+344 Schools are so corrupt nowadays. All the priorities are reversed. Everybody is concerned about grades. I think we're forgetting what school is really about - learning. Think of how inneffective memorizing random vocab is, or what your remember in your history class from September. Good grades don't mean you're smart, amirite?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Mainstream education was developed for the average pupil. While intellect does give one the edge, good grades doesn't necessarily translate into intelligence. The opposite is also true.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

However, there is a reason why colleges and employers like to know your GPA. Whether you are smart or not, good grades show that you are focused and hardworking, which is often valued more than a lazy smart person.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I've seen proof of a lazy smart person, and being smart doesn't always get you the job- effort gets you the job. So I'm agreeing with you, I just wanted to put my 2 cents.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Exactly. Maybe people care a bit too much about grades in school, but it is one of the few ways to tell how much someone is willing to work.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

But it's not always fair because I know of plenty of hard working people whose effort doesn't always show in their grades, while there are people like me who continually slack and do better than most. I feel bad about it, but that's just how it is. And grades don't adequately show ability or work ethic.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I know, it's not a perfect system. We live in a world where some people naturally have an advantage over others, and it sucks. But the grade system isn't the only way to determine that someone is hardworking.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

No, it's not. But for college acceptance, as an example, they basically go off of grades and sat scores (another test that doesn't always show your true intelligence). They don't know your work ethic, they don't really know anything about you, to them you're a GPA and a test score. And that's unfair to so many people.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Grades don't necessarily mean anything. For example, a person who gets a C in AP Calculus freshman year is way smarter than a senior who gets an A taking a class in basic subtraction. Also, getting Bs and Cs at a prestigious difficult school means more than getting straight As at a school that doesn't teach anything. There are also things like hospitalizations, financial issues, and family problems that might prevent a smart person from getting good grades. Also, lots of cheat the system.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I think it would be better (especially in classes like foreign language and math) if grades were more based on evaluations by teachers at the end of the year to see how much you remember. It's impossible to be perfect in a foreign language the first time you learn it, and the person who makes the most mistakes might also be the person who knows it best at the end.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I know what you mean. I hate it when you have native Spanish speakers in your introductory Spanish class who screw up your class average and are just there to mess around and get good grades.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

oh my goodness, do you have a part of my brain or something because I practically preach this anytime some starts talking about school and grades and when they start freaking out about their GPA.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Most of the time, the people who get good grades are smart, but not all of the smart people get good grades. Also, dumb people get bad grades, but not all people who get bad grades are dumb. Most of it is effort.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Depends on where the grades are coming from. Good grades from just tests only show how well someone can remember. But if most of the grade comes from projects and assignments, it actually shows how well the student can learn and apply the knowledge to something.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Which is why i have honestly learned more from the internet and T.V about life than i have from school.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Grades aren't everything, but they're a large part of what colleges look at. Good grades ensure a better chance at success, so with the way our school system is set up people should be concerned about them.

by Anonymous 12 years ago