Grades

We are taught from an early age to do our best at everything we encounter in life. Whether it is on the soccer field, in a piano lesson, or in the classroom, children are told to work as hard as they can to achieve success. In the classroom, this of course translates to aiming for high grades. Children will learn they are better at some subjects than others, and maybe don't have to work as hard, but the objective remains the same: do your best and get a good grade. For the most part, it is accepted that good grades reveal a student is either smart or has the ability to learn. Or, the student tests well. My undergraduate schooling gave an early hint to what I am quickly learning now: the grades don't matter as much as one may think. They are guides that can tell a student if he or she is on the right path, but they can't measure how much a student learns cumulatively, or predict success within any given industry. I have been told in both my classes not to worry about the grades so much, they may not be that important. Quite frankly, it is a bit of a relief. I also believe for the first time this is true.
-Rosie