More high schools are eliminating senior-class polls, a long-standing tradition for graduating classes, in part out of concern for their effect on recipients. Research suggests most winners of the most-likely-to-succeed label will do well later in life, based on their academic ability, social skills and motivation. Less is known about the psychological impact. Some former winners of the title say what seemed like a nice vote of confidence from their classmates actually created a sense of pressure or self-doubt…
Sakita Holley of New York City says being raised by her grandmother because her parents were absent fostered “frustration and negative energy” that she channeled into achievement. As a high-school senior in 2005, she urged classmates to vote her most likely to succeed. After she won, she had “success” tattooed on her back, changed her middle name to “success” on Facebook, and graduated with honors from Howard University. She named the public-relations company she founded in 2006 “House of Success.”