Talking to Valedictory Competition?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>So, I've recently decided that, instead of taking all the AP classes I possibly can to secure the #1 ranking and get that speech, I'm instead, for the most part, only going to take classes that interest me. Now, don't get me wrong. It'll still be 12 AP classes, a couple of honors, and a handful of summer courses at the local community college, but it may not be the single highest weighted schedule in my class. I realize that doing this puts my ranking up in the air, but I feel like I still have a shot to be #1; I'm just not making it my singular goal. I'd rather enjoy my classes, learn what I want, and have fun than have a miserable time and a speech. </p>

<p>My question/concern is that I know there are a few people, some friends, some that may be friends in the future, that will work really hard to get that spot. It can get rather cutthroat at my school. But I don't want to let this stupid GPA thing get in the way of our friendships. If we do, at the end of senior year we'll end up with one happy person and about 10 bitter people. And it shouldn't be like that. To paraphrase Mean Girls, "can't we all just get along?"</p>

<p>What I want to do is talk to the people that I feel would be the most competitive or most desiring of the title and just "clear the air," as it were. Maybe hold an open forum. I don't know. I just want to avoid any unnecessary anger, stress, or hate. Last year, the top 2 were very good friends, but I think it was partially because they had such a big gap between them as far as GPA goes. It seems like my class will be really, really close. I know it's so early, as I'm only a sophomore, but I just have a feeling. For this year's senior class, none of the top 6 or so really talk to each other, and it's kind of awkward between them because of the elephant in the room. I don't want that. I don't want awkward conversations about the weather because we can't mention our classes or grades or rankings. I don't want anger or jealousy. As clique as it sounds, I just want us all to be friends, GPAs be damned. Let's break the chain. </p>

<p>The only worry I have is that, if I went to the others with this, I'd either be seen as giving excuses for why I'm not taking 20 AP classes, or I'd be seen as caring too much about it and being overly competitive, and I'm not trying to do or be any of those things. </p>

<p>Any thoughts?</p>

2

<p>Why is CC so obsessed with rank? Unless you’re out of like the top 10% of your class it’s probably not going to change anything.</p>

3

<p>Anyone else?</p>

4

<p>You, my friend, are a very cute sophomore.</p>

5

<p>I’ve never seen that amongst valedictorian racers in my experience in high school. They’re always on the same math/science/academic decathlon/etc team and often sit at the same table for lunch. You can in a short way describe it as a competitive friendship–each person sharpens each other. </p>

<p>All I can say is that not everyone can obsess over rank. If you don’t have valedictorian, maybe you could be the president of a large club. It works well if you are valedictorian but can accept rank 2 because you rather focus on your EC’s instead (because you’re so busy that getting all A’s is going to kill you)… You can still go to a good university. I admire those who can sacrifice their rank. It may not sound right, but I know several people where GPA isn’t everything but they make the top 10.</p>

6

<p>So am I just over-thinking things? It seems like, so far at least, the people who will probably be making up the top 15 or so talk amongst their close friends in that group about it (I do with my friends), but they wouldn’t mention it with people outside their own little circle of friends. People outside the hypothetical top 15 seem to already be making it out to be a two or three horse race, and me to be a stallion. Competition is good, sure, but I just don’t want it to turn ugly. Maybe it won’t, and I’m just over-thinking everything. But it might, and that’s the last thing I want.</p>

7

<p>If the friendships are truly that important, then the end ranks aren’t going to matter for long, if at all.</p>

8

<p>Last year, everyone hated our valedictorian.</p>

9

<p>Hyper-competitive schools like this sound like a terrible experience to me. We don’t rank or give valedictorian, and all of the smart kids get along with no competition other than occasional in-class chatter about test scores.</p>

10

<p>I’m a sophomore as well, and I really don’t think that’s a concern in my school. The way our school is, there ends up being about 30 kids who’re all “competing” for valedictorian, then the other 270 just give up. The thing is though, I’m part of that 30, and we all end up taking nearly identical classes, so we’ve been together for years and all end up being really close friends, there’s no animosity or really vicious rivalry whatsoever, even though the valedictorian and the second ranked end up being extremely close.</p>

11

<p>I made the same decision. Most of my best friends are in the running for #1. There is also a group of Asian kids in the running, so I can see the tension between my friends and them. They try to be friends, but the conversation always ends up as a discussion about rank, grades, and tests. I chose to hold back on a few AP classes, because I wanted a life outside of homework with room for my sports. I will still be in the top ten, maybe even top 5 depending on how stuff works out. This is still plenty high enough, imo.</p>

12

<p>My school isn’t all that competitive, but in our class, two people (me and another girl) are in the running for valedictorian (straight As all last year, although that’s probably not saying much…). Last year, we didn’t talk much, and I pretty much thought of her as my ultimate rival, but this year we have a lot more classes together (5), plus we’re kind of in the same friend group, so we’ve talked a lot and become friends. There’s no bitterness or resentment toward one another, at least not on my part.</p>