I'll never forget the day of my high school graduation. Four strenuous years of hard work and dedication had finally paid off. While graduating at the top of my class wasn't the most defining moment or accomplishment of my educational career, it felt like the cherry on top. I was happy. I was proud. Little did I know, becoming valedictorian would be the worst mistake of my life.

At least, that's what recent "research" out there seems to be saying. Research that I believe gives little reason to take to heart.

Over the past week or so, I have seen this video shared all over social media. The video and article discuss research done by Boston College researcher Karen Arnold, who followed the lives of 81 high school valedictorians and salutatorians into their adulthood to see what became of them. While this is a very interesting experiment, the conclusions drawn are falsely negative toward high-achieving high school students. For a very brief moment, before I realized the research's flaws, I questioned my entire high school career. Was it all a big mistake? The answer is a resounding "no." That is why it was frustrating to see so many people sharing the video in a positive light.

The video began with various statistics, such as how some 60% of valedictorians ended up receiving graduate degrees and 40% are in the highest-tier jobs. This information was encouraging to hear, but it didn't last long. It then stated, "When it comes to changing, running, or making an impact on the world, none of these high achievers took on those feats." The video said that as adults, former Valedictorians lack success in changing the world and making a true impact.

It proceeded to give two reasons why valedictorians supposedly are not "top adult achievers."

The first is that "schools reward conformity and obedience." Arnold said that schools want students to conform to the system, and valedictorians simply follow along. They focus on getting good grades rather than learning. I find this to be a rather weak argument. Do I consider myself a conformist? Absolutely not. Am I willing to follow rules, listen to teachers, and do what it takes to get the grade? Absolutely. I do not believe that students should be called conformists for working hard to conquer the material they need to master. Also, believe it or not, people who learn the material are likely to get good grades. There is hardly such a thing as getting A's "rather than" learning. They go hand-in-hand.

The second reason the video gave is that valedictorians are generalists and "lack devotion to a single area where their passions lie." Arnold claimed that nearly everyone goes into a career where only one skill is highly rewarded. Once again, she is missing the point. She assumed that the only two options are being exceptional at one thing or being just good at everything. She forgot about the third option: being great at everything. Okay, maybe not everything. Still, those who challenge themselves outside of their comfort zone and have a wide range of expertise are undoubtedly valuable in the workplace. They have a mind that is flexible and always ready to learn new things or solve problems. I actually wrote one of my admissions essays to the University of Michigan about why it is time to stop expecting people to have a single passion. I wrote about how I was unapologetic for embracing and exploring my various interests, and they accepted me. I guess that my "lack of devotion to a single area" wasn't so bad after all.

While I could go on and on about the faults of statements made in the video and article, I believe that the ultimate problem is the way that success was defined. Apparently valedictorians don't change or lead the world, but what exactly does that mean? I believe that it is up to each and every individual to decide that for themselves. I believe that all people who are kind to others, who work hard, and who never give up on their dreams are people who truly make an impact. You don't have to be CEO of a company, president of the country, or hold any other type of position that society associates with power and influence. Ordinary people have plenty of ability to leave their own footprints in history. That ability is not defined by a high GPA, but it is not restricted by it either.

To all students who are reading this, I hope to encourage you not let your past educational experience define you. Whether you had a 1.5 or a 4.5 GPA, you have the power to achieve your goals and reach success. Moreover, you have the right to discover what success means to you.

To Karen Arnold, if you happen to read this, I just want to let you know that I look forward to proving you wrong. This valedictorian is working to leave a positive impact in the community and across the globe, an impact that will never fade away.