Wow, I don't know if I'd be comfortable putting my dd in a spot where she'd be around the 70th-75th percentile.
If she goes to a competitive university, ie MIT or Caltech, then she will get her first B and maybe C grades. A friend in college had straight A's all her life and absolutely fell apart when she got a D on her first Organic chemistry test.
I think that the term "work ethic" is pretty loaded and doesn't accurately represent the underachievement pattern we are talking about here.
There are really three approaches to studying. One, just do what the teacher says. Two, do a lot more than the teacher says. Three, analyze your weaknesses on the subject and focus on those with a bit of drill thrown in. The latter is the best from a time perspective.
To get really good grades you have to know the subject and be FAST/no mistakes on producing work. These are two different skills. One is knowledge based and one is performance based.
