5.  Grades

            You are probably aware of several important facts when it comes to grades.  Different instructors produce grades in different ways reflecting the values of that instructor, whether it be the content, reasoning, or simple ease of grading.  Students tend to put a lot of emphasis on grades at least partially because their instructors put a lot of emphasis on grades, and got good grades themselves.  However, what a grade means is often lost outside of the classroom – on a transcript on embedded in the grade point average, there is no note of whether the instructor was easy or hard, whether they emphasized written exams or multiple choice, whether they show skill in mathematics or intuition.

            What is less known about grades is that they aren’t as important in the real world as they are in class.  Many of the paths you will follow after graduation utilize grades in some way, but usually as part of a larger picture.  First, its not at all the case that grades are necessarily a good predictor of intellect or knowledge.  For example, SAT scores which predict aptitude are actually inversely related to grades.  Businesses may take account of grades in hiring decisions, but they will also look at extracurricular activities, personality, and previous work experience, and almost never consider grades in promotion decisions.  Graduate schools will look at GPAs, but they also look at as much or more at difficulty and breadth of courses taken, scores on standardized tests, and writing ability.  Further, there is not a good correlation between grades and success later in life no matter what professors might tell you.

            If you ask upperclassmen, they will generally be more satisfied with their classes.  One reason is that they have more flexibility in taking what interests them, but also because they frequently don’t worry about grades as much as first-year students.  They focus on learning and derive some satisfaction from that.  They concentrate on what interests them, not necessarily what they are graded on.  Bad grades can shut doors for you its true, but at the same time the extra benefit going from good to perfect grades is rather marginal.

On to 6. Other Random Things to Keep in Mind