Garrett's Blog

 Hi, my name is Garrett Zhou. I am currently a freshman at Durham Academy Upper School and enjoy playing soccer, studying, and generally maintaining discipline. I have been an AIME qualifier for those who know, and I consider myself a very strong student.  The order of high school math can be hard to understand. Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, there is so much to unpack. Today, I'll explain the traditional math route that kids follow in High School, as well as what I took. At my school Durham Academy, traditionally kids took Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 as required by our graduation requirements. Many kids went beyond this, though. There was the 'normal' group of kids, some of whom were pretty smart, who took Geometry in freshman year, then Algebra 2, then Precalculus, then Calculus AB. Then, there were the 'advanced' kids, who took Algebra 2 freshman year, typically Honors Precalculus sophomore year, Calculus AB or BC in junior year, and Multivariable Calculus i...

Greetings, I am 15-year-old Garrett Zhou, a student at Durham Academy High School. I enjoy studying, exercising, playing soccer, and maintaining discipline in general. My history with soccer is fairly straightforward: I began playing when I was 7 years old, and at the age of 12, I was chosen for the ECNL regional Carolinas team as the top player in the state. I was chosen to travel with 20 players from my club, NCFC, to play against NY Red Bulls Academy, PDA Academy, and NYFC Academy that same summer. I'm currently with the second-ranked NCFC 09 ECNL club. For soccer fans, the debate over who qualifies as a great striker versus a GOAT-level striker is always a hot topic. While both are undoubtedly skilled athletes, there are specific characteristics and accomplishments that distinguish the two levels of talent. Great strikers are those who consistently perform at a high level, scoring goals and contributing to their team's success. These players are often the top scorers in the...