Lorin Crawford, left, and Tam Quach met as freshmen, later became friends and then roommates by their senior year. (Photo by: Horace Henry)
Despite being outnumbered 3 to 1 by their female counterparts, valedictorian Lorin Crawford and his roommate salutatorian Tam Quach earned the highest grade point average among all students—a rarity the school claims is the first time in recent history. Their academic excellence shatters some common statistics and stereotypes about the gender gap in college.
Reports indicate that men enter college at lower rates than women and are more likely to drop out. Nationally, female enrollment hovers near 60 percent and 61.5 percent at the nation’s 100 accredited Black colleges and universities, according to the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics.
Statistics enthusiast Crawford did not set out to smash any; he simply wanted to perform his best.
“I just wanted to learn as much as I possibly could and make straight A’s,” said the mathematics major, who finished with a perfect 4.0 GPA. “A lot of men see life as now; they live in the moment, and that’s where a lot of mistakes happen.”
To avoid the trappings of freshman freedom, Crawford, a Chino Hills, Calif., native, eliminated distractions—even declining to have a television in his dorm room—to focus on his studies. He took a lot of notes during class and rewrote them before studying to better retain the material. He practiced extra homework problems, read ahead and met often with his professors.
Crawford met Quach during their freshman year in 2009 following above average, but not outstanding, high school careers. The two became friends a year later during an honors program retreat after discovering they shared a thirst for knowledge and a strong desire to achieve academically and professionally.
