In our educational system, A students are thought to be more intelligent and sha

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   gmwilliamsposted 10 years ago

   In our educational system, A students are thought to be more intelligent and sharper than B and C
   
   students. A students are also told  by teachers that they will be more successful in life than either B and/or C students. In fact, A students are THE ONES who are groomed and coached for success whereas B and C students are not.  C students especially are told that they will not be successful and to aim for just being mediocre.  Do you contend that A students are more prodigiously intelligent & more successful in life than either B and/or C students?  Why?  Why not?
   
   

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   Sri Tposted 10 years ago

   No, because the richest man in the world, Bill Gates, dropped out of college. J. Paul Getty enrolled in college but said he dropped out because the people there hoped to get rich. He was already rich from his oil wells. It would have been a waste of time. Also Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and many great inventors never finished grade school. Some of the greatest spiritual leaders/masters from India have no formal education. Some of the richest entertainers did not finish high school. The education system is highly overemphasized. Its more about the desire and the drive, than the formal education. If you read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, he recommended hiring whatever experts you need. That's what they did.

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      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Yes but Bill Gates was smart in school, he definitely wasn't a C student.  It is A students, even if they discontinue their education, who WILL be highly successful in life.  B and C students not so much.  C students are not that successful in life.

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      Sri Tposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      It also depends on what the person's talents are. Athletes grades are usually not that high either, but they make millions of dollars. The secret is to hire smart people with specialized knowledge while running the company.

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      dashingscorpioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I read George W. Bush was a "C" student. Bill Cosby flunked the 10th grade three times! Thomas Edison was labeled dumb and scatterbrain by his school teachers. Richard Branson founder of Virgin Records/Airlines dropped out of high school at 16

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   dashingscorpioposted 10 years ago

   Not necessarily.
   Lower grades can be a result of simply not putting in the effort, being bored, or not caring. I've known people who took multiple choice exams and simply chose answers (A B C D or E) without bothering to read the questions!
   It has also been proven that not everyone grasps concepts or learns in the same manner. Some are auditory, some are visionary,  and some only learn hands on, while others need the repetition of all three. Generally speaking schools are only going to use (one method) of teaching.
   Another factor that cannot be overlooked is the ability of the teacher. I've heard of kids failing a class with one instructor and exceling with a different one or after getting help with a tutor.
   Back in the late 70s and during the 80s Marva Collins started  Westside Preparatory School in Garfield Park, an impoverished neighborhood of Chicago. She is famous for applying classical education (Socratic method) successfully with poor students, many of whom had been "wrongly labeled as learning disabled" by public schools. She had first graders reading Shakespeare!
   I've also known kids who were just average in high school but graduated from college with honors.
   Other factors may include a lack of a foundation/support at home that is conducive to studying. An older child may be responsible for taking care of their younger siblings while their single parent is working evenings/nights.
   The "assumption" with our grading system is everyone put in the same amount of effort and did "their very best". Therefore their grades or end results of tests is supposed to be a (true indication) of their "intellect".

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      dashingscorpioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Issues with dyslexia and other brain anomalies could also effect a child's performance. Some people have been known to go for years without being diagnosed while feeling dumb the whole time.

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      Sri Tposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      One of the most overlooked issues is, they don't teach kids how to study or learn in some schools. The teacher may cover the topic once. If they don't get it, they move on. But repetition is the key to learning, in spelling, math, music or whatever.

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      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Excellent answer and  great analytical synopses made by both!

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   Express10posted 10 years ago

   This is one of those areas that I've learned to not generalize like I used to. While it is so easy to assume that a straight A student is more intelligent and will be more successful, this is not always the case. I've seen straight A students who could not debate to save their lives while a C or D student could outshine them verbally. And I think many people have seen straight A students who did not seem to have much intelligence aside from their "book smarts" as some call it.
   
   Some students, I've come across more than a couple at my college, have retaken classes and will brag about straight A grades (hiding the fact that they've retaken classes when the grade on the first go round was anything but an A)! There is also a minority of students who cheat and a few professors or teachers who do so as well.
   On the other hand, there are lots of students content with average grades who are capable of more but some may have other responsibilities or simply choose to be lazy. Still, there are students who have personal challenges and or families that distract them or prevent them from learning. There are also students who are homeless or living in cramped quarters in motels across the country. A college football player by the name of Isaiah Lamb was recently on the cover of Sports Illustrated, highlighting homeless students stories.
   Each student is unique and grades do not always accurately reflect what the student is truly capable of. I know some people who have become very dependable and successful lawyers and doctors both with and without straight A's. Once given an opportunity, what is done with it is the student's choice, some A, B, and C students reach equivalent success financially and in business.

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   Daniel Gottlobposted 10 years ago

   It really depends.
   
   Beyond intellectual acumen, interests, and learning styles play a role in school performance. A smart kid with no drive or incentive to perform in class may not do so simply because of a lack of effort. Furthermore, if they are in an environment that hinders them from learning that will impact grades as well. One of the largest factors in performance in school are socioeconomic background at a macro level. Children from affluent families make up a larger portion of the above average students for grades than students with families of income, ~60% vs ~25% between the two categories.  So I think it is incorrect to singularly correlate grades with intelligence. Intelligence is one of the variables that links to grades but it is certainly not the only one that impacts it.
   
   That being said though, at a base level grades and test scores as a whole are used to predict competency in a field, profession, or program. This is especially the case if you have no prior experience or background to weigh in perspective for that opportunity. Overall, those that are going to hire you or accept you into their program are going to look at your grades as a metric.
   
   Furthermore, it is statistically significant that students that perform well on the SAT's are more likely to graduate from college. Beyond that, there is a correlation between income and education level. In the end if your grades get to a point to where they jeopardize completion of formal education at any tier can negatively impact income. With out a doubt performance in school will impact the number of opportunities available to an individual. However, an individual is not going to take every opportunity and in the case of entrepreneurs you may create your own opportunities. So really it is going to come down to whether the grades you have impact you from doing something you find fulfilling. However, while Bill Gates and Zuckerburg and various others that have found success outside of the cookie cutter structure, they are an exception. So really, whether you make an A or C matters to the extent of how it if going to impact your completion of education and what you want do.
   
   Overall, it is important that one tries to get good grades. While it does not guarantee career success it gives you more opportunities to find it. Lastly, just because you score higher on a test does not mean you are smarter than them.

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      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      You are right!  Grade point averages are indicators to future success also.  An A students has infinitely more opportunities to unlimited success than a B or C student who has very limited opportunities for success.

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      Sri Tposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      55 School Drop Out Billionaires + Successful Entrepreneurs. How does it sound to your ears that most of the world’s richest men and women were school drop outs? Well don’t be surprised; it’s the truth. http://www.mytopbusinessideas.com/school-drop-ou

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      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      @ Sri T, the high school dropout who become billionaires are such a minute percentage.  The main mantras of the average high school dropout are "Can I help you?",  "I do THAT right way, sir.", " Oh, $%$%, I have to do...THIS".

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      Sri Tposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      True, but if they can become billionaires, then it means that grades are not the true factor for success.

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      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      But grades are the true factors for success. An A student has infinitely more academic & career opportunities than a B and especially a C student who has EXTREMELY LIMITED academic & career opportunities. C students are destined for mediocre

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      dashingscorpioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      gmwilliams, You are correct about good grades providing better career opportunities. Sri T is also correct that grades don't matter as much if someone is determined to work for them self as opposed to looking to be "hired". Drive & ambition count

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