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Do exam results define you?

I just read an article from The Independent, by someone who thinks they do, because the only factor coming into play is hard work. What do you think?

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Reply 1

That'sGreat

Original post by 2-99

I just read an article from The Independent, by someone who thinks they do, because the only factor coming into play is hard work. What do you think?

They don't define you as a person but I agree they are a good sign of intelligence. Though, you don't need to be a A* student to become a millionaire entrepreneur so you know

Reply 2

Quizlet

Exam results doesn't define you.

Reply 3

Joannu

Exam results are easily turned upside down when someone suffers with illness or other issues near the exam period or throughout the academic year. It's not always a true reflection of how someone can perform.

Reply 4

Ave Caesar

They define your intelligence and willingness to learn something.

Reply 5

VaticanCameos

Not at all. As cliché as it sounds, intelligence can be measured differently e.g. academic, emotional, social intelligence etc. People work differently and may perform better on coursework compared to exams and vice versa. A lot of things come into play with exam results, someone could not put any effort into their A levels for example and get really high grades, whereas another person could work their butt off and get "mediocre" grades. It's not black and white. Basically, you're much more than your exam results and your personal qualities/skills are more important.

Reply 6

2-99

Original post by That'sGreat

They don't define you as a person but I agree they are a good sign of intelligence. Though, you don't need to be a A* student to become a millionaire entrepreneur so you know

Yeah, they can indicate intelligence and effort, I guess, but then again, exam grades are rather fickle. And like you say, a bunch of successful people dropped out of school - Bill Gates and Einstein spring to mind.

Reply 7

Big Papa

Original post by 2-99

I just read an article from The Independent, by someone who thinks they do, because the only factor coming into play is hard work. What do you think?

Lol, biggest crap I've ever heard. In no way shape or form do they define you. You could know how many neutrons are in an oxygen atom but when are you ever going to use that unless you study something to do with chemistry? A person may be the best damn engineer you have ever seen, but can't sit down with a piece of paper and recall facts in a given time period. Does that make them a **** engineer? No, of course not. It just means they struggle to answer some questions on a piece of paper.

Reply 8

2-99

Original post by VaticanCameos

You're absolutely right. It's not clear-cut, 'cause a person with more natural intelligence may not try as hard to get the same grades as someone else with less, who tries.

Reply 9

That'sGreat

Original post by 2-99

Though Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard as he already knew it all - completely different but your point is valid

Reply 10

2-99

Original post by Joannu

I agree. But this writer claimed that people who suffer hardship can still try really hard and get A grades. If that were the case, it would be because they had an innate temperament that allowed them to pick themselves up after something bad, while others may not possess that.

Reply 11

Cubone-r

Original post by 2-99

I just read an article from The Independent, by someone who thinks they do, because the only factor coming into play is hard work. What do you think?

Some people let exam results define them and I usually find these people are not well adjusted and are highly volatile individuals.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 12

Rarest

Gotta love it when you memorize stuff from a book and that makes you 'intelligent' and no, exam results are important of course but they don't define you.

Reply 13

Yoyoyo4

Original post by 2-99

I just read an article from The Independent, by someone who thinks they do, because the only factor coming into play is hard work. What do you think?

In this modern day-and-age, exam results DO define you, unless you're an entrepreneur or someone who is content not going to university. Uni's judge you on (mainly), and I know they look at other factors, your grades. WIthout the grades youwouldn't get in.

Come at me haters

Reply 14

06moca1

Original post by 2-99

I just read an article from The Independent, by someone who thinks they do, because the only factor coming into play is hard work. What do you think?

Exam results define you for a time. For example, if you want to apply to a law firm for a training contract then your A levels will define you as an aplicant. If you want to apply to medicine as a graduate then your GCSE's and A levels will still define you even after a degree. When you start working however, your work ethics and skills will define you rather than exam marks.

Reply 15

2-99

Original post by Yoyoyo4

But university isn't life.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 16

Nowen

I'd argue they test competency rather than intelligence

Reply 17

randonposter7484

i guess they define how I feel about myself because in my classes if I get 2nd best I am not happy with myself. if I don't get the best my self esteem goes right down. I know it's just stupid but what can u do?

Reply 18

gjd800

No. None of my mates give a single shite about my exam results or letters after my name, and why would they?

Reply 19

TomDRV

My dad got 2Ds and 2Cs in his a levels.
He joined Sandhurst and became any army signals officer where he pioneered secure IT systems in the 70s and 80s.
He made it to Major before leaving when I was born and he now works in the Welsh government managing the nations vaccination programs.

With his IT knowledge he automated large parts of the data sorting process, they estimated it saves a complete hundreds of work-hours for a whole team each year and his methods have been enthusiastically plagerised by the other three nations.

He's generated the government millions of £££ in efficiency savings.

Exams are a bigger judge of a cotton-wool homelife and determination than anything else. Yes they are a test of intelligence, but other factors have a far greater bearing on the actual results in reality. E.g social conditioning, parental pressure, teaching quality, the expectations of your social group, etc

If we all took them once we're 25 when our hormones had settled down and we've had time to develop away from pur parents, then maybe they could define our intelligence, but right now there is NO WAY they do.

One friend lost her father that year and her grades crashed.

Another realised she took the wrong subjects at the start of yr13, she was pressured by her parents, if she had taken the right ones her grades would be so much better.

Another one is an only child and has a really quiet family, she had an A* and 2As, but she's really socially nieve and gave herself heatstroke on our DofE (during the heatwave) cause she wouldn't let people pour water over her (she didn't explain why) and insisted on wearing makeup which sweated off. For her being presentable was more important.