Does academic achievement really not matter at all?
Not coming here to brag but tbh I was for the longest time proud of what I achieved at school (highest grades in class and at school in general, highest test results out of others, getting prizes in form of cash, being sent to events), but now I also see lots (if not most) people saying things like "grades don't matter" and "high grades are only a sign of hard work and it does not have any meaning in the real life". So now it just feels like all of these achievements were actually a waste and I have never actually done anything significant. I am thinking about how I could've spent my time on getting famous across social media or starting businesses, because these things are actually considered valid achievements. But at the same time I have people telling me that I should not feel that way at all, but I don't know.
Do achievements associated with school really have that little meaning?
Do achievements associated with school really have that little meaning?
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You should absolutely be proud of getting good grades - they take hard work and a lot of time and those who don’t recognise the value of such achievements do so on purpose. They were/are not willing to put in the time and effort you have or are not capable of reaching such grades and instead of putting in effort to do so they take the easy route of attacking people who manage to accomplish such things.
Also, on the note of starting businesses or becoming famous on social media- the vast, vast majority of people who try to become successful through these paths fail and have nothing to show for their efforts. Additionally, they are glorified as ‘achievements’ by those on social media, but is a high follower count won by (what is essentially) a game of luck not arguably more meaningless then good grades?
Ultimately, I think you care too much about what others think; if good grades make you feel proud then so be it, they’re a vital part of becoming successful through a professional setting or getting your dream job, then they do have significant meaning.
Also, on the note of starting businesses or becoming famous on social media- the vast, vast majority of people who try to become successful through these paths fail and have nothing to show for their efforts. Additionally, they are glorified as ‘achievements’ by those on social media, but is a high follower count won by (what is essentially) a game of luck not arguably more meaningless then good grades?
Ultimately, I think you care too much about what others think; if good grades make you feel proud then so be it, they’re a vital part of becoming successful through a professional setting or getting your dream job, then they do have significant meaning.
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by Nothinghere21
Not coming here to brag but tbh I was for the longest time proud of what I achieved at school (highest grades in class and at school in general, highest test results out of others, getting prizes in form of cash, being sent to events), but now I also see lots (if not most) people saying things like "grades don't matter" and "high grades are only a sign of hard work and it does not have any meaning in the real life". So now it just feels like all of these achievements were actually a waste and I have never actually done anything significant. I am thinking about how I could've spent my time on getting famous across social media or starting businesses, because these things are actually considered valid achievements. But at the same time I have people telling me that I should not feel that way at all, but I don't know.
Do achievements associated with school really have that little meaning?
Do achievements associated with school really have that little meaning?
Personally, I don't look at grades from school or university when screening CVs. I look for personal or work projects through internships that have quantifiable impact.
I can hardly tell anything about a person when they reel off a list of As and A*s or when they say they've got a first-class degree - and this is speaking as somebody with those qualifications. What am I supposed to ask at interview when that's all they have?
(edited 1 year ago)
Depends on what you are planning to do. If you are aiming to pursue a career in academia then at some point yes, academic achievement does matter. If you want to become an "influencer" then no, it's not relevant.
That said the work you put into doing well academically can be applicable to other things in terms of transferable skills - but if you just pursue academics in a vacuum for the gold star and don't think about how you can utilise those abilities and skills elsewhere, there's a limit to what you're getting out of it.
That said the work you put into doing well academically can be applicable to other things in terms of transferable skills - but if you just pursue academics in a vacuum for the gold star and don't think about how you can utilise those abilities and skills elsewhere, there's a limit to what you're getting out of it.
prizes, high test scores, being sent places etc will certainly help a university application or might be a way to differentiate yourself or at least draw upon as an answer in an interview question
(edited 1 year ago)
No, your academic achievements don't matter that much. High grades are a sign of hard work but employers want to see your hard work in a workplace and not at school. What kind of things you have done and what skills you have is far more important than a grade on a piece of paper. I wish schools really emphasized how important it is to make connections with people, gather references, write a good CV and to have an ability to pass interviews. The truth is that most university or high school students leave education and they're only good at passing exams and are completely unemployable. If more young students realised the truth behind the job market and what is actually important in life we would have less people doing low level jobs and more people doing jobs that they are capable of doing and jobs that they want. Unfortunately, I think that there is a lack of support in employability in a lot of schools which leaves students in the dark.
If you think grades don't matter, you need to spend some time trying to teach children who are not the sharpest tools in the box.
It is not that they are lazy, it is that they lack the cognitive abilities to understand concepts that come easy for many of us. Getting say a level 2 in Maths shows that you will struggle with the day-to-day maths necessary to navigate the adult world and, consequentially, they will struggle in many occupations.
It is not that they are lazy, it is that they lack the cognitive abilities to understand concepts that come easy for many of us. Getting say a level 2 in Maths shows that you will struggle with the day-to-day maths necessary to navigate the adult world and, consequentially, they will struggle in many occupations.
It seems like you're feeling a little insecure and looking for some external ego boosting.
Is your self esteem tied up with your academic achievements?
Is your self esteem tied up with your academic achievements?
Original post by PQ
It seems like you're feeling a little insecure and looking for some external ego boosting.
Is your self esteem tied up with your academic achievements?
Is your self esteem tied up with your academic achievements?
As I said in the post, nope, not looking here for validation or to brag. I was just told that I wasted my time when focusing on academic achievements and that I should've focused on other achievements as they'd be more beneficial
Original post by Nothinghere21
As I said in the post, nope, not looking here for validation or to brag. I was just told that I wasted my time when focusing on academic achievements and that I should've focused on other achievements as they'd be more beneficial
And why would the opinion of strangers on a student forum matter more to you than the opinions of the people who told you that you'd wasted your time?
Well those people were also from student forums usually
I had a similar level of success at school as you and I can tell you that I would try to achieve it all over again, wouldn't change a thing. I wish you could get the feeling back and feel good about it. At the end of the day, it's all a matter of perspective, priorities, and goals. Can you cash it? No. Will it make you popular on social media? No. But should you still feel good about it? Absolutely.
My husband used to make a point of hiring the “first in the class” type for his office. They were excellent in carrying out all the research he required in a timely and organised manner but rarely had the people skills or self confidence to deal with clients or set up on their own. It was a win win situation.
(edited 1 year ago)
Well the thing about school is that pretty much everyone goes... past a point it doesn't impress many people who are past that stage and you get more respect for college, uni, work etc, things you choose to do. But the ground work you do in school is very much a stepping stone to reach these things, a means to an end.
Original post by rockyrhythm
I had a similar level of success at school as you and I can tell you that I would try to achieve it all over again, wouldn't change a thing. I wish you could get the feeling back and feel good about it. At the end of the day, it's all a matter of perspective, priorities, and goals. Can you cash it? No. Will it make you popular on social media? No. But should you still feel good about it? Absolutely.
PRSOM
I can relate to this a lot as I was the same as you, I achieved the best grades my school had at GCSE, always won awards in the end of year school prize giving ceremony, entered into private competitions like some poetry writing competition in year 9 that sort of thing. It's a shame but ultimately in the grand scheme of things these grades and achievements will play some factor when applying for universities or maybe your first job in hospitality / retail / customer service etc. But ultimately no they do not matter. The job market is already so saturated and crowded, hiring and recruitment managers don't really care if you got all A* at GCSE or won awards at school every year as I have learnt. What is more important is what skills have you developed, or what quantifiable outcomes have you achieved? Getting all A* or the highest grades isn't going to directly lead to a job, you need work experience, internship placements, proof and evidence of skills or other qualifications / qualities you can demonstrate etc.
Once you get to degree level the stuff prior isn't a factor in the vast majority of instances. It's not really indicative of much, and whilst I sort of accept what Cat Lady has said, getting an A in maths does not indicate a positive correlation to success in an analogous manner that an E might demonstrate lack of future success (and I'm not completely sold on this idea either, I think a lot of it is a 'cant be arsed' thing, I've seen it a lot in my time teaching).
I was like you but I always knew this so academic stuff to me was always a bit of a game where I just tried to outdo myself. I don't really care too much about them outside of that and outside of the instrumentality of further qualifications showing suitability for working in education. I'm not sure me having a dodgy poem published when I was 13 or winning a quiz league in year 5, or even getting A*s at GCSE really says much about me at all outside of the obvious 'he picks things up well'.
I was like you but I always knew this so academic stuff to me was always a bit of a game where I just tried to outdo myself. I don't really care too much about them outside of that and outside of the instrumentality of further qualifications showing suitability for working in education. I'm not sure me having a dodgy poem published when I was 13 or winning a quiz league in year 5, or even getting A*s at GCSE really says much about me at all outside of the obvious 'he picks things up well'.
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by Nothinghere21
Not coming here to brag but tbh I was for the longest time proud of what I achieved at school (highest grades in class and at school in general, highest test results out of others, getting prizes in form of cash, being sent to events), but now I also see lots (if not most) people saying things like "grades don't matter" and "high grades are only a sign of hard work and it does not have any meaning in the real life". So now it just feels like all of these achievements were actually a waste and I have never actually done anything significant. I am thinking about how I could've spent my time on getting famous across social media or starting businesses, because these things are actually considered valid achievements. But at the same time I have people telling me that I should not feel that way at all, but I don't know.
Do achievements associated with school really have that little meaning?
Do achievements associated with school really have that little meaning?
They are a fabulous achievement and you should not let anyone put you down. But they are only one gauge of who you are as an individual. For example, despite desperation for people who can do the job, the software industry has one of the highest percentage of graduates who do not find a job. Why? Because despite being able to ace university exams, they do not possess or are unable to demonstrate the skills required by software businesses.
Being successful in life is so much more than taking exams just as being successful in oneself is not a product of how much money you earn IMO.
Original post by Nothinghere21
Not coming here to brag but tbh I was for the longest time proud of what I achieved at school (highest grades in class and at school in general, highest test results out of others, getting prizes in form of cash, being sent to events), but now I also see lots (if not most) people saying things like "grades don't matter" and "high grades are only a sign of hard work and it does not have any meaning in the real life". So now it just feels like all of these achievements were actually a waste and I have never actually done anything significant. I am thinking about how I could've spent my time on getting famous across social media or starting businesses, because these things are actually considered valid achievements. But at the same time I have people telling me that I should not feel that way at all, but I don't know.
Do achievements associated with school really have that little meaning?
Do achievements associated with school really have that little meaning?
I would look at it this way:
Good grades are not some kind of automatic ticket to success in later life; so if that’s what you were hoping for, you will be disappointed. Yes, getting certain jobs will require good grades to a certain degree, but that’s as far as the correlation goes. They don’t guarantee a successful career, and there are plenty of ways to have a successful career without them too.
Now obviously, parents and schools will want to sell children the idea that grades are extremely important. It’s a huge risk for them to just rely on the hope that you’ll become a social media star or launch a successful business. They’ll still want traditional white-collar professions to be accessible to you even if it’s just as a safety net. So in order to make sure you get a decent set of grades, they’ll try to get the best out of you by affording you praise and prestige for those grades.
The problem is, they may sometimes oversell this idea. Children often start to compete over grades just to be “better” than others. They may feel disappointed by getting the second-highest grade in class rather than the highest one, without realising that as far as later life is concerned, even an average grade would have been good enough to get the same outcome. Grades follow the law of diminishing returns, after all.
However, that’s not to say that success at school isn’t important. It’s just important in a different way than you might think.
The purpose of going to school is to learn and develop transferable skills and attributes that will be useful to you in later life. That includes things like ambitiousness, hard work, confidence, networking, taking initiative etc. The goal is to actually learn these things and embody these traits, not just to get some grades on a piece of paper (which are a very rough metric that can also be achieved by a couple of weeks cramming from beforehand and forgetting everything afterwards - basically “gaming the system”).
So for example, people may say “grades are just a sign of hard work”, but if you manage to turn yourself into a very hard working person in the pursuit of those grades, then you’re more likely to find success elsewhere too. After all, developing a social media audience or starting a business, or being at the top of any field also requires a great deal of persistent hard work. Equally, if you’re used to being successful at the things you work hard at, in later life you’re more likely to put in that grind rather than giving up at the first hurdle, confident that success will eventually come.
(edited 1 year ago)
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