Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist blog features a post from guest contributor Jon Morrow called “Why I regret getting straight A’s in college.” It might be an enlightening read for the more numbernumbernumber conscious among you.
Don’t get me wrong—good grades, to the degree that they reflect your academic progress, are important. Probably more so in high school than in college, though. If you’ll take time to read Morrow’s post carefully, you’ll find he’s not talking about slacking off; he’s talking about balance. Perspective. Deciding on the most valuable ways to spend your time.
If you’re getting your masters, going to law school, or becoming a doctor, then you’ll need all 37 of those A’s to get into the best school possible, and you can safely disregard this entire post…
It also comes down to the question, “What’s the most effective use of your time?” If you can’t imagine living without an advanced degree from an Ivy League school, then reading until your eyes fall out and sleeping on a table in the library is a perfectly defensible lifestyle.
On the other hand, if you want to get a job and make as much money as possible, then good grades aren’t going to help you as your teachers and parents might have you believe. You’re better making powerful friends, building a killer résumé, and generally having the time of your life on your parent’s dime.
Give it a look—you might find an interesting perspective.