Success
After reading the first chapter of Outliers, I concluded that opportunity, luck, and my desire to succeed are the structural elements that made me academically successful. My parents pulled me out of the public school system to provide a better learning environment for me in a private school. If it was not for my parents’ desire to better my education, then I would not have had the opportunity to go to Our Lady’s and then, to Trinity Catholic. I believe luck played a role in my success because I am fortunate to be part of a family, who can provide money for my education. If I was brought up in a less fortunate household, I would not be attending a private school or be given the opportunities of extra- curricular activities. The most important element that has made me academically successful is my desire to succeed. If I did not care about my education, then I would not be doing very well in school. Since I believe in taking complete advantage of my education, I do my schoolwork to the best of my ability.The only way I can think of being tracked is the fact I graduated private kindergarten a year earlier than most kids my age. Ever since then, I have been one of the youngest in my class, yet also considered mature for my age. Technically, I am supposed to be a sophomore, but I am a junior. In a way, I think I am an outlier of an outlier. According to the hockey statistics, the older boys benefited and succeeded the most. I believe I am academically successful, yet one of the youngest in my class. Unless Gladwell’s theory applied specifically to athletes, my age does not seem to affect my ability to succeed
As a child, school came easy to me. I never strived to do well on tests and assignments. At the most, I looked over my notes before a test and managed to get an A. I believe it was partly because I was confident that I knew the subject well enough to get all the answers correct. I never strived to be the best, but my teachers always told my parents that I had that potential if I put a little effort into my work. I never understood what this meant, until I was ranked third in my class in the first quarter of my freshman year. As a freshman, my goal was to be on the Principal’s List, which did not take much effort, but once I saw that I was ranked number three in my class, I decided to challenge myself and strive to be number one. Ever since I achieved this goal, I continue to challenge myself by taking, what is considered, tough courses. I strongly believe taking the easy way out is not the route to success.
I have received a large advantage by being in an AP English course. I have a jump-start by taking a college- level course in high school. My writing is most likely better than most college preparatory students because I am taking a more rigorous class and learning things that college students learn. The kids that are taking a high school English class will learn the things I know now a year later. My grammar, speaking, and writing skills are also, most likely, at a higher level than the students taking a regular English course. This class will look better on my college resume and higher my GPA if I do well. These two things are also advantages I have over most students.
I have an accumulated advantage because I stayed consistent with my schooling for eleven years for almost six hours a day. If I am not in school, I read books for school over the summer and do assignments that are assigned with each book. Another advantage I have is that some teachers know me better than others because they have taught me more than once. I am also accustomed to their teaching styles and know what they expect of me. After eleven years of schooling, I learned that it is okay to make mistakes because it will only better my chances of succeeding.
