An Introduction

Generation Y: the generation born in the 1980s and 1990s, often characterized as achievement-oriented and tech-savvy.

The high school students of the present time are viciously competitive, more so than ever before. And with good reason. College admissions are becoming increasingly selective and kids are feeling the pressure. Too often, you hear a particularly stressed teenager complain, "I have to discover a new species of bug or X school won't accept me." Self-conscious adolescents rapidly click through the virtual pages of CollegeConfidential, hoping to hear reassuring words from other college aspirants; all they find is a plethora of 4.0 GPA students who participate in rigorous summer programs and numerous extracurricular activities. Not so good for the ego.

And so they throw themselves into their books, hoping that sheer perspicacity will help pull them through. When they express their worries, coddling parents and equally distraught friends tell them that college isn't everything. They're right, of course, but the high-achieving teen of today still wants to ensure that his or her near future is bright.

This blog is an attempt to assist fellow Generation "Y"ers in putting everything in perspective. It's a take on education from a student's point of view and an overall guide for survival. Every day that you trudge through the school hallways to your next foreign language class, I will be shadowing the same footsteps - and be ready to provide commentary.

Next up: How I improved my SAT score by more than 500 points in less than 1 year and how you can do it too.