Tarrant County high schools are loaded with smart students, with infinitely small percentage points separating the best from the rest.
But the students who make it to the top of their high school graduating class don't get there by accident. Well before they enter their freshman year, these students have figured out what it takes to be valedictorian or salutatorian.
"Ever since I was in elementary school, I have been very focused on keeping high grades," said Katie Skinner, valedictorian at Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Worth.
Before Skinner and several other top 2010 graduates packed up and headed off to college, the Star-Telegram asked them to outline eight strategies and traits to earn a top ranking.
Some of the qualities are common sense.
When teachers say it's smart to get plenty of rest before a big test, believe them. Pulling an all-nighter to cram does more harm than good.
Participate in class.
Don't cheat.
Here are other ways to think like a valedictorian .
Go for it
Choose your courses carefully and don't settle for the "recommended" path to graduation.
When Dat Nguyen's family moved from Vietnam in 2004, he spent three months at the Fort Worth school district's International Newcomer Academy. After less than a year at Meadowbrook Middle School's Language Center, he finished eighth grade among the top students in his class and in 2010 was Dunbar High School's valedictorian.
"It's about making a goal and sticking with it. It's all about the mindset at the beginning," he said. "I just kind of looked around to see who is No. 2 and No. 3, and I always wanted to get a better grade."
Nguyen, 18, will study biomedical engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington.
Load up on advanced classes
Understand how grade-point average is calculated, because fractions of a point can be the difference. It's not enough to be a straight-A student. Many schools use a weighted GPA system to calculate class rank, with higher points for more-challenging courses.
Several valedictorians said they took as many Advanced Placement and honors courses as they could handle.
And they stayed away from unweighted courses that bring down GPAs.
Students in the Arlington school district who meet certain criteria can exclude certain courses from GPA calculations.
Bowie High School valedictorian Kosisio Mora and her twin sister, Ifunanya Mora, the Arlington school's salutatorian, both used that option for a nonhonors anatomy course.
"It wasn't that it was too hard; it just wouldn't help me," said Ifunanya Mora, 18.
The Mora twins, of Grand Prairie, left Thursday for University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio. Both plan to major in biology/pre-med.
Challenge yourself
Don't get sidetracked by hanging out with friends, then try to tackle a semester project in one weekend.
Working toward valedictorian helped motivate the students to keep academics their top priority.
"I decided I wanted to be valedictorian as a freshman. I thought if I set a high goal for myself, it would help me stay focused and keep me from slacking off," said Skinner, 18, who will major in telecommunications and media studies at Texas A&M University in College Station. "I prayed about it daily. I would ask God to help me keep the right mindset and keep the right goals."
Don't settle for less
Be proactive. If you get stuck with a bad teacher, transfer to another class. If your guidance counselor is not effective, ask for a different one.
Keller Central High School valedictorian Forrest Ripley said he researched which teachers were best at their subject before signing up for classes. He asked upperclassmen and his two older brothers for advice on what teachers to avoid.
But he was assigned to six different counselors in four years of high school, leaving him largely on his own in selecting classes, Ripley said.
"My counselors were not very helpful, so I didn't rely on them," said Ripley, 19, who will study business at the University of Texas at Austin. "So much is getting the schedule that you want. Be prepared to be involved."
Homework and extra credit
Students say it's important to go beyond assigned class work and homework.
Always do extra credit, and research subjects that pique your interest.
Asked whether he had studied a lot, Nguyen replied, "Not really."
We disagree.
Nguyen said that after he finished his assigned reading, math problems and other homework, he would study two more hours each day to prepare for classes and tests.
Students say it's critical to study every day and to plan ahead for big tests.
And never turn in work late.
Pay attention to details
Read the requirements of each assignment. Review main course points with the teacher and ask what will be on tests. Use a planner to keep track of assignment due dates, upcoming tests and long-term projects. Double-check your work.
Kosisio Mora had a PowerPoint presentation graded down because she did not follow instructions to put a photograph in every slide.
"I did everything right," she said. "But since I didn't pay attention to that detail, it cost me."
Work with others
Take responsibility for your schoolwork, but it's smart to cultivate teachers and upperclassmen as allies, get tutoring in weaker subjects and study with other high-achieving classmates.
"You can't understand everything. You can't be a genius in everything, so if you help someone else out, then they're more apt to help you," said Brooke Awtry, 18, salutatorian of the first graduating class at Westlake Academy charter school.
"Have some friends over, study for a couple hours and then watch a movie or have dinner," said Awtry, a Keller resident who will study English and international affairs at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. "That was a way to easily put together studying and having a life."
Get parents involved
Parents who are plugged into their children's school help them succeed.
They meet and communicate regularly with teachers and administrators and are often involved in booster clubs and parent-teacher organizations. That's where they find out about scholarships, tutoring and other opportunities.
"The parents are aware of what is going on. If there is an opportunity for a kid to take, it's the parents that are around there talking to one another and talking to teachers," said Jennifer Latu, lead counselor at Fossil Ridge High School in the Keller district.
Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/08/21/2417308_p2/how-to-become-a-valedictorian.html#ixzz0xLBAyYuF
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