for getting into colleges. We may be a little smaller than you, but we're still significantly larger than recent years, and the average student is applying to more colleges. The problem is that the colleges don't know how to respond, and thus a disproportionate amount of applicants won't get in, where as next year, the colleges will have something to go on, and will know how many they can accept for you guys.
That's strange, because I'm part of the class at 2009 and right now at my school our class is actually one of the smallest my school's had in a really long time. We most be an abnormality.
I do understand about competition though. Like, in the seniors in my school now were to be placed in our grade, only one or two people in the top ten percent of their class would even be in the top twenty percent of ours.
Stormy
I have never heard that offically from anywhere except for this blog. I find it so ironic because my class will be the largest graduating class ever from my school that has been around for more than 100 years. We have 60 students. I know most of you are thinking o wow 60 kids, but compared to the 31 that graduated this year, it is quite a number! I am excited for one to be a part of such a large group. Maybe we are the beginning of the next baby boom. I have an average 26 ACT and a 4.0, and have worked dang hard to earn it, so I am not worried about completing my dreams.