Today, the results of that dreaded test came back. Months, even years, of preparation led to the moment of truth. All the hard work paid off today. Or did it?
Bergen Academies, my school, is known for its high SAT scores. One might think that this would make the students confident about the scores. However, it seems to have the opposite effect on many of my classmates.
One of my friends scored a 2330 (out of 2400), scoring well above the 99th percentile cutoff, which starts at 2200. Yet, she is contemplating retaking the test. It is the same case with another friend who scored a 2360.
This obsession with achieving the perfect score extends beyond getting into college. Perfect SAT scores do not guarantee a Harvard admission. Yet, my friends are still stressing.
Maybe this strive for perfection is something engrained in overachievers. It could be that we enjoy the feeling of knowing that it is impossible to do better than we did. However, when does reaching for perfection change to obsessiveness?
Hopefully, this will question will be answered individually some time in the new future, through our experiences in college and beyond.
It paid off as far as I can see. Every work is worthwhile.
Posted by: recoil springs | September 01, 2011 at 04:46 AM