This past week, I was talking to a college student about grades - the dark cloud over our education. As I talked about my desire to graduate with a 4.0, my friend told me, "I graduate in four months, so I don't care about my grades anymore." I shrugged my shoulders and went on with my life, but his response resonated something in me as I thought about it in the days ahead.
Why don't college students care much about their grades? Why is it okay that "C's get degrees"?
To maintain good standing in college, most universities require a minimum overall 2.0 GPA. Anything less results in academic probation, which if let unchecked can eventually lead to dismissal from the college.
No matter how "dumb" someone claims to be, success is always achievable. School has never come easy to me. I love to write, but I have failed exams time and time again. I suck at multiple choice questions and can't understand science for the life of me. I don't land on the Dean's List each semester because I'm smart I 4.0 my classes because I am constantly working to get there. I might have to study 12 hours for an eight-question exam, but you bet that I'm going to study for those 12 hours, because I care.
I care about my grades. I care about my academic success. I care about graduating with honors. I care about finding a good job - all because I care about my future.
Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of students who care about their education and work nonstop to achieve educational success. The Dean's List at Michigan State University is quite impressive, but there is still a disappointing amount of young adults who couldn't give a damn about their GPA each semester.
I can't tell you how many times I've watched someone choose alcohol over homework. It's unreal how many people skip their 8 a.m. classes to sleep in each day. Thursday night through Sunday morning is spent goofing off, which leaves just a few hours Sunday evening to study before a new week begins. The lifestyle of the "average" college student is not designed to succeed, and I think that is why many college students just don't care.
They're so caught up in the here and now that they don't think about how their grades might affect them later down the road. I have been asked about my grades when interviewed for internships and jobs. Employers DO care, because good grades is usually a positive reflection of that person's work ethic and personal motivation. If someone could care less about their GPA, what else are they going to care less about? Work? Friendships? Personal growth?
I graduate in four months, and I'm going to work just as hard this final semester as I have the last seven. I want the good grades because I want a successful future, and unlike so many college students, I'm already looking ahead to the future.
