The Student Room Group

How can I look smarter?

I have a real problem with people assuming that I'm not intelligent. I'm leaving school next year (trying to get into Cambridge), and this has really started to affect my opportunities. In fourth year I wanted to study art as an extra (as I wanted to take music as well as nine others) and I was refused, only to discover that two of my friends had been allowed to. When I got my GCSE results (7A*s, 3As and a B in RE) some teachers were shocked. Also, my name didn't appear in the roll of honour (for students achieving at least 10 As).

I applied for a student shadowing experience at the University of Cambridge this year, only to be repeatedly snubbed by my careers teacher who was organising it. My father had to go into my school about it and I got to go. I also applied to a school tutoring program for year 8s, but when I turned up at a meeting everyone else but me (EVERYONE) had been assigned a pupil and I was told that there "weren't enough pupils". I suppose it's no coincidence that it was the same teacher who organised the student shadowing. The final thing was a few days ago when the prefects were announced. Many of them did not do as well as me and I think they were chosen because of their parent's connection with the school- also, a girl who used to BULLY me is now a prefect.

I've never caused any problems, have gotten on well with everyone and have achieved excellent marks throughout school. Therefore, I have decided that the only reason for this treatment is that I in some way do not "look" smart enough. I was just wondering what a) are some of the things that make people assume you're unintelligent b) how can I make my self "look" more intelligent? Thanks for reading, I know it was long but I really needed to say it.

Calm...

Calm...

:cool:
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by It'sIrrelevant
.

If people can't see what you look like then this will go nowhere :fyi:

edit: Avatar buddies! :five:
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 2
Wear a t-shirt with a normal distribution pun on it
Original post by Architecture-er
If people can't see what you look like then this will go nowhere :fyi:

edit: Avatar buddies! :five:

Aaaah what happened D: do you know how to fix it?
Wear glasses, start smoking a pipe and always walk around with a copy of Being and Nothingness under your arm.
Original post by It'sIrrelevant
Aaaah what happened D: do you know how to fix it?


What, fix putting a picture in this thread? Use imgur
I know the feeling, despite getting three A's at AS, my careers organiser teacher suggested I look towards 'point based' unis, nothing wrong with them- but she couldn't get the deal I was aiming high.

Anyways, sometimes if you have poor KS2 (this sounds so irrelevant) but you are put into secondary school with those results and expectations. So the targets you have till year 9 are reflective of tests you take in year 6. Then you're year 9 SATS make up your GCSE targets and sometimes, they still take into account the KS2 tests dependant on the system.

So, that could be a reason why you're teachers aren't putting you up there.

To look smart- I suggest, ugh I'm going to hate saying this but, BBC English, glasses (might help), and preppy clothes and even associate yourself with 'smart people' if you really really want to be seen that way.
I've had the same problem. Most my freinds are the ****ed up types who smoke etc, I don't associate myself too much with the smart kids although I'm genuinely smarter than most of them (in terms of grades), a lot of my teachers think I'm another kid who don't care about my GCSE's because I don't participate in class etc. This has affected me quite a lot, I have to directly ask teachers to take part in opportunities such as Duke of Edinburgh, work experience, Cambridge, SOAS & UCL summer schools etc whereas other students are offered to take part. When I do interviews with teachers they are shocked about how different I am in reality, and tell me I'm too modest about myself.

And that's the key, you need to be a little immodest about your grades and show a bit of an ego. I've never talked to people about my grades or tried to demonstrate to people how intelligent I am. You don't have to wear ****ing glasses to show that you're smart. Just be more outspoken about your intelligence, in other words don't be so modest about how smart you are. Otherwise how else are people meant to recognize you. Not everyone has the time nor the bother to determine how your like from your grade papers.
Wear glasses
Original post by majmuh24
Prove the Riemann hypothesis.

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Challenge accepted :colone:
Reply 10
You shouldn't care what people think of you, especially because you think people don't think you look smart.

Butttt i'd buy some fake glasses 8) You can get them from Topshop and their quite fashionable.

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