New Heights: Class of 2022 top 10 redefining success

What does it mean to you to be in the top 10? It’s a culmination of my learning in the classroom in that it was never truly something that I was aiming for, but it was still a pleasant surprise. It goes to show that if you are studying the topics that you are passionate about, then you will naturally do good in the classes. What advice do you have for younger students? In general, do the...

What does it mean to you to be in the top 10? [To be in the top 10] is definitely an accumulation of my hard work and how I have been working over these four years. But, other than that, I do think that it is just a number and that there are more things that matter. Throughout the college application process, I’ve realized that ranks aren’t everything. It’s definitely a signifier of my wo...

What does it mean to you to be in the top 10? When I first got into high school, being in the top 10 wasn’t my goal. My goal was just “ I want a certain grade in these classes” like in sciences. I wanted to learn, I tried not to put a ton of pressure on myself to get a good rank. I didn’t really expect to be ranked as heavy as I was. When I found out, it was a mixture of emotions primarily...

What does it mean to you to be in the top 10? It's just an achievement representative of my efforts in high school. It's just nice to see that my efforts throughout high school have almost been validated .  What advice do you have for younger students? Don't be afraid to try new things. The best experiences I've had came from trying something out of my comfort zone, making mistakes. Don't b...

What advice do you have for underclassmen? For younger students, I would definitely say enjoy the classes you take. It’s more than just working hard, it's about learning how to learn well and loving the art of learning. Enjoy learning in school is the only way you can keep your grades up, or you will become miserable. What is something you wish you told your ninth-grade self? I wish I had ...

What does it mean to you to be in the top 10? It feels like a culmination of everything that I did in high school because I didn't really expect it. I know I get good grades, so I was expecting top 10% or even top 5%. I just remember checking Naviance, and seeing my rank, and I was in the top 10. I was shocked to say the least because I thought everyone was 10 times better than me. It was just c...

What advice do you have for younger students? Hard work is really important, so make sure you just do your best on everything and anything that comes across your way. But also just make sure to  relax a little bit because it can get very overwhelming at times. Make sure you keep your limits in mind. What is something you wish you told your ninth-grade self? Relax. I pushed myself more back then t...

What does it mean to you to be in the top 10? It’s a reflection of all the hard work I’ve done through high school. When we first got our GPAs, it was really nice seeing that it paid off.  What advice do you have for younger students? Balance your time. I know that seems counterproductive, but if you do too many AP classes you are going to get burnt out. By the time you’re in your ...

What does it mean to you to be in the top 10? It's a reward for the last four years because when you're starting out with high school, it seems like a long journey and there might not always be an incentive to work hard. But you're with your friends and you work hard together, you study together. It's rewarding to finally be part of the five percent banquet and graduate. Was it your goal to b...

What does it mean to you to be in the top 10?  It means a lot to me, of course, because it's a culmination of all the work I've done throughout my four years of high school. It shows that if you put your mind to something, you can get it done. I know I've taken a lot of advanced courses throughout these four years, so it gives me a sense of accomplishment, knowing I've done well enough. What...