Can You Still Do Well At University Without Being 'Naturally' Smart?
I wanted to know peoples opinions. Sometimes I see people who are naturally gifted academically and pick things up really fast sometimes without having to be taught it, often with little effort needed. Other times I see people who dont pick stuff up fast but need to work really hard to produce the grades.
Do you think its possible for someone who is not naturally gifted to still do well at university or do you reach a limit in academia where shear work output is no longer sufficient enough for you do do well and achieve high grades?
I personally I know that I am naturally smart, I dont seem to pick new topics up that easily and if I dont get something I need to put some serious hours in to understand it. Sometimes I pick stuff up fast, but if I really want a true understanding of a topic it takes time and effort.
Sorry about the wording, would be better if I was not so tired.
Do you think its possible for someone who is not naturally gifted to still do well at university or do you reach a limit in academia where shear work output is no longer sufficient enough for you do do well and achieve high grades?
I personally I know that I am naturally smart, I dont seem to pick new topics up that easily and if I dont get something I need to put some serious hours in to understand it. Sometimes I pick stuff up fast, but if I really want a true understanding of a topic it takes time and effort.
Sorry about the wording, would be better if I was not so tired.
I'd say that university level definitely requires some kind of critical thinking abilities, but these don't have to be innate. Unlike A-Level, which is more about learning how to pass exams/regurgitate information, university is about thinking.
I probably don't know enough to claim this but you sound like you have the necessary ability - I don't know many people who could breeze through any kind of course without stumbling occasionally. What matters is that you understand in the end, not how long it took for you to get there. Understanding something complex is a natural ability all on it's own.
I probably don't know enough to claim this but you sound like you have the necessary ability - I don't know many people who could breeze through any kind of course without stumbling occasionally. What matters is that you understand in the end, not how long it took for you to get there. Understanding something complex is a natural ability all on it's own.
Certainly not.
Without sounding like a douche, I know people who are not that bright in general terms, that got better A-Levels than me and are going to good Universities. Hard work is a huge part of learning and if you put in the effort then there's no reason you can't go to Uni. You just have to be prepared to work harder than other people.
Without sounding like a douche, I know people who are not that bright in general terms, that got better A-Levels than me and are going to good Universities. Hard work is a huge part of learning and if you put in the effort then there's no reason you can't go to Uni. You just have to be prepared to work harder than other people.
Hard work and reading a lot will get you very far.
It helps but it you don't NEED natural talent, hard work is much more important at a University level.
Original post by Oh my Ms. Coffey
I wanted to know peoples opinions. Sometimes I see people who are naturally gifted academically and pick things up really fast sometimes without having to be taught it, often with little effort needed. Other times I see people who dont pick stuff up fast but need to work really hard to produce the grades.
Do you think its possible for someone who is not naturally gifted to still do well at university or do you reach a limit in academia where shear work output is no longer sufficient enough for you do do well and achieve high grades?
I personally I know that I am naturally smart, I dont seem to pick new topics up that easily and if I dont get something I need to put some serious hours in to understand it. Sometimes I pick stuff up fast, but if I really want a true understanding of a topic it takes time and effort.
Sorry about the wording, would be better if I was not so tired.
Do you think its possible for someone who is not naturally gifted to still do well at university or do you reach a limit in academia where shear work output is no longer sufficient enough for you do do well and achieve high grades?
I personally I know that I am naturally smart, I dont seem to pick new topics up that easily and if I dont get something I need to put some serious hours in to understand it. Sometimes I pick stuff up fast, but if I really want a true understanding of a topic it takes time and effort.
Sorry about the wording, would be better if I was not so tired.
Yes it possible.
The harder you work, the more easily you will pick things up in the future.
There is a notion in lower education that so long as you try hard enough you can do anything. This is a lie we tell children, similar to Santa Claus.
At university you will judged against those who are naturally gifted, against a course that is meant to push them to their limits. Through time and effort you may be able to get through, but you will never be top of the class. The course assumes the student is both academically smart and is willing to put a lot of effort in. If you can only offer one of those you may struggle.
I would also point out that you've picked an unusually sadistic course. In a straight physics degree there are some modules which are so mathsy, so horridly brain destroying that only the most academically gifted will choose to take them. Those modules form the compulsory components of a theoretical physics degree. So while other students may have chance to boost their grade averages with 'easy' modules like programming, you will be forced to take general relativity or quantum field theory instead.
I appreciate this sounds cynical, but my academic experience is similar to what you plan to do (MPhys theory), and I've seen plenty of students put every waking moment in to their work, and still barely manage a passing grade. In four years of university I've seen three guys break down in tears for this reason. The bar is just so much higher.
EDIT: Dear OP, I glanced over your case history in your footer. I stand by what I said, but if there is one student in a thousand who manages to achieve through hard work alone, you deserve to be them. Best of luck.
At university you will judged against those who are naturally gifted, against a course that is meant to push them to their limits. Through time and effort you may be able to get through, but you will never be top of the class. The course assumes the student is both academically smart and is willing to put a lot of effort in. If you can only offer one of those you may struggle.
I would also point out that you've picked an unusually sadistic course. In a straight physics degree there are some modules which are so mathsy, so horridly brain destroying that only the most academically gifted will choose to take them. Those modules form the compulsory components of a theoretical physics degree. So while other students may have chance to boost their grade averages with 'easy' modules like programming, you will be forced to take general relativity or quantum field theory instead.
I appreciate this sounds cynical, but my academic experience is similar to what you plan to do (MPhys theory), and I've seen plenty of students put every waking moment in to their work, and still barely manage a passing grade. In four years of university I've seen three guys break down in tears for this reason. The bar is just so much higher.
EDIT: Dear OP, I glanced over your case history in your footer. I stand by what I said, but if there is one student in a thousand who manages to achieve through hard work alone, you deserve to be them. Best of luck.
(edited 11 years ago)
To do well, how smart you are is combined with how hard you work to give an end result. People who are naturally smart don't work as hard but people who aren't make up for it by working harder. But there IS a limit on it, you can't really beat someone who is naturally smart AND works hard, that's just not possible!
The key to passing University is having a good long term memory.
Many people can work as hard as they want and read as many books but if you asked them the next week to remember what they learnt you'd get a simple answer "no, I don't".
Well when you have intense modules expecting you to know the most in depth details known to man come your exams without any idea of what's going to be asked you're really going to be stuffed.
You can't train your memory to get better, it's hereditary so some people without any natural smartness and a poor memory are going to get a 2:2 in first year at best and then drop out or fail the rest.
Many people can work as hard as they want and read as many books but if you asked them the next week to remember what they learnt you'd get a simple answer "no, I don't".
Well when you have intense modules expecting you to know the most in depth details known to man come your exams without any idea of what's going to be asked you're really going to be stuffed.
You can't train your memory to get better, it's hereditary so some people without any natural smartness and a poor memory are going to get a 2:2 in first year at best and then drop out or fail the rest.
Even the most naturally academically gifted person hasn't got all their success from sitting back and doing nothing. You get out what you put in, if you revise and work hard then you'll reap the rewards whether your naturally gifted or not. For some it just takes more work than others, but it all depends how determined you are.
I'm not the most academic, but I went on to do A levels, worked really hard in subjects I was interested in and got ABB. Hardly the straight A*'s most people on here seem to obsess about, but for me I managed to prove to myself if I work at something I can get the reward from it.
I'm not the most academic, but I went on to do A levels, worked really hard in subjects I was interested in and got ABB. Hardly the straight A*'s most people on here seem to obsess about, but for me I managed to prove to myself if I work at something I can get the reward from it.
The key to doing well at university is to pick the right institution, the right course for you (consider whether the teaching structure that suits your learning style), be focused on your studies, work hard effectively and independently. If you choose the wrong course and are unmotivated, your results regardless of natural aptitude are unlikely to live up to your expectations.
Securing your place at university is just the first step, once there, you have to keep working, if you don't understand ask and seek help if required. I've seen people work hard (regardless of aptitude), fail to get the grades they expected because they did not understand what they were being asked to do. You do not get credit for answering the wrong question well. Many people peak educationaly at their A levels and cannot understand why they didn't get a 1st at university.
Securing your place at university is just the first step, once there, you have to keep working, if you don't understand ask and seek help if required. I've seen people work hard (regardless of aptitude), fail to get the grades they expected because they did not understand what they were being asked to do. You do not get credit for answering the wrong question well. Many people peak educationaly at their A levels and cannot understand why they didn't get a 1st at university.
(edited 11 years ago)
Depends on the uni.
.
.
I'm not particuarly intelligent, but I found working to a routine and consistently doing so got me ahead of many of my more 'naturally talented' friends who were lazy.
The way I see it, if you put in the hard work, you're teaching yourself to jump over hurdles, whereas if you're intelligent but not as hard-working you use stilts. But eventually the hurdles become too high for the stilts, but the people who've been jumping find it easier because they've trained themselves to operate in such a fashion. I hope this makes sense because it does in my head!
EDIT: Just to add I am nowhere near the people who are naturally talented and work hard.
The way I see it, if you put in the hard work, you're teaching yourself to jump over hurdles, whereas if you're intelligent but not as hard-working you use stilts. But eventually the hurdles become too high for the stilts, but the people who've been jumping find it easier because they've trained themselves to operate in such a fashion. I hope this makes sense because it does in my head!
EDIT: Just to add I am nowhere near the people who are naturally talented and work hard.
(edited 11 years ago)
Glad to hear hard work can really show. My weaknesses I was able to overcome by dedicating many hours to make them into my strength. Hopefully I can keep up the levels of hard work for 4 more years.
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