Why do people think that smart people should excel in school

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I hear this from online, from my parents, from my teachers, just from everywhere. They all tell me I'm smart. (Don't feel it, though I want to be.) They also tell me they don't understand at all how I'm failing a majority of my classes. I tell them becuase I don't do any work that I deem unnecessary, and they respond that since I'm smart I should be able to blow past it. What usually happens is I sit there and look at the assignment, get bored, and then just zone out and think about things or do something else. I just can't do work I detest.

The whole school system is just messed up. I found it sad but hilarious that I was failing a class, and other students who had A's would come and ask me for help and I'd basically end up explaining how to do their assignment. So I'd understand what to do, they wouldn't. I'd be failing, they wouldn't. I found helping them more interesting and helpful then actually doing my own work. Never could understand it, but I think it's cool.

What do you think about school, and what have you experienced from your parents or whatever it is that you got opinions from on this topic?

It's the same fallacy as the idea of correlation = causality.

Being "smart" doesn't mean you will do well in school. However, as most "smart" people excel in academics, society presumes this should always be the case.

I would argue though that those grunts have a higher work ethic than I do.

Do you take tests or not take them? My high school is all about tests, every year they give more and more to standardize all their students and strip them of any passion or questioning of the system.

Intelligence doesn't mean anything if it's not put to use.

Looks like you may have a better actual understanding of the material that the others, and thus feel like you don't need to do busy work. I get that. They certainly know how to make once colorful, multifaceted topics uninteresting and seem like chores.

Sometimes you just have to suck it up and do it. Do you have an idea of what you want to do in the future? or some career you want to pursue? Are you in still in high school? Are you planning on going to college? With college courses, there will still be some amount of busywork, but usually, the majority of your grades pretty much relies on your midterms/final exams, so it will hopefully be a more suitable and enriching experience for you.




Sounds like you would be a good teacher/professor. Have you considered tutoring as a side job or even volunteering? If you're currently in college, then I'd suggest applying for a teaching assistant position.

I am currently failing high school, and I would like to go to college, but seeing as how I'm failing that most likely won't happen.

The way it is for me is like biting your finger off. You have enough muscle power in your jaw to bite your fingers off, but you can't because your brain says 'no don't do that'.

On tests I generally do just fine, except on occasions where the teacher is not clear in the questions. Basically the only thing thats a problem is my GPA, which is atrocious. I passed the CAHSEE with full points, got an above average score on the PSAT and teachers have all said my writing is excellent. It's mainly just doing the custodial work that is the problem. That and the fact that this school forces EVERYONE to do things to make the school look good, even though about 99% of those kids can't or don't want to handle it. It drives the teachers up the wall. Like for example, the High School Graduation Requirements set by the district were hidden from kids and parents, and they instead tried to pass the UC acceptance requirements as the high school requirements which made a bunch of kids have to do a whole extra amount of things. Idk, if getting kids to college means passing a bunch of failing kids, this school will do that.

If you really have your mind set on going to college, then there is another path available. Register for the GED test, study, and pass it. Then you can apply to the UC schools or other colleges that you're interested in. Or you can take courses at a community college and transfer later. However, there will be some amount of homework to do in college, so you're going to have to change your mindset a bit and do the required work, even if you don't feel like it. Failing your high school classes isn't going to prevent you from going to college; it just makes the process a bit more difficult. Hope that helps.

p.s. When you're in college, do apply for TA positions; you'll make a good one.