15 People Share What Happened to Their High School Valedictorians
Being named valedictorian comes with some pretty big expectations. Teachers predict impressive careers, parents start talking about prestigious universities, and classmates assume the smartest kid in school has everything figured out. But a perfect GPA doesn’t tell you much about what someone will want at 35. In a Reddit discussion, people shared what happened to their former valedictorians, including a few who answered the question themselves. Some became doctors, researchers, and successful entrepreneurs. Others changed careers entirely, found happiness in quieter places, or discovered that being good at school didn’t necessarily make adulthood easier. Here are 15 stories about where those top students ended up.
The Ivy League Graduate Who Chose Bikes
After graduating at the top of his Ivy League class, one valedictorian rejected corporate life and opened a bike repair shop in a mountain town, spending his free time hiking with his dog.
The Valedictorian Who Keeps Knitting
One former valedictorian earned a master’s in library science and became a government archivist. She now knits sweaters to cope with work stress and dreams of living in the woods with her cat.
From the Classroom to the White House
A Reddit user remembered a classmate who grew up poor, graduated first in a class of 800, and later worked in the Obama administration, even sharing photos from the Oval Office.
The Kid Who Became a Spine Surgeon
One exceptionally dedicated student attended Harvard, completed an MD/PhD program at UCLA, and trained at Columbia. He’s now a spine surgery fellow who has presented research on a new surgical technique.
A Nonprofit That Builds Wells
One valedictorian founded a nonprofit that builds wells in Ghana and other African countries. According to a former classmate, she regularly travels to oversee the organization’s projects.
An Unexpected Career in Formula 1
A former classmate shared that their valedictorian attended an Ivy League university before landing a job designing race cars for Formula 1.
A Lawyer Who Went Back to Medical School
One valedictorian became a lawyer but decided to change careers at 42. At the time of their Reddit comment, they were already in their third year of medical school.
The Valedictorian Who Married Her Classmate
One Reddit user married his high school sweetheart, who graduated with a GPA above 4.0 and became a nurse practitioner. More than 20 years later, they have two daughters together.
Seven Valedictorians, Seven Different Paths
One school had seven valedictorians, all with perfect GPAs. Among them was a Stanford student who switched from engineering to history before becoming a youth pastor.
A Professor Who Started Over
A former valedictorian completed three undergraduate majors in four years, earned a PhD, and became a professor. After some difficult personal years, she got sober and rebuilt her life.
The High School Art Teacher
One valedictorian originally planned to become a lawyer but chose to teach elementary school art instead. According to a former classmate, he’s happily married and living in the suburbs.
The Researcher Fighting Cancer
A valedictorian from a small Indiana public school went to Yale to study biochemistry and eventually became a published medicinal chemist working in cancer research.
When Two Doctors Met Again
One former student became a surgeon and later worked alongside his high school’s valedictorian, now an anesthesiologist. They reconnected at the hospital, started dating, and eventually married.
The Valedictorian Who Became a Monk
One Reddit user said their former valedictorian gave up his possessions and moved to Tibet to become a monk. They insisted the unexpected career change was completely real.
From Data Science to Millions
One former classmate reported that their valedictorian started a company providing data science services to European governments and eventually became a multimillionaire.