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Has the situation changed?

Yes it has. Sort of. These days, every high school has an overachiever clique. These students get great grades, but also run the various student clubs, have interesting hobbies, are into activism, are usually charismatic and good looking, etc. And they're usually popular and envied by people.

This group isn't exactly the nerd clique of the 90s. Motivations of this group are driven by status-seeking, both among peers and college admissions officers, unlike the pure passion motivation nerds of the 90s are known for. But this group offers a realistic path of a 90s-style nerd to popularity.

> Yes it has. Sort of. These days, every high school has an overachiever clique. These students get great grades, but also run the various student clubs, have interesting hobbies, are into activism, are usually charismatic and good looking, etc. And they're usually popular and envied by people.

That's not a change. That clique existed in 1990s high schools. They were known as "preps" back then, and were the opposite of "nerds". "Jocks" were preps who played sports.

It's a work in progress. :)

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