In his book Barking Up the Wrong Tree, author Eric Barker explores these academic darlings’ life and legacy, and his findings were somewhat surprising. “Valedictorians do well,” says Barker, “but they don’t typically become titans of industry or people who change the world.” He further states that while high school success is a strong predictor of college success, it is not necessarily a predictor of life success. Yes, valedictorians are reliable, consistent, and well educated, but out of the people he studied, he struggled to find extraordinary success. Simply stated, out of the subjects he studied, guess how many had gone on to achieve greatness or life-changing success?
The answer is zero!
Meanwhile, lots of the “normal” or average students he looked at thrived after high school and beyond the halls of academia. To that end, he cites a recent survey of more than 700 American millionaires that found that the average GPA of these titans of industry was a paltry 2.9.
Barker’s research indicates that students who have a greater breadth of experiences and are forced to balance their many demands and passions tend to acquire the skill sets necessary to be successful, not just in school, but in life. Specifically, students who are forced to prioritize their time learn valuable life and survival skills.
This is yet another reason why participating in music is important for your child. Students involved in music face greater demands on their time and acquire skills necessary to be successful after their academic careers have concluded. By participating in music, students are not preparing for a life as professional musicians; they are preparing for a life in every profession.
Yes, hope and ambition are alive for every child, especially those involved in music!
Let us know if we can be of assistance to you or your child.
Sincerely,
Your Union Bands Faculty