Though they may have aced every test, done every ounce of extra credit and gave a rousing speech come graduation, what does it truly mean to be the smartest kid in school? 

For some, it's a springboard to success, launching them into full-ride scholarships, high-paying jobs and proof that the nerd-to-rich-tech-bro pipeline is alive and well. For others, well, the path isn't as straightforward.

From becoming a Tibetan Monk to nabbing Nobel Prizes, here are what 20 people's Valedictorians got up to after graduation.