Practice makes perfect, but if nobody's perfect, why practice?
That line is well played, infusing and twisting the classic adages into a cynical but nevertheless witty logic.
It, however, is nothing more than an excuse, a battle cry befitting those who do not believe working hard is worth
the effort.
Practice is everything. Even our most talented sports stars do not slack off when it comes to maintaining their
physical acumen. The same goes for our society's most brilliant minds who, despite their station, continue to
spend countless hours buried in books. For students, whether at the top of the class or at the bottom of the strata,
honing their academic skills must take precedence over anything else.
Those who are at the pinnacle of their academic game must not allow hubris to take over. It can be devastating,
a one-way road to becoming the hare in the race. Those who consider themselves the tortoise in the stretch
also must remember that most hares out there are not complacent. Practice, practice, and then practice some
more. At the end of the day, the culmination of hard work will be evident. In far too many instances to count,
I have seen many laggards overtaking the leaders, and, as a corollary, the latter falling from grace.
One will always gain from practicing. One will surely falter if one does not step up.
You do not necessarily have to achieve perfection. Just go toward it, and you will get close.
At A Prep, that frame of mind is all we need from our students, and we strive to be their friendly guide, their trustworthy companion on that difficult path.
That is what we are all about, and that is what we do best.
In the world of standardized tests, of course, perfection does exist. I have had the pleasure of bearing witness to quite a few perfect scores among my students
over the years. Indeed, no human being is perfect, but in this particular case, practice does make perfect if one is willing to go that far.
It will certainly not hurt to try.