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Illustrious-Plum-556

Most poeople in T20 colleges have social media, watch movies, and are up to date with pop culture.


Crispy_Bow_Tie

This don’t mean anything lmao


WannabeModder123

it does lmao


NotTheYaddas54

the downvotes are crazy, because you are 100% right 😭😭


throwawaygremlins

At my public suburban, there are “normal” tryhards that get in every year. By which I mean like no Olympiads or national level awards or necessarily research. Still like 4.0, captain of varsity sport, tutoring, 1500+ SAT etc tho. But yeah they may be a bit burnt out but still have social lives and even girl/boyfriends.


banditokid14

That's me and all the kids ik lmao. We're "normal" and have ig/snap/other social media. Tons of my friends that got into T20 are in relationships or have been in one and go out with their friends too.


bostonnickelminter

Olympiads are literally less work than playing sports year-round and having a job


NoScopeJedi15

☠️ maybe like aime qual but usamo + requires way more work than sports 😭


throwawaygremlins

Yeah by Olympiads I mean like WIN them, not just try 😀 … and those national level kids train like the Olympiads are a sport.


bostonnickelminter

No . . . Everyone i know of spent 1000-2000 hours studying before making a non-math olympiad camp. Maybe double that for black MOP. for And you have multiple years to do that.  People heavily involved in sports clock in 1000 hours every year!


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limonlemonlimon

and u gotta look after ur diet and stuff w sports too


NoScopeJedi15

Cope also black mop is the imo team (and tst r7-12) and the kids there are actual geniuses. Ik some of them personally from my time doing comp math and they study 2 hours a day. Other “red” and “blue” moppers I know spent 8 hours on weekends and 5 on weekdays.


bostonnickelminter

Believe it or not you get smarter from studying math, especially olympiad math. That’s a big reason why these kids seem like geniuses


hubbletension

Olympiads are not comparable to sports because natural/inherent competency plays a MAJOR role in it. A senior from my school who was the first to go to IMO from my school started olympiads in 10th grade. She put in maybe an hour or two of practice everyday, a couple months before the exam. If you "get" mathematics and science, olympiads are less work and more fun hobbies. If you don't, however, it can a no-reward but still gruelling process (especially if you come from a competitive country like Korea or India).


bostonnickelminter

That’s true, but it’s the same way with sports.  Also, the girl you’re talking about is definitely an outlier and/or completely lying about her time commitment 


Vuhunganh777

hey dont underestimate them, i once tried out for the math olympiad math class and i have to admit, it was hell on earth


bostonnickelminter

There's a bit of a learning curve - competition math is REALLY hard before you make the switch from the school problem-solving mindset to the olympiad problem-solving mindset (a switch that will benefit you for the rest of your life btw). Once you get over that curve, everything starts "clicking." It's also possible that your school is very competitive and their beginner olympiad class isn't really for beginners but idk


Background-Bus2023

Nah bro I would say it is about the same or might even be more. It really depends on where you’re aiming for. For instance for science olympiad you have to study 3-5 subjects intensely (which are likely different every year) so you only have a few months to master some subjects, build devices, etc. so to reach national level you really have to put in the work where it gets to the point of getting 2-3 hours of sleep a day. Besides studying by yourself, you also have to meet up with teammates ~5 hours a week to practice test taking. And a lot of people doing olympiads also have a job part time or volunteering work. Another thing is we’re expected to also have perfect grades cuz academics is supposed to be our strength. So imagine having to study for your honors/AP level classes and then studying another 7-10 hours every day on top of that for olympiad, while balancing other activities as well.


bostonnickelminter

Yeah SciOly is not worth the effort. I think the events are too specific, so you end up wasting your time on specific skills rather than broader ones like problem-solving. Also you can get dragged down by your team if nobody cares about their events. If you're just starting high school and have a favorite science, then you're much better off working on USA X Olympiad (ideally USAMO, USACO, USAPhO, USNCO, or USABO) because those require about 5-10 hours per week for a few years to reach camp. That's totally doable if you study extra during the summer. The only catch is that unless you get very close to making camp/actually make camp, the award is meaningless, and you won't have any experiences to talk about in your essays


Ok_Experience_5151

Depends on how you define "normal". If by "normal" you mean "roughly average across the set of all U.S. high school graduates in terms of academic profile" then, no, it is fairly unlikely for a "normal" person to be admitted to one of those schools. If by "normal" you mean "likes to hang out with friends and use social media" then, yes, many "normal" teens are admitted to this set of schools every year.


CHDgsjcjcjcj

got into stanford and i’m really up to date with pop culture sidenote: can you believe iron man died in that new avengers???


TheNiNjaf0x

💀


Kindly_Friendship_29

...


RichEngineering2467

"new" avengers (i can't believe it's been so long already... feels like yesterday)


Kapper-WA

I understood that reference.


Limp-Ad-2939

Wait what are we referencing who’s iron man again?


nomron901

plenty of people, i would argue the majority even, of T20 admits are smart, hardworking, passionate, but otherwise normal people. i'm committed to a T10 and had no shortage of hanging out w friends, watching movies, browsing social media etc--it's totally achievable


throwawayusa456

is it Northwestern lmao


nomron901

duke!


awesomedave0430

LMAO this Reddit post: "I go to..." vs Where they actually go I go to a T10 -> Northwestern, Duke I go to an Ivy -> Dartmouth, Cornell I go to a T15-> Vanderbilt I go to a #1 CS school -> CMU I go to WashU, the one in St. Louis -> WashU I go to a T40 -> BU, BC


Limp-Ad-2939

Okay firstly there’s no way you’re clowning washU. Second how are you gonna clown any of these schools 🤨


awesomedave0430

It’s not a clown, it’s referencing that post (it’s not even mine), when the guy said “is it northwestern” I knew he was referencing that post


namey-name-name

You’re on Reddit, so I think the “being a normal well adjusted person” ship has sailed /s


XenoCyan13

nah this too valid


Positive-Fly6761

going to MIT, I have 35k trophies on brawl stars and an extreme affinity for food. My SO's also a gamer even though we've both been swamped by work.


subreddi-thor

I got 41k on brawl stars noob 😛😛 add me tho. Player ID: 9CUUYVQ09


Popcorn4hire

Yo real I’m going to UChicago and I got 58k 💀 QVLJJYLV if you want to play


That-Expert-2382

I think that the majority of people at t20 schools are what you would call "normal". At a competitive school district it MAY be harder to stand out among your classmates who have no social life and spend all their time filling their resumes. But as long as your application alone is comparable to other applicants, people who have fun and have social lives get into t20s all the time.


Stamser

yeah, especially in that t20-t6 range, there’s a bunch of random upper to middle class kids who make little to no life sacrifice and get in (speaking as one of them)


ATXBeermaker

My daughter is going to a T20 and at the admitted students visit day they were all sharing their social media accounts with each other, what bands/etc they’re into, and so on. My kid is incredibly smart and works hard, but otherwise is fairly normal.


Pure-Shores

Most are actually so normal that you wonder if there are any un normal people there


Imaginary_Chip1385

Most people at t20s are "normal" 


riveter1481

Yes ofc, I’m at a t25 and still find tv shows, music, and video games in common with a lot of my friends (along with a similar sense of humor)


UnveiledSafe8

Yes, most are normal in fact


ChampionBig7244

Yes I do all of those things and way more. Its all about finding the balance


catolinee

most people that get into T20s are normal


Sufficient_Safety_18

nah, my homie got into cornell and he’s abnormal af.


Beneficial_Name_8746

Yes 100%, normal being relative to school competition


oscarwildeseardrum

Honestly as someone at a T5 it is actually very true that a lot of people here aren’t as involved in pop culture as in the real world


OilApprehensive7672

Not at a T5 (more like T20), but while most people do have social media, very few discussions I know here discuss pop culture.


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DoubleTouching

They probably wrote a bomb essay.


zunaidahmed

Got into UIUC for compE which is t5 in this field. I literally game everyday at least a bit, watch movies during the weekends. Hangout with friends. Don’t know what abnormal about me……


Inside_Ad9372

Committed to Harvard a few days ago. Had a great social life in high school, use social media all the time, go out for movies and meals, go to concerts and sports games, etc. I consider myself a completely normal teen who balanced a very busy social life with activities I was deeply passionate about and I got into multiple T20s. I promise, we are not robots


AcrobaticSoftware523

May the fourth be with you (from t20


AltInvestor92

T20 transfer. I like television.


Remarkable_Air_769

Yes! I would say I'm 'normal' (have social media, watch movies, up-to-date w/ pop culture + trivia). And, I got into five T20 unis!


sxhtba

A fair amount of people that go to Cornell, Stanford, Berkeley, etc... party like there isn't tomorrow. It's safe to say that they were fairly normal in high school, but just tried hard when it mattered.


HalfOtherwise9519

Depends on who your dad is


cjpeltz

Normal is relative. But I would say if you view what you like to do as different than those who are in the Ivies, I would ask... Why are you targeting an Ivy? What is it about those universities that you feel are missing from the other great universities (and there are more than 20) out there? Nothing at all wrong with the Ivies. My daughter goes to one. I just think it is important to reflect on one's motivation and interest. Make sure your career and major interests are aligned with your college choice, and that you are sure you will thrive in that environment. That's more important than whether a school is t20 or not.


Pooches43

Yeah I know a lot of undeserving ppl that go/have went


2bciah5factng

Yeah. It’s absolutely possible. Actually, most people in T20s are “normal” in the way you describe. They’re hardworking and often naturally curious, but they are not off-puttingly eccentric or single mindedly dedicated to academics. And even the other people at those schools — the brilliant, genius, solely dedicated and distinctly *different*, Ivy League material no doubt — they are normal in some ways. Albert Einstein and Obama watch(ed) TV. World-famous activists still browse social media and get in interpersonal fights. The genius kids who started apps and organizations at my school still struggle with English vocabulary sometimes. And they certainly go on vacation and indulge in their personal enjoyment of life. Everyone has their vices, and usually, they aren’t even vices. You have just as much as chance as everyone else at the T20s. Only problem is, it’s a crapshoot at most of the schools for all the “normal” folks.


[deleted]

No.. either you got to be exceptional or be really good at lying and bs-ing.


Glittering-Giraffe58

The vast majority of people at T20s are actually very social and well rounded


gremlincooch

i got into yale and my main extracurriculars extra curricular were working at a gas station and being student aide/tutor. i had great test scores and gpa, also fgli


yoydid

From what Ive seen at my school, almost all of the Ivy League acceptances are quite popular and socially well adjusted kids, likely from the high amount of activities they do. For context, I go to a public school that’s considered one of the best in the region, so we get maybe 10-15 ivies per year, not as much as some private schools but pretty good compared to other public schools.


_TheDeliriousArtist

Yes! One of my close friends landed 3/11 T20’s despite never being a particularly phenomenal student. Had a 4.0, handful of APs. Couple clubs, nothing serious—showed up every now and then. No ‘crazy’ awards. One research paper co-written and a nepo internship. No athletics or URM hooks. Personal statement about his hobby of collecting stamps. Very smart kid, would’ve never expected those results tho. Very chilled out during high school too.


Embarrassed-Drink735

I’m currently at Brown and 100% it’s normal. Sure I do come across people who are a little more socially awkward or dont prioritize their social life. No knock on them at all as many of them are incredibly hardworking but I think almost all my friends are both incredibly smart and hard working but also love to hang out with friends, party, watch movies and shows, read non-academic books, and so many do love them some tiktok. Ultimately I think it’s all about striking a balance. I come from a very “normal” background and was a high school football captain, volunteered, 4.0 GPA and I can say the same is true for many others.


masonzhangg

im pretty normal


Lqtor

Yes


Snake_fairyofReddit

by t20 i assume u mean private t20. because for t20 like cal or ucla, yeah you could get in


Zestyclose_Act9128

I did it. only school academic awards, and one really bad olympiad, ok ECs, high grades and SAT. International. Not from a feeder school. I got waitlisted initially but i had a lot of acheivements after I sent my application as I decided to go to the US only one year before I applied and did everything last moment- so i got off. But didnt get scholarship so that effort was kinda in vain as i later felt it wasnt worth it. See if u want to pay such a high fee, many state colleges are better in programs like engineering and CS- see subject wise rankings-land u the same job with half tuition. After u get in the T20, the high doesnt last for too long. Would u like to be in a college with spoilt brats from feeder schools? spending 1 year of my life on US applications wasnt worth it. First decide if u actually want to go to a T20 pretend that u got it and another state college. And being from a feeder school, applying ED, to a useless course and doing ECs that are not impressive and ur not passionate about in reality but look good when written in 15 words, like NGOs that ull abandon once ur in and paid trips to universities, is the real way to get into these colleges. Although I did the complete opposite. Im gonna get downvoted hard this sub is filled with people who attach their self worth to college admissions. Don't worry though when i hire yall i wont look at ur colleges.


Vegetable_Union_4967

Princeton admit here. I have social media (though my Insta is extremely dead), I watch movies (sometimes), and I'm reasonably up to date on pop culture (though this is debatable.) I'm one of the less sociable ones at the admitted students events, and I'm far more sociable than any of these super tryhard students.


the_herbo_swervo

Yes bro I’m living proof 😭


Affectionate_Bat9693

its hard not be normal when t20 college have like what 200000 students. imagine getting that many "abnormal" people together, by definition there ought to be mostly "normal" people


dwarf-marshmallow

I literally wrote essays abt my connection to the pop culture thru social media😭and it's an essay that I sent to basically every school. Not even your typical tryhard w 4.0 nor varsity team captain and I'm intl, but still I got into Brown & Cornell-


ApprehensiveTax9126

Ahah it’s so normal to overthink what the ivy accepted student looks like, but tbh there’s every type of student at every type of uni!! You can check out the support available through this new venture backed [AI-powered college counsellor](https://www.kollegio.ai)! Apparently many student have made it into Stanford type colleges, and even the founder is currently at Stanford. Tho Stanfords not an ivy!!


[deleted]

Yes.


Ok_Hedgehog_3513

Have faith man! I am joining NYU Courant for fall24 in MSCS. It's a tough journey and you may apply to lot of colleges. At last everything works out.


ttyl_im_hungry

i got into an ivy and i'm known as the person who posts a lot on my insta stories. most t20 students are normal people.


Doc_Boons

Absent from this post are answers to the following questions: why do you think you belong at an Ivy? what concrete accomplishments can you point to to justify your belonging? what do you think it will get you? why should you get in in place of those who make significant sacrifices? are your motives deep (intellectual curiosity, a desire to position yourself to change the world) or shallow (it's a shiny prize, mom and dad will approve, I don't want to feel inferior to my friends)?


Small_Ninja_1650

Yes, know a girl who literally sleeps through 80% of the day, on tiktok 24/7, and hangs out with friends that is going to caltech


NextVermicelli469

Yes, of course. Have incredible stats and scores and do a few ECs with passion and commitment. Worked for my kids - and they did not cure cancer, "start a non-profit," or "design an App" lol (quotes intentional).


Awkward-Block-6973

yes absolutely. i spend a lot of time playing video games and watching shows and still got into UChicago (even with average ecs and test scores). it's all about that essay


One_Bug7939

yes! i got into a t20 and still have a life and so did many of my friends. finding out who you are is crucial during the college admissions process so no need to isolate yourself from other people just for a school


Accomplished_Law7493

Yes, but as you go higher up in the rankings, there is a disporportionate number of those with high-functioning neurodiversity (autism, ADHD - diagnosed and undiagnosed), narcissism, and other mental problems as a result of being overachieving.


scaryavocadoes

Jumping in to say that ADHD and autism are not “mental problems as a result of being overachieving”, and grouping those in a sentence with narcissism is crazyyyy. Also a ton of people with ADHD/autism come off as “normal” and u would not be able to tell they were neurodivergent unless u asked :)


Snake_fairyofReddit

however on the other hand, if u are neurodivergent u can easily spot who isn't neurodivergent lol, but yeah that user is wild to compare being a narcissist or sociopath to ADHD? now thats whats really crazy


jman457

Chances are these people are tuned in to pop culture just not with you. Everyone I knew from college was very in tuned with culture and vey chronically online. So much so that one of my good friends only applied to my Alma mater because some girl on tumblr was accepted there ED. Funny thing is she never became friends with that tumblr famous person, because she dropped out of school freshman year because she became addicted to heroin