The popular kids in our class of 200 tended to also be smart and athletic. We had several go to Harvard, Tufts, BU, BC, and NEU (although back then, BU, BC,and NEU weren’t thought of that highly outside the region). Yes we were in the Boston area. Biggest draw was UMass (including me).
Lots of successful kids- regardless of school. Business owners, lawyers, corp execs, engineers.
I’m in close contact with our tight group from the 80’s. In that group the spectrum includes a Corp CFO, a patent attorney, an entrepreneur, a mid level manager and a prison guard (who probably has the best retirement plan of all the whole group!). When we get together, everyone falls back to their old roles and it’s just Billy, Pauly, Jimmy, Timmy, Johnny and Rickey. That’s the great thing about New England, when they love you, you’re a “Y”.