ipl-logo

The Overachievers Book Report

454 Words2 Pages

Throughout the book The Overachievers:The Secret Lives of Driven Kids, Alexandra Robbins develops the theme of competition between the students at Whitman High School and the students she individually observed. The Journalist Alexandra Robbins returns to Whitman, where she attended her high school years to follow a few of Whitman’s upperclassmen and journal about their experiences in high school towards achieving admissions to top elite colleges and universities.The students she follows around are Taylor, Julie, Audrey, AP Frank, Sam, Pete, Ryland, Stealth Overachiever student, and C.J., which were Juniors and Seniors at Whitman. As she observes these nine students at Whitman High School, she discovers that High School was an indirect battleground between students who competed against each other for best grades, top scores in standardized tests, best athletic achievements, and their admissions towards post …show more content…

During her visit to Whitman, Alexandra made comparisons between her high school years and the high school years of the upperclassmen observed. She noticed the variety of differences between them because during her years there was not much palpable competition but now there was between the students at Whitman. The competition of getting the best grades was a huge deal to the students because their grades were a factor to getting admitted to the college of their choice. Pete a junior student at Whitman, was one of the many overachievers who put in the effort to get the best grades he could even if it meant to risk his own health. Pete was a straight A student who one night took so much caffeine to complete a paper that was due the next day. After he took it he was able to concentrate and get the paper

Show More
Related

  • A Rhetorical Analysis Of The Essay 'Best Of Class' By Talbot

    511 Words  | 3 Pages

    In her essay Best of Class, Talbot tries to convince her audience that though the valedictorian system is flawed, it should be kept to motivate and reward student for their academic achievement. Talbot”s audience can be thought to be liberal adults of any education. This can be deduced due to both diction and various explanation of high school functions. As an article published in the widespread liberal New Yorker, the article reaches a number of people, mainly adults, though the word choice is simple and can be easily read by any level of education. Also, Talbot goes into detail describing the various academic factors that contribute to a GPA, a concept adults wouldn’t be to familiar with unless they had children.

    Read More

  • Liz Addison Two Years Are Better Than Four Summary

    1531 Words  | 7 Pages

    The most noticeable way that Addison displays her appeal to emotions is by telling the audience stories of her own personal experiences with college. Addison does not draw out multiple, unnecessary stories in order to make her point, but rather briefly tells the audience about her college experience in such a way that the readers both see her as a trustworthy figure and read objectively. By describing her own personal experiences, the audience begins to relate closer to Addison as a person, which establishes a connection and contributes to her emotional appeal. When telling her own personal accounts, Addison focuses her story on her time at community college; explaining how the “College Experience” can be achieved as easily there as at a university. Addison also talks about the philosophical aspect of the college experience (Addison 686).

    Read More

  • What Made Maddy Run: A Character Analysis

    673 Words  | 3 Pages

    Maddy’s story is one of a battle with sudden depression as the move from high school to college became overwhelming. She missed her family and found the intense academic and athletic demands, things that had always come so easily, unbearable. Madison was accustomed to being a high achiever in the classroom and on the track. By most peoples’ standards Madison’s performance at college was still stellar, but she wasn’t meeting the demands she placed on

    Read More

  • Margaret Barrs Idea Of Best In Class

    722 Words  | 3 Pages

    Even though there were two co-valedictorians, many people were still upset because they weren’t getting acknowledgement. If valedictorians didn’t exist, if everyone who worked hard was recognized in some way, if there wasn’t so much pressure on a student to be the best, students would be happier and feel more accomplished when they graduate. Talbot is trying to get the reader to sympathize with the fact that it would be unfair if only one person got rewarded for their hard work. Working hard with no reward is a horrible thing, and Talbot is able to make a connection with the reader because, although some readers may not have experienced this kind of rewardless work, readers can understand what that must feel

    Read More

  • The Overachievers Alexandra Robbins Analysis

    1391 Words  | 6 Pages

    Writing Style The Overachievers, by Alexandra Robbins, is Alexandra Robbins, is the empowering story of eight students, and a glimpse of their lives during the duration of one school year. Each student underwent an idiosyncratic situation, whether it is battling ADD, peer pressure, or stress. During the duration of the duration of the school year-and high and often times unrealistic expectations put on them by themselves and their parents-each student hit the lowest point in their lives, but manage to resolve their problems, and resume living their normal lives. Robbins uses a clear, bold language and tone along with intentional stereotypes, as well as powerful diction, and didactic language to help develop the story. Robbins uses a clear, bold language and tone in her unique style of writing to help develop the story of these eight young adults.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Speech: Why Public Schools Are More Important Than High School

    1286 Words  | 6 Pages

    Many of us are faced with tough times, hard decisions, and struggles but there are only certain people that have the willpower and determination to overcome those obstacles and change their life for the better. Many of us are faced by little challenges like when the alarm clock goes off for school. Do we get up and go to school or do we go back to bed? The immediate reward is going back to bed and getting the satisfaction of more sleep but the downfall is that you miss your classes. This didn’t seem like an important decision for me until I got to college.

    Read More

  • 1984 Journal Reflection

    608 Words  | 3 Pages

    Some classmates felt that his last shred of hope to keep him alive was his hatred for the party while others agreed that his love for Julia would help him from conforming back to the ideals of the party. When discussing what another classmates have found in class it has helped me to understand other points I might have overlooked in the novels we have read. I have improved from these activities by writing down other points and

    Read More

  • Bayardo Gender Roles

    398 Words  | 2 Pages

    Columbia helped explain what influenced these characters to act in these ways. Clara’s presentation on gender roles and “machismo” helped clarified my understanding of Bayardo and Angela’s relationship.

    Read More

  • High School Confidential David Denby Analysis

    1100 Words  | 5 Pages

    The most hated plot in America is the underdog’s demise- the empathetic pain of scrutiny, and the failure we all miss to escape. The scrawny, glasses-wearing outsider is often the underdog, the hero we all cheer for. The one who makes all the refinements in a society that is stagnant to change. And his most successful storytelling, or retelling, is that in the setting of high school. He walks awkwardly down the hall with his shoulders slightly hunched inward and mouth slightly ajar.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Essay 'America Needs Its Nerds'

    493 Words  | 2 Pages

    A respected author John Green questions, "Why is being a nerd bad? Saying I notice you 're a nerd is like saying, ‘Hey I knows that you 'd rather be intelligent than be stupid, that you 'd rather be thoughtful of them be vapid, that you believe that there things that matter more than the arrest record of Lindsay Lohan and why is that?” Many people who are passionate about their studies question the same thing. Leonid Fridman wrote a passage “America Needs its Nerds” in order to raise concern that our society does not value intelligence. Fridman uses compare and contrast to get his point across to the readers.

    Read More

  • Everything I Never Told You Theme

    622 Words  | 3 Pages

    ” Life goes on in the Lee household, and eventually Lydia finds herself a sophomore in high school. Her parents push her to take advanced, rigorous courses, and although her parents are under the impression that Lydia is a happy girl at school with lots of friends and adequate grades, they are wrong. She is actually very lonely, and her friends only use her for homework. Her grades are severely slipping as well. Since Lydia does not share these feelings with her parents, they weigh her down.

    Read More

  • The Swimmer John Cheever

    769 Words  | 4 Pages

    John Cheever Legendary Short-Story Writer John Cheever was a “bestselling, Pulitzer prize-winning author of five novels and some of the most brilliant short stories ever published” (Cooke, 1). He was part of a middle-class family that lived in Massachusetts. Although Cheever went to a private school and was a creative writer, he had a difficult time succeeding academically. He went to Thayer Academy in high school where he was expelled for smoking and bad grades. John Cheever can be compared to his own character in “The Swimmer”, Ned Merrill, through their family life, battle with alcoholism, and dysfunctional relationships.

    Read More

  • The Wife Of Bath's Tale Essay

    634 Words  | 3 Pages

    There was also conflict with the class system. There were certain stereotypes people expected. “Wel koude he stelen corn and tollen thries.” (line 562)Instead of being a great miller he is quite the opposite. He chares three times the normal fee.

    Read More

  • Romeo And Juliet Alternate Ending

    1415 Words  | 6 Pages

    Freddie looked up from his extensive notes as the bell rang, signalling the end of class and the conclusion of a long Friday afternoon. Like the rest of his peers, he began packing up his books and assorted pieces of stationary, stuffing his copy of Romeo and Juliet as far into his bag as he could, hoping it would never see the light of day again. He had never looked forward to a weekend so much in his life; a blissful two days of hanging out with Carly and Sam, planning the next iCarly together and possibly playing on the new World of Warcraft expansion pack. Speaking of his favourite blonde, he glanced over at Sam, who had started sitting next to him in English class since the start of junior year. She was fast asleep, with her head slumped

    Read More

  • Issues In Dead Poets Society

    718 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mr. Keating breaks the students out of their shells and they come alive. The students also become engaged after starting “Dead Poets Society” they begin to express themselves through poetry. 4. How do changes in the immediate situation affect the

    Read More

More about The Overachievers Book Report

Open Document