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GPA's do not tell everything about students

By: Rachael Stachowiak
Features Editor

Clark Rexrode, a GM senior, is not your average high school student. He holds an incredibly high GPA, at 4.38, and has had near perfect percentages in almost all of his classes throughout high school. Clark scored an impressive 1440 on his SATs and is in the top ten of his class, but do you know what's interesting about Clark? He can't be valedictorian.

Clark, one of the most focused and applied people I have ever met, can't be valedictorian. Him being a student who puts fourth so much effort into his work and stays up late studying. He plays in the Erie Jr. Philharmonic, takes lessons on clarinet, plays in a saxophone quartet, studies Spanish, and fixes computers in his spare time. Clark, amazingly, manages to keep a remarkably high GPA.

I guess you're wondering why Clark isn't eligible. Clark loves band. Unfortunately, band classes are very difficult to work around in order to get accelerated credits needed to qualify. Another factor is that Clark didn't want to give up one of his hobbies to more homework and finals.

A valedictorian is a leader of a graduating class. I think that the decision of who is to be awarded with that accomplishment should not just be established on GPA. When I think of a valedictorian, I like to think that they're a well-rounded person. It should be someone who is not only focused academically, but also participates in extracurricular activities or takes electives of his interests. He shouldn't drop everything that he may make a career out of just for accelerated classes.

I don't think it's fair for valedictorian candidates to have to focus on taking all the major classes they can get into. They should be able to choose electives and still earn a considerably high GPA. They would become more exposed to several areas allowing them to understand broader topics. They should branch out to subjects beyond pure math, English, history, and science.

There are several students, I'm sure, at General McLane who have incredibly high GPA's but can't be valedictorian because they want to take electives. In Clark's case, he chose music over a schedule full of homework intensive classes. Just because he chooses not to take all major subjects is no proof that he isn't smart enough or dedicated enough to earn a high GPA. A GPA below the requirement for valedictorian is not proof that someone isn't as intelligent as anyone else.

It doesn't seem right to me either that in a time as important as high school, someone should be so tied down to their grades and school work. Teenage years are important for discovering what you, yourself, enjoy doing. There are many people who may not have the highest GPA's because they enjoy taking electives. They take electives to steer them in the general direction of what they may want to do as a career. Isn't that why we take electives?

At the same time, I think many electives may help students prepare for college. Say there is a student running for valedictorian and he plans to major in art. He finds he can't take any art classes because accelerated courses won't fit around them, scheduling-wise. Won't that hurt his chances of getting into some art schools? If they aren't focusing in any major subjects in college, why should he chain themselves to something that won't help him in earning his baccalaureate in college?

Think about all the geniuses in history that slacked off in high school and didn't show their true potential until college. Albert Einstein had slacked off in high school, but he ended up being one of the world's smartest men. George W. Bush didn't excel in high school but went on to go to Yale. I'm not saying people with low GPA's should be candidates, but we need to realize there are people with potential we may not even notice.

Perhaps those interested in being valedictorians should fill out an application form stating activities they are involved in. We still should consider GPA's, but broaden the margin and consider more than that. GPA's should not be the sole basis of the decision.