I was the valedictorian of a small town, "bad" high school (like...college advising basically consisted of access to binders of outdated information and they would maybe give you a stamp if you applied somewhere) outside of a mid-sized city. I am a partner at a law firm.

I was salutatorian. I work in communications for a federal contractor. Make $120k. Our valedictorian is a doctor.

No idea. I graduated from a huge FCPS in the 80s. Didn’t know her then. Don’t know her now.

Our co-Valedictorians are both engineers. I graduated from a high-FARMS school in a large Colorado suburb.

All girls Catholic High School. Valedictorian was brilliant. She became a kindergarten teacher. I was #2 .. lawyer/lobbyist.

We had three. One is a doctor, one is a lawyer and one is a SAHM. All women.

He is a pediatrician - salutatorian is a surgeon

She is a SAHM. Happily married to her college sweetheart in suburbia. Two HS kids. She had a good corporate career that she left and seems content.

SAHM, though she was an attorney for 15 years first.

Child psychiatrist

She’s a software engineer in Silicon Valley, doing well. The most successful person in my high school class was an average student with a big personality. She’s a famous movie producer in Hollywood and has credits on huge blockbusters, very lucrative.

Our top 3 (all girls school) are all attorneys. . .

Anonymous wrote:does anyone know what is your what is your high school class valedictorian doing career wise ?

My what is your high school class valedictorian is doing just okay, making $59,000 dollars yearly, I would of thought she would of gone to wall street and make millions but I guess I was wrong.

Ha! I was my high school valedictorian, and I do not meet the "typical" notions of "success" as is painted out in those "Most likely to succeed/become a doctor/etc" categories for high school yearbooks.

I'm also happier overall and more content with myself now than when I was 18.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Went to a "W" school. All the straight-A kids ended up going to Ivy League schools and ended up as lawyers and doctors. They followed the standard path, worked hard, and studied well.

The most successful people money-wise were the B students. They were the hustlers who started companies and got into risky careers like private equity. I know of at least 5 multi-millionaires among the B-crowd. None in the A-crowd.

You sound ridiculous.

College graduates with a C plus average actually have a higher income in their 40s and 50s than any other grade group. I read that they start off low due to grades. Their 20s and early 30s at a great disadvantage. But usually outgoing party guys who fall into Sales, Marketing, SVP, Broker, Trader or commission type jobs where they excel. Remember 40 on is all soft skills in many jobs.

Since I have two and sisters and a brother and three kids I have been too numerous HS and College Graduations,

Whoever was Valedictorian was most times a nobody, bad speaker or just focused on grades.

One however, I was super impressed. Even though it was 1982. The St. John's University Valedictorian. He had a perfect 4.0 GPA pre-grade inflation back when Nuns and Priests handed out Ds and Fs no problem.

He had a super hard, double major. Worked full time 40 hours a week, volunteered 20 hours a week on a suicide prevention hotline and was President of like 5 clubs and did a ton other stuff and charity work.

The University President asked him how he did it. He looked exhausted and said I have not slept in four years and he got a standing ovation.