At our school, if you are in an AP class, you get 10 extra points added to your average for that class. I was number 1 in my class last year because I was in swimming and the number 2 girl was in band. Both do not give 10 extra points. However, now the number 2 girl has quit band and signed up for another AP class in that place. Therefore, she is getting 10 extra points that I am not getting. I don't want to quit swimming because I love the sport, and I've been swimming in club too. It's a really hard choice for me. Also, all my best friends are swimmers. Please help me. What should I do? Quit swimming for valedictorian spot OR just try to find a way to work it out?
2006-08-29 12:04:57 · 19 answers · asked by Jess 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Other - Education
Just think of your priorities. If you're about to graduate, is being valedictorian needed to get admitted to a school or perhaps a scholarship? Its really a hard decision to quit something you love to do. But I have a feeling that you really like the valedictorian spot.
Then swap swimming for another AP class. Its good to learn new things. I'm sure you can swim anytime and if your best friends are real, they will stay with you even if you're not in the club anymore.
Just think of it this way, you only graduate once from high school, and when you graduate, would you rather graduate as a swimmer and no. 2 in class or a valedictorian (but still swimmer at heart)?
2006-08-29 12:40:58 · answer #1 · answered by vern 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Which will be more important to you in the long run - swimming or being valedictorian? Imagine yourself at 30 or 40 years old proudly telling everyone about how you were valedictorian of your high school class. They might be slightly impressed, but what will be more impressive is how you've managed to stay fit and trim all these years later, while everyone else puts on 10 pounds per decade.
If you quit swimming, will you be miserable long-term? If you don't make valedictorian, will you be miserable long-term? Honestly, I graduated over 20 years ago and don't remember who our valedictorian was.
2006-08-29 12:12:44 · answer #2 · answered by homeschoolmom 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Find a way to work it out. You never know how long you can swim for. And maybe you can swim in college. So that is important. Just because you aren't taking an extra ap class doesn't mean you can't get scholarships. You should do what you love, just cause the other girl has no life, doesn't mean you shouldn't.
2006-08-29 12:08:46 · answer #3 · answered by Yooper chick 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Keep swimming!
Valedictorian is just a word. Now granted, if you've going to be seriously upset if you don't get it that's something to take into consideration. However, I assume you're looking at colleges and such. Most of them couldn't care less about whether you were #1 or #2. A 3.978 GPA is not going to mean rejection from Yale where a 4.0 would have gotten you in. Also if you keep up the swimming in college you may get a decent scholarship for that depending on where you go. Admissions counsels look for diversity in their applicants. They don't want a school where everyone just stays in their room for 12 hrs a day (even Princeton, trust me - and excepting Cornell - where their students tend to throw themselves into the gorges)
Also, it may sound trite, but you have to do what's going to make you happy. You love swimming, you enjoy it, and when you're happy it's probably a lot easier to put in all the hours studying and taking difficult classes that have gotten you such good grades. 5 years from now you're not going to think much about being valedictorian, but you will remember how good it felt to dive into the water and feel the rush you get when you're putting your all into getting that .5 sec margin victory.
2006-08-29 12:16:48 · answer #4 · answered by DW 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Stick with the swimming if that is what you love to do. I think being valedictorian is highly overrated. Years from now who remembers who it was? But if you swim with your friends, you will have lots of happy memories to look back on in later years. Perhaps you could get a swimming scholarship! Also, what if you gave up your swimming and by some fluke, you didn't make valedictorian, you would be out on two counts.
2006-08-29 12:15:53 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
"Quit swimming for valedictorian spot OR just try to find a way to work it out?"
I would quit, valedictorian would look great on your college resume. Swimming opportunities will come aplenty in your future but the chance to be valedictorian of your high school is only a one shot deal.
2006-08-29 12:11:55 · answer #6 · answered by cryingrainbow 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't get caught up in this petty fight. Have you not heard of co-valedictorians. Do what you want to do and not be driven by someone else's ambitions. Talk to the administrators about the practicality of these extra points. Colleges like diversity in their ranks over just "smart" ones. Being in the top ten is very good in their books! Remember they take in other info as well, including a good essay.
2006-08-29 12:10:52 · answer #7 · answered by abracadabragal 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Keep swimming! It's something you enjoy, and it makes you look more well-rounded. Besides, in a few years, it won't matter whether you were #1 or #2, as long as you don't regret your choice.
Can you improve your grades in your current classes to boost your GPA and get the valedictorian spot?
2006-08-29 12:13:02 · answer #8 · answered by LadyJag 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't think you should quit swimming because you seem to be unable to let it go. Being number 2 isn't so bad... is it. There's many people wanting to be in your place. I was number 2 for a whole semester, now I'm number 4.
2006-08-29 12:09:35 · answer #9 · answered by gravytrain036 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Valedictorian is great and all. But what colleges really look for is high scores on SAT's and the like. Or going to state in Science, etc...
Do you really want to give up a passion to have an inflated ego???
2006-08-29 12:09:19 · answer #10 · answered by extremelyradicalman 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋