Aiming for the second top spot

Been thinking about aiming for salutarian in my class, but not exactly sure what that entails. What are the benefits and responsibilities that come with it?

Aiming for the salutatorian position, which is the second-highest rank in a graduating class, is a notable goal. There are several responsibilities and benefits that come with it.

Responsibilities largely hinge on academic duties. You'll need to maintain a high GPA and continue challenging yourself acadically. This often means taking honors or AP courses, not just to boost your weighted GPA but also to demonstrate to colleges that you've pursued a rigorous course load. You might have to put in more hours studying, in comparison to the regular student.

Additionally, the salutatorian traditionally gives a speech at the graduation ceremony, as a way to commemorate your experiences and share your thoughts with your classmates. This will require time to prepare, write, and rehearse a thoughtful and eloquent speech.

On the benefits side, being salutatorian can bring academic recognition and enhanced opportunities. It makes your academic achievements highly visible to colleges, which can boost your admission chances, especially at competitive schools. Many schools offer scholarships to the valedictorian and salutatorian of a class, so you might find new scholarship opportunities available to you. Plus, your peers, teachers, and future employers will view your academic accomplishments with high regard.

Finally, striving for such a goal can provide major personal growth. You'll develop critical skills such as time management, discipline, resilience, and public speaking that will come in handy in college and beyond. This alone can be a substantial incentive in pursuing this academic honor.