Can a student from an average background adapt to an elite school? (personal question)

Yesterday I got my admission letter to a prestigious high school (in Europe.) I was naturally overjoyed. This school could allow me to reach a whole new level and work in a demanding and therefore stimulating space. That is what I have always yearned for, as I felt my teacher were not pushing me towards the best of my abilities. I cannot regret my decision now, and I'm glad I have been accepted despite not being from an influential or powerful family (whose children make a consequential part of the student body.) However, even if my grades and achievements were deemed high enough for the school, it does not mean I will excel in it. I have read a lot about my future classmates and I fear most of them are far ahead of me in terms of knowledge, mastery of the methods and even standing in society. This will be my senior year of high school, a year which will shape my future studies, and I fear (even if it seems ridiculous) I will be the "stupidest" of my grade. For instance, I love Latin, and I want to study that language in the future. I thus work a lot, and dedicate a lot of my leisure time to this language (which is rewarding but also quite hard.) On the other hand, students of this school are known for their level in Latin. They have teachers who are influential scholars in those fields and might be able to speak, write verses and translate classical authors easily. This ought to be an amazing opportunity for me to learn, however I am nowhere near that level yet and the school is very competitive. I am ready to work a lot and let go of my free time, however so does (or is supposed to do) the average student of that school.

I though that seeking the help of educators here would help. How - according to you - can I quickly compete with the students who have been in this school for years? And, how can an "outsider" adapt to an "elite" school? Thank you very much, and excuse my English (which I am working on at the moment.)

Submitted June 26, 2020 at 07:42PM by PaienMystique https://ift.tt/2A6P2Vu