I believe that one can be an "attention whore" in a positive way. There are some people who attract attention by being loud and obnoxious, and there are a few who are so nice and outgoing to everyone that people like them.
There is a small "attention whore" in every one of us, and I wish to free mine from the chains of shyness and insecurity. =)
Like this thread's starter, I also get almost perfect grades (without much effort compared to how much my friends study), and I feel that I could lay more energy on being totally free from bad self-confidence, than just waste my time at the computer and watching the hours fly away.
Although I don't do it explicitly for the sake of "having girls all over me", I feel that it is just a necessary step in my personal self-development. Also, if I get to know more people, my chances of finding someone I like would increase.