Help students see that grades matter.

We all know at least one.

That smart high school student with lots of potential who just can’t be bothered to care about good grades. We all want young people to realize their potential and find success. But, just how important to the equation are grades in today’s world?

Not All Grades Are Created Equal
Grades have traditionally served two purposes: to let students know how they’re doing in class—both individually and in relation to their classmates—and to inform others—parents, employers, and colleges, for example—about their progress. But, do students’ grades really reflect what they’ve learned?

In truth, grades reflect learning only to the extent that the teacher assigns points for meaningful tasks. For example, if a grade in English class is based on how well students wrote a series of essays, then an A probably means that the students have mastered how to write. If, however, the teacher gives a lot of points for things like neatness, attendance, or keeping an assignment log, the grade may not mean quite the same thing. An A student in this teacher’s class has shown she can follow instructions and stay organized, but her ability to write an essay might still be in question.

Grades Count—But Not More Than Learning
In high school, grades matter because they contribute to the all-important “grade point average” (GPA). Smart but unmotivated students often argue, “What does it matter if I do the work? I know the material.” That kind of thinking can cause them to miss opportunities down the road. That’s because a student’s GPA helps to determine college eligibility, class rank, honor status or membership in organizations such as the National Honor Society.

What’s more (and probably more persuasive to a teen), a high GPA can help qualify students for scholarships and grants.

There is such a thing as too strong a focus on grades and GPA, however. When students opt to take “easy” classes to maintain a high GPA, their 4.0 is no better than the B’s earned by a student who enrolled in more challenging courses. Overly grade-conscious students can end up with a less meaningful diploma that fails to prepare them for a world beyond high school.

To help even the score, many schools have gone to a system of weighting the grades in more challenging classes or awarding additional “honor points” for classes considered academically rigorous. These honor points can show employers, colleges, and scholarship boards the real worth of a student’s GPA.

How Much Do Grades Affect College Admission?
According to Kim Doane, a guidance counselor at Lakewood High School in Lake Odessa, MI, colleges look at a combination of grades, class rank, and ACT or SAT scores first when determining admissions. When students’ grades are on the edge, colleges and universities also look at essays and even outside activities to determine admittance.

“Extracurricular activities and community service are often an extra measure of admittance after schools look at GPA and ACT scores,” Doane said. “Where extracurricular activities become more important is when a student has solid but not stellar grades. Then the school will look at what else a student may have to offer.”

Even technical and career programs have GPA standards for entry to their programs. With post-secondary education so vital to securing a good job in today’s economy, grades really are important to a student’s opportunities and successful future.

So, How Can Adults Motivate Students To Care About Getting Good Grades?
Connect the dots. Help the student to see how grades can help them achieve their goals. Is it her dream to be a U of M Wolverine? Go on the school’s website to look at admissions requirements and compare them to the student’s current situation. Does he want to be a nurse? Many nursing programs have a minimum GPA to be accepted. Help design a plan to get the student on the path to qualifying.

Create a culture of learning. Send a message that school is the student’s highest priority. Although sports, extracurriculars, and jobs can be valuable experiences, a student’s most critical job is to do as well as possible in school.

Keep grades in perspective. Ask teachers about their grading methods and scales. While promptness, neatness and showing up are valuable life skills, should they influence a grade meant to measure learning?

Reward wisely. If you choose to offer rewards for good grades, make sure the rewards are based on effort and responsibility, not just an arbitrary letter grade. You don’t want a hard-working and improving student to give up because they didn’t get all A’s. Neither do you want a high-achiever to coast just to earn a reward.

Resources
CollegeToolkit.com This site offers tips on college admissions, academics, ACT/SAT, and financial aid. Plus, it hosts a handy online tool that calculates a cumulative high school GPA. The easy-to-use calculator highlights just how many A’s it will take to make up for that D+ in freshman English if a teen hopes to someday meet the GPA requirement of their favorite university.