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Comment by malkia | Hacker News Reader

I had exactly the opposite experience. Graduated from Mathematics/Informatics specialized High School, second worst in class - way off below the average grade. Yet I got for free in the University, because was 9th at the national computer science (informatics) olympiad, and this gave me an automatic "A" (still the high-school diploma was taken, so it was a bit of a risk).

Anyhow - I hated school :) and too bad never finished university (too much parties).

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New York city?

I'm guessing not even the US.

You don't go to a specialized HS (Hunter, Stuy, Bronx Sci) in NYC and graduate low in your class and get a scholarship.

You're lucky to get into a school. MIT isn't looking for 12 people from the same HS, even if they're all geniuses...they want diversity.

The score system is different in Bulgaria. There was nothing like N% of the students get A. In fact - the class I've been in, graduated with 5.50 (6 is the max in Bulgaria), the other class graduated (averaged) with something like 5.75. I graduated with something like 4.40, and the other guy was 4.20, the next worst after me was 5.20 I think. About 30 people in the class.

I basically skipped a lot from the school, but because I was in the computer science (informatics) team, I've got A's (6) on certain subjects, because the teachers decided not to care. Other decided that I should be present more and I've got 3 or 4 - like C or D here in US.

"Informatics" implies central or eastern europe

Yes, I'm from Bulgaria

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