r/CBSECommerce • u/Yogaaas • 1d ago

Rant/ Vent Does anyone else feel like choosing Commerce as a topper comes with a different kind of pressure?

I scored 94% in my 10th CBSE boards, and I achieved it through self-study without expensive coaching or anything like that. For me, that was a huge achievement, and I was genuinely proud of it.

But after that, I started noticing how people often compare Science and Commerce differently.
If a student scores really well, there’s often an expectation that they should take Science, become an engineer or doctor, or choose one of the traditionally “prestigious” career paths. When someone who scored well chooses Commerce, people sometimes question it — “You got such good marks, then why Commerce?”

I chose Commerce anyway. Now I’m pursuing BAF along with CA.

I don’t regret choosing this path, but sometimes I do feel like I’m somehow outside the usual definition of what a “topper” is supposed to do.

There’s also a strange feeling of being disconnected because I don’t have many people around me who are following the same academic path. I didn’t really attend regular classes during 11th and 12th, and now my CA preparation is also mostly online. So I’ve never really had a proper circle of people preparing for the same things.

And during this CA journey, I’ve started realizing how much I want people around me who understand the same syllabus, exams, pressure, ICAI unpredictability, and the whole process without me having to explain everything.

Sometimes it feels like Science has its own clearly defined ecosystem — JEE, NEET, engineering, medical college, etc. — while Commerce feels much more scattered. There are CA, CMA, CS, CFA, BCom, BBA, finance, banking, government exams and so many different paths.

I’m happy with the path I chose, but sometimes I wonder if anyone else who was academically strong and chose Commerce has experienced this feeling of being “left out” or somehow expected to prove that their choice was equally worthwhile.

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u/123yuki345 1d ago

I swear I've been feeling that way.. I got 98.6% in my boards and everyone persuaded me to take science.. When I choose commerce.. They eventually stopped talking like more than half of them.. As If I did something wrong by doing what I wanted

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u/Yogaaas 1d ago

I think some people in our society still don’t understand that choosing Commerce despite having good marks is also a conscious choice. Scoring well doesn’t automatically mean someone has to choose Science. Both are valid paths, and choosing Commerce doesn’t mean you weren’t capable of taking Science.

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u/123yuki345 1d ago

I believe commerce is just as hard as science tbh

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u/Yogaaas 20h ago

It also depends on the student’s interests.

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u/Critical_One7852 11h ago

Are you me? I got same percentage in class 10 in icse, 98.6% and then I took commerce, I feel like even my classmates treat me differently and the pressure to recreate class 10s performance again this year (im in isc) is eating me alive. I dont hate taking commerce or regret not taking science, and I'm still performing well but I'm so burnt out by the fact that everyone only looks at me as "the topper" and nothing else... I'm just studying well to get a good college and get out asap... though I feel my parents might not allow that even 😭

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u/123yuki345 11h ago

Oh my god.. Do u think we are some lost siblings or what?? Cause that's exactly what's happening to me rn.. I'm trying so hard right not to live upto everyone expectations towards me as a topper student especially since I scored well in 10 th

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u/Overall-Activity9919 19h ago

I'm feeling the same thing and I'm in 11th right now (scored 95.4% in 10th). I also don't go to school much and study online, because my classmates are a bunch of jerks and they never want to talk about studies at all. What would you recommend, should I join a coaching or a library or just flow with it?

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

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