Does popularity among kids in school affect whether or not a person will be successful later in life? There is no simple answer to this question. The short answer is that, no, popularity in school does not indicate whether or not someone will be a success as an adult. We've all heard stories of those who reach their peak in high school, only to make their way to adulthood living a completely average existence. We've also all heard stories of people who were decidedly uncool in school who turned out to be huge successes in adulthood.
How Popularity May Help
When we think of what defines success, we think of someone who grows up to have a good-paying career they enjoy, a nice home and a happy family life. Achieving these things takes a combination of hard work, luck and determination. Everyone has the potential to work hard and succeed in life, whether they were part of the popular crowd or not.
However, certain traits that popular kids often have may give a bit of an edge later in life. For example, many kids become popular because they are outgoing and have good people skills, two traits that most successful people are known to possess. Several studies have also shown that people who are perceived as being physically attractive also have an edge when it comes to both popularity and future success.
Hope for the Uncool
There are instances where being the unpopular kid in school can give an advantage. The kids who aren't trying to fit in with the crowd are less likely to succumb to peer pressure that can have potentially negative effects, such as drinking, drugs and sex. Also, kids who aren't constantly struggling to keep up with the popular kids can focus their attention on achieving their own ambitions. It is also possible that a person's desire to be recpgnized and respected can drive him to work extra hard to succeed in life; the old, "I'll show them!" attitude.
Overall, there is very little evidence that popularity as an adolescent or teen has any real affect on whether or not a person will be successful. With the drive to succeed and the ability to set goals and work hard to achieve them, everyone has the potential to lead a successful life.
 | School popularity is less of an indicator of success than the ability to have healthy social relationships. If your child is struggling to make friends, there are things you can do together to change the situation. |
 | What is it that makes some kids popular and others, well… not? |
 | You can't influence what everyone thinks of you, but there are some personality traits you can develop that will help you learn how to be popular. |
Occasionally, a child may fail at an attempt, or several attempts to make friends, which leads to a fear of rejection. This fear of rejection makes it very hard for them to form and maintain friendships. |
Is your child prepared for dealing with rejection? As much as we want our children to be loved by everyone, there is inevitably going to come a time when our child is socially rejected. This rejection can come from one specific person, or the rejection can come from a clique. |
