The Unspoken Reality Behind the Harvard Gates | Alex Chang | TEDxYouth@SHSID

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  • Опубліковано 15 чер 2024
  • Alex Chang is the founder and CEO of Ivy-Way Academy, CTO of a tech startup on skincare, a dance teacher, and a hacker. Back in high school, Alex was not exactly "Ivy League material." He did not finish top 5 in his public high school in New York, did not get a near-perfect SAT score, did not win national honors in math, was not a starter on his lacrosse team, and did not have rich and famous parents to get him into places. Therefore, after receiving his Bachelor's degree from Harvard and finishing his education at Harvard Graduate School of Education, his identity as an "ordinary student" served as the prime example for high school students to model and reach their dream schools. However, in addition to sharing his secrets to Ivy League admission, Alex feels the social responsibility to inform - and warn - students about the life behind those Ivy League gates. Things may not always be as pretty as they seem. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

КОМЕНТАРІ • 180

  • @6shnuggle6
    @6shnuggle6 5 років тому +206

    My fav quote: "Don't let school ruin your education".

  • @manorotti
    @manorotti 5 років тому +306

    I can feel his stress through the screen

    • @Mariajbh2
      @Mariajbh2 5 років тому +2

      If he can do speechs so mediocre maybe Harvard is too much for him

    • @apo1270
      @apo1270 4 роки тому +11

      Today Ted Talks has millions of subscribers, idk how it was at the time the video was post but probably a lot too. Knowing that u will speak in front of sooo many people and be here and watched by so much more must be something... stressful. He did really well though !

    • @apo1270
      @apo1270 4 роки тому

      (sorry if there is any mistakes, i'm learning english)

    • @akshatjindal3770
      @akshatjindal3770 2 роки тому

      .

    • @bebeerin
      @bebeerin 2 роки тому +2

      @@Mariajbh2 anyone can do a ted x. it's for education. actual ted talks are the ones where they go through a more selective process to be chosen to give one

  • @matthewgoldfarb9580
    @matthewgoldfarb9580 3 роки тому +42

    The worst is when your friends find success while you’re still looking and you feel less superior, it hurts man!

  • @Winston_Nelson
    @Winston_Nelson 5 років тому +468

    50 cent:” i didn’t study at harvard, but my employees did.”
    Think about it.

    • @lecoltetaylor3389
      @lecoltetaylor3389 5 років тому +3

      Right on

    • @hannahblythhammond
      @hannahblythhammond 5 років тому +37

      Absolutely - goes 2 prove even 50 Cent wants 2 employ the Ivy League students irrespective of other talents Ivy League grads r less than 0.5% population yet make up 50% of 50 Cent's workforce ie an Ivy League degree gives u 100x advantage if u apply 2 work 4 50 Cent...

    • @lecoltetaylor3389
      @lecoltetaylor3389 5 років тому +1

      Its coding

    • @Mariajbh2
      @Mariajbh2 5 років тому +8

      Elon Musk said this

    • @maryann5078
      @maryann5078 5 років тому +10

      That’s an exception rather than a rule

  • @zadtrax
    @zadtrax 5 років тому +53

    I’ve met quite a number of people who attended prestigious colleges who still have no StreetSmarts or any common sense. Book learning only gets you so far in life.

    • @elizabethsmith7224
      @elizabethsmith7224 5 років тому +10

      Ain't that the truth. I read most of my life, didn't live in a place with a lot of other kids my age, I'm still paying for that today in college, i have friends but, it's tough for me to socialize with people that don't share my interest. I never learned how when I was younger.

    • @spacemanapeinc7202
      @spacemanapeinc7202 10 місяців тому

      Street smarts aren’t always important to life.

  • @jessequest8575
    @jessequest8575 5 років тому +111

    The best thing at Harvard is that library.

  • @Londonergeek
    @Londonergeek Рік тому +16

    I graduated from Oxford university in 2005 and can relate to this video. I graduated top of my class in high school, but when you reach a top university you are all of a sudden surrounded by super high achievers which can be a bit demoralising. Several students (10-15%) in my year dropped out as well as they couldn’t cope with the intensity. Plus the worst part is having to spend evenings/weekends writing out application forms for summer internships/ jobs. Looking back, I’m still pleased to have gone to Oxford but I know it’s not for everyone.

    • @user-wo4xz6ri4s
      @user-wo4xz6ri4s 8 місяців тому +1

      My classmate was a oxford transfer. He returned to his home country and seems really happy in the new school. He never talked about his past in oxford and we learnt not to ask.

  • @emmaleewilson5276
    @emmaleewilson5276 5 років тому +32

    I went to a small college, but even I dealt with some of the stresses discussed in this video

  • @norasaltonstall7375
    @norasaltonstall7375 3 роки тому +60

    Me: I really want to go to Harvard!
    *watches this video*
    Me: actually I will just stick to just walking around the campus.

    • @PiroKUSS
      @PiroKUSS Рік тому +1

      You can walk into a lecture room if you want.

  • @chiragathwani4110
    @chiragathwani4110 5 років тому +3

    Nicely said and thanks for sharing.

  • @hanji1041
    @hanji1041 5 років тому +64

    And here I am studying one day before exam 😂

    • @wandering_prince
      @wandering_prince 4 роки тому +2

      Lol, two days before a exam which I currently cannot pass:).

    • @paul2521
      @paul2521 4 роки тому +2

      @@wandering_prince hopefully u passed

    • @wandering_prince
      @wandering_prince 4 роки тому +3

      @@paul2521 Thanks!!! I surprisingly passed. Really appreciate what you just said:-)

    • @paul2521
      @paul2521 4 роки тому +1

      @@wandering_prince PERIODTTT!!!!!!!!!!!

  • @floracarpenter8157
    @floracarpenter8157 5 років тому +6

    Excellent presentation! 👍👏👌

  • @cassydi8624
    @cassydi8624 5 років тому +119

    I don't even attend such an important college but I still complain every day about my university.

  • @idadayah9336
    @idadayah9336 4 роки тому +17

    Once you go to a place where competition is everything, it's either you win or you lose. If you win then congratulations, you will be very comfortable throughout your years in college life. That means you have established your identity which people could look up on to. If you lose, things began to crumble since you will be living in a place where you dont have an idendity as an introduction of yourself. Let say when school needs a singer for an event, and people already know oh you could ask somebody somebody and it was not you. Even if you wanna try it might be too late by then only miracle at this point could help you since you have missed up the first chance. You dont have your own name in things and slowly you began to doubt yourself, insecurities eat you up slowly, then in the end you lose yourself. Some even thought they could never succeed or wake up ever again from that nightmare because it was too late by then. This is simply beacuse you can no longer be the ebst and comfortable with yourself. I truly agreed with everything that he said. It was painful, it was unbearable but when you realised it, you can't never go back to how you was before and ceryaunly you cant no longer live in your present.

  • @daleandrews1734
    @daleandrews1734 5 років тому

    Beautifully said

  • @smittywerbenjaggermanjensen69
    @smittywerbenjaggermanjensen69 5 років тому

    Looking forward to May, 4th. Hopefully seeing you guys in germany then

  • @godSPARDA1995
    @godSPARDA1995 4 роки тому +91

    Harvard was 4 tough years
    One commited suicide
    50% show signs of depression.
    We talking about college or prison??😅

    • @thundageon5962
      @thundageon5962 3 роки тому +5

      BOTH

    • @CC-si3cr
      @CC-si3cr 3 роки тому +2

      The funny thing is they probably cost about the same. It costs money to house an inmate!

    • @FranciscoRodriguez-iq9cb
      @FranciscoRodriguez-iq9cb Рік тому

      @@CC-si3cr Except in college you gotta pay for yourself 💀

  • @vksarkisyan
    @vksarkisyan 9 місяців тому +1

    Had a nearly identical experience in a similar to Harvard institution and looking back I’m amazed how I survived with a ‘fight or flight’ mental setting, extreme, unrealistic expectations and all other symptoms mentioned by him, for years and years and now I realize how we as teens and young adults are simply exploited with the these psychological tools used in the hustle culture and unhealthy competition and etc. We are so corrupt and each and every demographic suffers in one or another way. Even if you are a ‘gifted kid’, you are not privileged, you will suffer but in a more creative way

  • @ChristopherToro
    @ChristopherToro 5 років тому +79

    *There's Hard Mode, then there's Harvard Mode.*

    • @jcBirds
      @jcBirds 5 років тому +3

      can't spell "Harvard" without "Hard"?

  • @SiblingsTripling
    @SiblingsTripling 5 років тому

    It's great!

  • @LagunaLeonhart
    @LagunaLeonhart 5 років тому +55

    The traditional education system is flawed. Everyone is different. I myself went from being in one of the worst schools in the country, to one of the best colleges (with low grades), to a sub-par university, and then to a great career. Anybody can make it regardless of your education. Sure, an education can open a door to something better or more senior, faster, but it doesn't guarantee anything. Finding good oppertunities where you can grow as a person is far more important to your success than landing in a great school.

  • @mikezafra685
    @mikezafra685 5 років тому +2

    Thank you for being REAL sir 👍

  • @staceyjordan4502
    @staceyjordan4502 5 років тому +40

    I fail to see the appeal of Harvard anymore.

  • @abhzt
    @abhzt 5 років тому +2

    Okay!

  • @jagadeeshchenna6518
    @jagadeeshchenna6518 4 роки тому +1

    I'm in a private medical College n I can still feel the stress .

  • @mariapaulasevillano2310
    @mariapaulasevillano2310 2 роки тому

    Rn I´m studying Fashion design and management, in the beginning, I was afraid of telling close people bc that could have said "what a waste of money and time", and I know that you shouldn't pay attention to things like that, but it will always be hard to deal with it, hopefully, most of them supported me. The other thing is that people say that studying Fashion is just easy, and it is absolutely not, nit because it's not a traditional career makes it easy, I feel exhausted but so proud of my career.

  • @slbellue6874
    @slbellue6874 5 років тому +26

    I think all colleges should run like Ivy League schools, in how important learning is & the distinction. Harvard & those type of schools are for the wealthy. Why are the wealthy considered important, but the rest of the world, who are not, considered less important?
    I was struggling in a college class, tried every avenue for help, finally went to the professor. He told me I wasn't worth sacrificing the rest of the students. All I wanted was help.

    • @jimwennekers3764
      @jimwennekers3764 4 роки тому +1

      SL Bellue Harvard yes. Some otters like MIT are not. But MIT is not Ivy league.

    • @xainabshuja4215
      @xainabshuja4215 3 роки тому

      Honey Harvard offers full paid scholarships to people who deserve iit

    • @bebeerin
      @bebeerin 2 роки тому +1

      all colleges can't run like the ivy leagues bc they don't have the same caliber applicant pool to choose from so they can't be as selective as the most elite schools. a college is a school but it's also a business and it has to run like one. every college has a different student population and their cutoff has to be at the number of students it takes to fill 100% of each class

  • @ronitmndl
    @ronitmndl 4 роки тому +6

    Harvard(looks at the thumbnail):
    " _that's what she said_ "

  • @yohansin3430
    @yohansin3430 5 років тому +3

    Why was this reuploaded?

  • @AnuAnu-qo7hf
    @AnuAnu-qo7hf 5 років тому +2

    Spot on!!

  • @London_miss234
    @London_miss234 5 років тому +3

    Very good presentation.

  • @trueatfalse
    @trueatfalse 5 років тому +22

    After listening to this speech, I think that at Harvard they should start to focus more on teamwork and how to help instead beat each other. Maybe all those inhumane enterprises led by their greedy CEOs would not put our hole society, planet and everything at risk just to win some game.

    • @k999ford
      @k999ford 10 місяців тому

      You’re pretty right about that one- I’m a senior at Harvard and I (and I think quite a few of my classmates) came in with very noble intentions, but it’s quite easy to get sucked into the prestige game of “oh what firm can you get into” “oh let’s go work at McKinsey and destroy the American middle class, but at least it’s prestigious!”

  • @Rien--
    @Rien-- 5 років тому +27

    smh all you need to get into harvard is 99 strength on runescape

  • @sakshimishra9095
    @sakshimishra9095 5 років тому +1

    Really very much inspiring

  • @patriciastreufert9636
    @patriciastreufert9636 5 років тому +24

    I feel sad for the Harvard student or any student who feels such stress in life. I do not believe that God would want this mentality for his humans.

    • @patriciastreufert9636
      @patriciastreufert9636 5 років тому +6

      Perhaps if we had kindness for the individual, we would have a kinder society. A kindness virus with no known cure.

  • @vm7240
    @vm7240 5 років тому +6

    Same story at IIT 😥

  • @angelinamaria9437
    @angelinamaria9437 5 років тому +6

    PARABÉNS PELO SEU EMPENHO ...GOSTO🧡💛❤BOA SORTE 🍀🍀🍀🇵🇹

  • @iwnunn7999
    @iwnunn7999 5 років тому +24

    Who feels like a failure??

  • @BiblisckankBIBBLISCKAN
    @BiblisckankBIBBLISCKAN 4 роки тому +1

    I would like to study I don't care the stress or if is hard. But I don't have money even for to eat sometimes and less for study. The hard the prepare for a hard life.

  • @justfine8647
    @justfine8647 3 роки тому +19

    If he wouldn't have been Harvard material they wouldn't had accepted him. That CV is beyond any average student could have.

  • @hamadirshad
    @hamadirshad 5 років тому +2

    Maybe i have no idea what struggling is i strugly even to finish my diploma...

  • @bushraalawneh7888
    @bushraalawneh7888 4 роки тому +9

    don't all university students go through stress depression and parents :/ im not even from the united states but this is collage and u have to work hard!

    • @TheCycloneHunter
      @TheCycloneHunter 2 роки тому +3

      This isn’t just any other college. This is one of the best schools in the world, and the stress levels are higher than I can even describe

    • @akshatjindal3770
      @akshatjindal3770 2 роки тому

      .

    • @bebeerin
      @bebeerin 2 роки тому

      many college students do go through depression but they're saying the statistics at harvard are more than 50% which is exceptionally high likely due to the high stress and pressure of attending the highest ranked college in the u.s.

  • @rickharold69
    @rickharold69 5 років тому

    Nice video!

  • @RomboutVersluijs
    @RomboutVersluijs 5 років тому +5

    Seems like Harvard is all about look at what i can do. See what i did... brrrrr

  • @devashishhirodiya2447
    @devashishhirodiya2447 3 роки тому +2

    Harvard student: Harvard is HARD
    UPSC aspirant: Bro here the whole situation is UNPREDICTABLE.

  • @polu9133
    @polu9133 5 років тому +3

    I already saw this somewhere ...

    • @polu9133
      @polu9133 5 років тому

      @Landscape Guy yes, why are you writing yours?

    • @chrisyfrisky
      @chrisyfrisky 5 років тому

      It was uploaded on the Ivy-Way Academy channrl but it was deleted

  • @scienceseeker8377
    @scienceseeker8377 5 років тому +11

    The video is old btw

  • @ammaralhetari5734
    @ammaralhetari5734 5 років тому

    Great

  • @ValSpiridonov
    @ValSpiridonov 5 років тому +3

    Join me in life-changing story!

  • @johnestrayhorn1405
    @johnestrayhorn1405 5 років тому +5

    I HOLD THE RECORD FOR EARLIST ADDITION TO THE DISCIPLINARY PROBATION ROLLS(DURING FRESHMAN ORIENTATION WEEK)!
    SO I AM A NO. 1. RIGHT?

  • @finelemon1363
    @finelemon1363 Рік тому +1

    HARVARD IS HARD
    *kid named harvard*

  • @CC-si3cr
    @CC-si3cr 3 роки тому +1

    Take a shot every time he says "Harvard".

  • @DSJ-zc4tz
    @DSJ-zc4tz 5 років тому +4

    4th..... Consolation prize

  • @CassTheMuse
    @CassTheMuse 5 років тому +11

    This talk didn’t reveal anything groundbreaking. I recently attended an event with Harvard alums and a fellow attendee asked me “did you graduate from an Ivy League”, which I replied “no”. Then he proceeded to tell me, “ well at least you’re beautiful, and that’s not easy” lmao 😂. All to say... I would never wanna be one of em.

    • @Eng_Simoes
      @Eng_Simoes 2 роки тому +1

      Nope. All to say you think you're beautiful, which is kind of sad

    • @akshatjindal3770
      @akshatjindal3770 2 роки тому

      .

  • @stevenzheng5459
    @stevenzheng5459 5 років тому +6

    Why do people even have "dream schools". In the end it is still a school.

  • @bobobobo1305
    @bobobobo1305 2 роки тому

    Hi

  • @sb1406
    @sb1406 2 роки тому

    G.W. Bush: Harvard was easy peasy lemon squeezey.

  • @fabrizio483
    @fabrizio483 5 років тому +18

    Harvard should let anyone carrying a pencil be their student...

  • @nathand9825
    @nathand9825 5 років тому +25

    There should be a ted talk about why Asians are so smart.

    • @madhurabelsare
      @madhurabelsare 5 років тому +1

      Nathan Davinci
      Cause we really are

    • @esporaspreciosasuwu127
      @esporaspreciosasuwu127 5 років тому +5

      creo q era disciplina.

    • @lecoltetaylor3389
      @lecoltetaylor3389 5 років тому +1

      Exactly because most kids are not exposd to a variety of subjects and teamwork focus. Instead of competing and missing your original codes and potential.

    • @lecoltetaylor3389
      @lecoltetaylor3389 5 років тому

      Calculous in 5th grade! Wow

    • @lecoltetaylor3389
      @lecoltetaylor3389 5 років тому +1

      Hes honest!

  • @yoshiblunt1670
    @yoshiblunt1670 5 років тому +1

    Türkler kendini belli etsin

  • @GrandmaSkillz
    @GrandmaSkillz 3 роки тому +2

    "little did i know, i got in" - asian man before they started discriminating against them

  • @martcharman1359
    @martcharman1359 5 років тому +16

    they pay thousands of dollars to behumiliated socially and mentally? in real life its free fyi

  • @FIR2031
    @FIR2031 3 роки тому +2

    Harvard discriminates Asians.

  • @8schopra
    @8schopra 5 років тому +5

    This Ted talk is old I have seen it before

  • @madhurabelsare
    @madhurabelsare 5 років тому +29

    There are two types of people
    Once watching the UA-cam videos
    Other working for Harvard

  • @jasonzz1980
    @jasonzz1980 5 років тому +1

    Glad that Harvard rejected me and finally ended up at UofT two years ago.

  • @TOHPHAYT1
    @TOHPHAYT1 5 років тому +2

    I could never imagine caring this much about homework lmao

  • @zumyalcnkaya3263
    @zumyalcnkaya3263 5 років тому

    ✌✌✌

  • @rozepyracantha5574
    @rozepyracantha5574 5 років тому +13

    How is this even worthy of attention for a *TEDtalk*? This is the reality of any student who cares about succeeding in college.

    • @hindsightpov4218
      @hindsightpov4218 5 років тому +6

      Roze Pyracantha
      You just answered your own question.

    • @bebeerin
      @bebeerin 2 роки тому

      nah not every college has the same level of difficulty to be successful. there is definitely a higher level of stress and pressure attending the highest ranked college in the u.s. compared to other colleges

  • @hammerheadshark5321
    @hammerheadshark5321 3 роки тому

    This is hard to watch

  • @AloneVwolf
    @AloneVwolf 3 роки тому

    You didn't tell how much you invest on Harvard 😂

  • @adrianamorphous
    @adrianamorphous 5 років тому

    These comments are so sad lmoa

  • @michalcatz3380
    @michalcatz3380 4 роки тому +1

    So many wrong things about it. Eh.

  • @marzyd4488
    @marzyd4488 5 років тому +2

    20th comment

  • @silentinferno2382
    @silentinferno2382 5 років тому +3

    First

  • @808bboarder
    @808bboarder 5 років тому +6

    People who struggle at Harvard unfortunately sad to say end up successful lol jk jk Hope life hasn’t been too stressful for this guy

    • @jR-nc1uz
      @jR-nc1uz 5 років тому +1

      I don't have sympathy for people with ivy league money

  • @ronlight7013
    @ronlight7013 5 років тому +11

    I don't mean to sound glib, but I really don't understand how Alex Chang got admitted to Harvard. Not that his credentials aren't impressive (I'm downright impressed!), but his response as to "why" he wanted to attend Harvard sounds really lame to me. I'm not a college admissions officers, so I can't say I know what colleges are looking for, but it seems to me that the reasons for attending any college (especially an elite one) should be the product of much drive, passion and reason, expressed in well articulated terms. Alex said his reasons for going to Harvard were to fulfill his desire to receive the best education, and to make his parents proud (and justified in their many sacrifices). I think that's all quite worthy, but are these the requisite passwords to Harvard admission? I really wanted to know from Alex's talk why it is he thinks Harvard accepted him when he thinks his academics were sub-standard for a Harvard admit.

    • @Mariajbh2
      @Mariajbh2 5 років тому +1

      I agree with you. I thought the same, it's not proper from a Harvard student

    • @lukapapez
      @lukapapez 5 років тому +2

      He probably didn't write this in his application.

    • @ronlight7013
      @ronlight7013 5 років тому +1

      @@lukapapez I think he said that's what he told them during the admissions interview.

    • @lukapapez
      @lukapapez 5 років тому

      @@ronlight7013 he did my mistake.

    • @bebeerin
      @bebeerin 2 роки тому +4

      his academic achievements got him in. he was just being humble downplaying his accomplishments. he got 1st place in amc12, got 1st place on the nyc math team for 7 semesters, got 4 medals in science olympiad, and was the math team captain. sure he didn't have a 'perfect' sat score but it was still a high score, he was ranked high in his senior class, and he clearly showed exceptional talent in mathematics and science. harvard and all the ivy leagues really value special talents and being exceptional in a specific area. high grades and sat scores matter too but they don't have to be perfect. being outstanding in a certain area and having high grades/sat scores (doesn't have to be perfect but high) is likely the "perfect" combination to being accepted into an ivy league school. the ivies want a well rounded class but not necessarily well rounded individuals. to have a well rounded class they need exceptional individuals in all different areas. the ivies want to produce graduates who are outstanding, talented individuals in their fields who will go out and change the world and be exceptionally successful in life not just good in school

  • @realtalk6340
    @realtalk6340 5 років тому +15

    This presentation is a C-

    • @madhurabelsare
      @madhurabelsare 5 років тому

      RUN & GUN and BUN and DUN

    • @hindsightpov4218
      @hindsightpov4218 5 років тому +1

      Harsh.

    • @ivi122
      @ivi122 4 роки тому

      RUN & GUN so you can do better? Yeah he got into Harvard! What’s your damn superpower!?

    • @srikaravalur1823
      @srikaravalur1823 4 роки тому

      You’re not even worthy enough to be a janitor at Harvard

    • @bebeerin
      @bebeerin 2 роки тому +1

      everyone seems to have the highest expectations for ted talks but you have to realize that a ted x is different from an actual ted talk. anyone can do a ted x. a ted x is for education. there is a more selective process for being chosen to give a ted talk

  • @PeachPlastic
    @PeachPlastic 5 років тому +2

    Eh. Maybe you earned "ivy league mentality", but you haven't got a clue how to prepare an engaging and relatable talk.

    • @elizabethsmith7224
      @elizabethsmith7224 5 років тому +4

      That happens to most people that focus on studying and grades more than being social. It's happened to me as well, sometimes. It's hard to acquire social skills later in life.

    • @bebeerin
      @bebeerin 2 роки тому

      of course attending the highest ranked college is the u.s. is not the most relatable topic but you can still get something out of his message. i think everyone has the highest expectations for ted talks but you have to realize that a ted x is different from an actual ted talk. anyone can do a ted x. a ted x is for education. there is a more selective process for being chosen to give a ted talk

  • @adambirks3707
    @adambirks3707 5 років тому +3

    Poor little rich kid

    • @rozepyracantha5574
      @rozepyracantha5574 5 років тому +8

      Probably the immigrant kid got scholarships for having a strong credentials. Do you know he had money, or just assuming? Do you realize how bitter you sound? Have some compassion for yourself

  • @adityachaturvedi8722
    @adityachaturvedi8722 5 років тому

    First