Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US campus) an outstanding student.

1897

Sun (N.Y.) 11 Apr. n.p.: There are two sorts of ‘prods,’ one receiving the term from pure brilliancy in some particular line, the other for general studiousness. The latter are the most irritating, for they are always ready with answers in recitations, while the brilliant ‘prod’ may be on the ordinary plane of intelligence when out of her particular sphere.