The General Chit Chat Thread 3

[megido-rev.M]

Different levels of smartness, I guess.

[froody1911]

One of my favorite bands released a new album today and it's unexpectedly great squeeee etc.

[gits]

What age are people when they're seniors in high school in the states?

Normally 17-18 but it's possible to be one way earlier if you're smart enough.

It doesn't matter how smart you are, most smart people actually try to stay there as long as possible (from my experience). What matters is the age at which you went to school, I started when I was 5, so I will do my finals 17 years old. Most others are 18 or 19.

EDIT: That said, I am not sure how it is in US or in normal schools.

Our definitions of "smart" are very different it seems...

I graduated 4 years early and subsequently had a free ride to any university I wanted, and I already had 4 years in uni and was in med school by the time everyone else was graduating high school.

If these "smart" people are staying there as long as possible, believe me, they aren't nearly as smart as you think they are. Just sayin'

You had a free pass to all ivy league universities?

[Tatsujin]

^ gits .. I feel sorry for you.

and ... g'nite everyone, nyaaaahm....

[Bob2004]

What age are people when they're seniors in high school in the states?

Normally 17-18 but it's possible to be one way earlier if you're smart enough.

It doesn't matter how smart you are, most smart people actually try to stay there as long as possible (from my experience). What matters is the age at which you went to school, I started when I was 5, so I will do my finals 17 years old. Most others are 18 or 19.

EDIT: That said, I am not sure how it is in US or in normal schools.

Our definitions of "smart" are very different it seems...

I graduated 4 years early and subsequently had a free ride to any university I wanted, and I already had 4 years in uni and was in med school by the time everyone else was graduating high school.

If these "smart" people are staying there as long as possible, believe me, they aren't nearly as smart as you think they are. Just sayin'

I don't know about America, but in the UK at least I definitely think it would be a very bad idea to go to university early. Academically, sure, no real problem there, but you'd miss out on so much else if you were that much younger than everybody else there. School and university are important for so much more than simple academic study.

[lololitas]

Well, in germany it's kind of hard to do what you did. Skipping grades is possible by all means, but you don't have a free choice of universities after that. In general you have to choose between an university in your hometown, and if your preferred course is not available/ the university is to far away, you'll have to apply for observation by a social worker in your new flat/dorm, with said social worker coming by once or twice a week. generally speaking though, schools try not to allow skipping grades too much, because it would hinder the proper development of forms of intelligence other than academic. Instead they started offering programs where an entire grade gets the possibility to skip on grade.

Well, you also have to consider that our education program ends on a higher level than in the US. I'm not that sure about the UK, but I think it's the same for them as well. I'm pretty sure about france. It's part of the reason why we don't need college before med school

[TiYlER]

On a similar note, we read something from Newt Gingrich in class yesterday about ending the teenage experiment and making adulthood earlier. What he was saying made some sense--about how the teenage years are largely wasted (at least, as far as the US is concerned).

Only 17 more days until I'm done with highschool \o/

[Roven]

Do these student want to skip grades or is it the parents? I don't know I guess it's just me but I didn't think that far ahead academically. I thought about college and stuff but skipping grades never crossed my mind.

[froody1911]

It's part of the reason why we don't need college before med school

I was actually really surprised when I first found out how this works in the USA. In India there's no gap between finishing school at 17-18 and applying for MD/MBBS.

[lololitas]

I know, right? I seriously considered studying in the US (despite the horrendous price tag) when I didn't get accepted in germany(which would've been for free), but after I learned I'd need to spend 2 (3-4y premed-college + 4y MD vs 6 years MD) more years total on something that wouldn't even be accepted in germany without an additional exam, I kinda lost interest. Ended up in hungary, something in between US and germany price-wise, but my degree will be accepted in all EU countries + I can do the US exam at my university if I want to.

Do these student want to skip grades or is it the parents? I don't know I guess it's just me but I didn't think that far ahead academically. I thought about college and stuff but skipping grades never crossed my mind.

I actually convinced my parents that I wanted to skip a grade. I don't know why, but it sure gave them a headache since I already started school 1 year earlier than normal. Well I got onto the program that allowed me to join a class for skipping a grade, but I still don't know if that was the right decision. On that note, I didn't think about college or anything at that point. All I wanted to be back than was a scientist that invents a flying car. I have strayed from my path

[froody1911]

I was consistently at the top of my class till I was around 16 and I could have skipped grades but I never even thought of doing it. I had heard about some other kids doing it but I never could understand why, or what the benefit might be.

[gits]

If these "smart" people are staying there as long as possible, believe me, they aren't nearly as smart as you think they are. Just sayin'

Well, it is hard to tell if they are as smart as you and people you know, but they are the most clever fools I've ever met in my life.

That said, they don't hurry up leaving school for a few reasons:
1. While they were in school they were free to learn whatever they wanted to, they of course attended lectures in local university.
2. Travelling for free, they just had to be accepted to International Mathematical/Physics/Informatics Olympiad or the IYPT (and any other competition such as Intel ISEF).
3. Social life with like-minded people of similar age.

Personally I think rushing into college is just stupid, since it yields no real pluses, except that you can start working even earlier.

[Saras]

I've never had the financial obligation that require'd me to finish school or anything else early. So I didn't care.

Granted, I would've finished university by now, if I had took it head on... but I didn't have any real reason to do so, nor do I now. I'm enjoying what I'm doing and to be frank, that's all I care about. A year, two or three put somewhere or somewhere else hardly affects me.

[Mistgun_Zero]

I couldn't have skipped grades even if I wanted to. Damn you smart asses.

[froody1911]

I couldn't have skipped grades even if I wanted to. Damn you smart asses.

WAAAHHHHHH YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE BURDEN OF INTELLECTUALITY
jk

[Mistgun_Zero]

I couldn't have skipped grades even if I wanted to. Damn you smart asses.

WAAAHHHHHH YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE BURDEN OF INTELLECTUALITY
jk

[Krudda]

So... School talk.
Screw that.
Finished up Initial D. It was funny to see a car slowing down, yet the engine revs harder. Someone drew the speedometer wrong

Decided I'd watched "Perfect Blue"
Pretty damn good movie. Only thing I didn't like was it was marked as being 150 minutes, but was only 100 minutes.
Some douchebag included the extras in the "feature" length.
Oh well, very nice movie, though, I liked the DVD by Madman better than the DVD by Siren. Much nicer menu, IMO. YES, the menu counts!

I think I'll watch that again soon. I also had to laugh at the English dub. They did the songs in English, but in one particular scene, the song is very important to what's happening and they accidentally left the Japanese song in the soundtrack.

[froody1911]

Now go watch Paprika. Same director. Even more batshit insane.

And also Black Swan. People say Black Swan is a ripoff of Perfect Blue. There are definitely similarities in theme, setting and tone, but the actual plot is totally different. Safe to say if you liked one you'll like the other.

[JoonasTo]

Spent the last half an hour trying to fix it and getting nowhere. Considered throwing the shotglass full of vodka at the damned thing and next thing I know its printing fine again.

You still have the vodka I sent you?

[Krudda]

Now go watch Paprika. Same director. Even more batshit insane.

And also Black Swan. People say Black Swan is a ripoff of Perfect Blue. There are definitely similarities in theme, setting and tone, but the actual plot is totally different. Safe to say if you liked one you'll like the other.

I've seen Paprika, but not Black Swan. I'll look it up.