Ashank Saravanan IB Valedictorian 2026
GPA: 10.09
What accomplishment are you most proud of from your high school years, and why?
Being a National Merit Finalist is probably the achievement I’m most proud of. Unlike getting first place in a competition or event, being a Finalist allows me to get a huge scholarship for college. This is valuable because it means my parents don’t have to worry as much for housing and other costs, and it leaves me feeling less guilty about all the money they are spending for college. Even though they tell me they are willing to pay whatever, it just lets me keep a light conscience.
Was there a teacher, mentor, or experience that had a major impact on your success?
I wouldn’t say a specific teacher or mentor had a major impact on my success, as they have all contributed pretty equally. But in terms of my experiences, one of them for sure had the most major impact. That being, when I started at Strawberry Crest freshmen year and starting meeting new people. I realized no matter how smart you think you are, there will always be someone with more accolades or better grades. Those first months showed me the only true way to guarantee success and differentiate yourself is to be the person who is willing to work for it. I’m definitely not the most talented student, and I realized hard work beats talent, so I made sure to work hard.
What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you outside of academics?
I used to be a certified LEGO master builder when I was a kid.
How did you balance schoolwork with extracurriculars, jobs, sports, or personal life?
I made sure to use any free time I had in school to get any extra work done. Also, whenever I did work, whether it be for school or online classes for dual enrollment, I tried to find the way to make doing the work the most efficient to save time and effort for things I believed that mattered more, like my friends, family, and hobbies. I used this same method for extracurriculars.
What was the most challenging moment of high school, and how did you overcome it?
It was not necessarily a moment but rather an aspect of high school that was the most challenging. Specifically, it would be the extra coursework due to the IB program at our school. Extracurriculars, SAT prep, and extra courses were all things I could handle, but all the monotonous aspects of IB, like the long papers and orals, were pretty challenging. It annoyed me and pretty much all of my friends, but I’m very glad I did it because an IB diploma qualifies me for the highest tier of Bright Futures in Florida, which pays off all of my tuition costs for college.
If you could give one piece of advice to incoming freshmen, what would it be?
Don’t make getting good grades your main priority. I think it’s important to do other things in your life that make you happy, instead of solely focusing on academic achievements. I’m not saying to fully sideline your education, but don’t micro-manage every aspect about it. If you get a bad test grade and your parents get upset, so what, life moves and you just have to keep on trying to be better every day.
What are your plans after graduation, and what excites you most about the future?
After graduation, I hope to get my undergraduate and master’s degree in finance. I’m going to the University of Florida and hope to benefit from the MSF program offered there to get into a good Investment Banking or Private Equity firm on Wall Street. In terms of the future, I’m excited to live somewhere new, whether it be at college or a job. I have lived in Tampa for my whole life, so living somewhere that’s different is probably the most exciting part about the future.
Looking back, what do you think truly defines a successful high school experience?
I think a successful high school experience is one where you make yourself proud. Making friends and memories, as well as getting accolades to look back on to remind you of how far you have come as a person, definitely, for me at least, defines a successful high school experience. As long as you make yourself proud and you were happy doing it, I would say you were successful.
