Rohil Verma

Coppell High School senior Rohil Verma is ranked No. 6 in the class of 2020. Verma plans to study computer science in the Plan II Honors program at the University of Texas at Austin. 

What motivated you throughout high school?

I wanted to set myself up as best as I could for college and the rest of my life. Also, seeing my friends work hard in school pushed me to also stay on top of my grades.

What is your approach to studying?

The approach that helped me the most was trying to teach course concepts to my classmates. By doing this, I was able to see how well I understood the topics and where I had holes to fill.

What has your academic experience in high school been like?

Looking back, my academic experience in high school wasn’t too stressful. I definitely had to work hard but I never really got anxious or panicked. I will say that the competition of rank and GPA made some people a little one-dimensional and focused only on grades, which I wanted to avoid.

What advice do you have for underclassmen hoping to make it to the top 10?

My advice would be to focus on understanding the content and concepts that are being taught rather than aiming for the highest grades. I would say to make sure to practice the challenging topics repeatedly and work to improve your weaker areas.

How did you balance extra curricular activities with school work?

I would make sure to set aside a certain amount of time to finish all my homework and school work. To free up more time, I would try to knock out a bunch of work while I was still in school.

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