Nationwide — 18-year-old triplets Laurel, Daylan, and Sophia Daly from Plainfield, New Jersey, celebrated a major milestone when they graduated high school together, with Laurel and Sophia sharing the title of co-valedictorian. The siblings finished their high school journey with top academic honors before preparing to attend different colleges.
All three siblings graduated from College Achieve Central Charter School as members of the National Honor Society. While Laurel and Sophia both worked toward becoming the school’s top students, they never expected they would finish with the exact same GPA.
The sisters each earned a 4.59 GPA, leading the school to name them co-valedictorians. Daylan said he was surprised by the result because he expected Sophia to rank first.
“I honestly thought that Sophia would beat Laurel out because she’s always in her books and stuff,” Daylan told People. “But the fact that they tied, it was just a poetic ending. It’s just crazy.”
Sophia said she and Laurel never viewed their academic success as a serious rivalry. They simply focused on doing their best throughout high school.
“It wasn’t initially a competition,” Sophia said. “Throughout high school, we were both just working hard to get good grades.”
The sisters also followed different interests while maintaining the same level of academic success. Sophia enjoyed writing and storytelling, while Laurel focused more on STEM subjects. Despite their differences, both reached the same academic achievement.
The triplets said their strong work ethic came from the lessons they learned growing up, especially from their grandmother, Alice Bogle. She encouraged them to read and made learning part of their everyday lives.
Their late father, Damian Daly, also remained an important source of inspiration. He died in 2022 at age 50, but his advice about making the most of life influenced Laurel and Sophia’s graduation speech with his message about making the most of life and pursuing their dreams.
The siblings said their close relationship has always been one of the strongest parts of their lives. Laurel said growing up together created a connection she believes is different from most siblings.
“You joke about having telepathic connections with your siblings, but I really feel like sometimes we do have telepathic connections,” Laurel said.
Daylan agreed, saying it often happens when they think of the same songs or make similar comments at the same time.
After graduation, the triplets planned to spend time with family before starting college. Laurel will attend Princeton University, Sophia will study at the University of Pennsylvania, and Daylan will attend Rutgers University while commuting from home.
Although they are excited for their next chapter, the siblings admitted that being apart will be a major adjustment. However, they said the experience will help them grow while continuing to support one another.