Grades! Should They Define You?

The question that arises to most of us is that whether good grades actually predict success?

Good grades are important when talking about academic success, but when talking about an individual’s life success or personal success or professional life success then good grades are not the only important factor.Good grades are often said to be the single most important factor determining an individual’s college admissions, job applications and job success, but the only thing good grades does is grant entrance in an elite academic college which guarantees a well paying, highly respected job. Grades are actually a practical way to measure whether a student has learned the school or college curriculum material or not.

What are good grades important for ?
Good grades are important for getting into a good college which determine academic achievement. They are also important for graduate college and many highly selective corporations – with limited number of positions and thousands of applicants, grades are an easy way of selecting or determining which individual gets a chance. Good grades signal an ability to learn which is one of the qualities that college and employers. However, good grades are not the only factor which determine success. There are character traits such as grit, curiosity, teamwork, oral communication and creativity that are not tested and reflected in report cards. These traits not only determine success in life but they also help in solving convergent problems.

Majority of the successful people were not always grade A students. To be successful and to achieve something you need to work hard for it. It is loaded with impediments, entanglements and disappointments. Achievements require consistency and mental strength to overcome the obstacles and for defeating the entanglements. Successful individuals go for lifelong learning and do not depend on rote learning or bookish knowledge. They do not study for grades. Just because an individual gets ‘C’ or ‘D’ does not mean that an individual will not succeed in life. Success does not depend on grades, it depends on an individual characteristics and how much the individual is working for it . All in all grades, GPA’s and standardised test scores only measure one’s ability to memorize and recall. Grades or GPA do not measure the ability of an individual to think outside the box and solve problems. They don’t measure the leadership skills the individuals have or the individual’s emotional intelligence

Therefore, grades and GPA do not predict an individual’s success. Although they are an important factor in determining an individual’s success they are not the only factor that should be stressed about, other qualities such as leadership skills, communication skills, etc. Also play a large role in determining an individual’s success.