It’s become second nature to only see the numbers and letters, hyper-fixating on how close we are to a certain score. With this attitude, grades appear to determine students’ education and futures.

“College is the reason why I want to have good grades. I believe it matters for college, and I want to do the best I can do for myself,” Saylor Walters (10) said.

A singular grade cannot define a circumstance or measure intelligence, but does this mean the grading system doesn’t matter? In simple terms, no. Grades matter more than we realize.

Now, there is an imperative question to ask: when did our education system become so distorted?

“I don’t really fixate on what I’ll need to do to maintain a grade. That feels like trying to do the minimum amount of effort to achieve a goal,” Milo Weston (12) said. “Caring about grades for the wrong reasons means taking a class for an easy A, versus taking a class that is interesting despite it being more difficult—therefore possibly hurting your GPA.”

It isn’t uncommon for a student to treat schedules as battle strategies. Additionally, many students prioritize short-term memorization for a specific exam instead of absorbing information with the intention of holding onto it. So, when did we forget what grades are meant to signify: the effort students put in daily?

“People should feel like they’ve grown and worked hard for what they wanted or earned,” Sree Gogineni (9) said.

Assignments are not simply a way to boost an average; they are a way for students to gain understanding. Tests are not statements of intelligence; they are a way to measure knowledge.

While grades have become a traditional pathway to college admittance or the job market, they’re an impactful part of education for other reasons. Grades show students’ progress and an improved understanding. Moreover, grades themselves are a learning curve. After all, one C in a class does not have to be a deterrent from pursuing the subject in the future. Rather, the grade you initially receive is a chance for growth.

Today, the grading system may be overemphasized as a deciding factor of a student’s entire future. Still, it’s important to understand the merits of the grading system that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

“If the current learning environment is challenging and your grades are reflecting that, talk with your teacher about how you may learn better or if there are extra credit assignments that can help your grade and show you understand the material. Develop a plan for success,” Weston said.

The letters on report cards are stepping stones to move across, not inescapable weights. Grades matter as a student’s consistent records of work ethic within education and as signs of improvement over time. Most importantly, grades are not fortune tellers–they are meaningful landmarks that track what students gain over years of learning.

“It may not seem like it matters now, but it will matter in the future, where it can be a regret. You should always try now, so you don’t regret later,” Gogineni said.

Many high school students’ main focus is their grades. Some students come straight home from school and immediately dive into studying for their next big test. Some students study as long as it takes to maintain an unrealistic standard. They’ll do whatever it takes to get an A, even if striving for these unrealistic ideals affects their wellbeing.

Many people don’t even realize focusing on getting perfect grades lowers their self esteem, which eventually leads to them basing how happy they are with life on their grades. For others, it affects their stress level. Despite this pressure, students and parents still care about grades.

Schools contribute to this pressure to have high grades even more, as high school students are expected to keep their grades high, especially when getting close to applying for college.

Some people believe that because of their grades they won’t be able to get into the college they want.

“A lot of people think if their GPA goes down they’re not getting into college, even though that’s not true,” Sree Gogineni (9) said.

Some people prioritize getting good grades so they can get a scholarship for college.

“I do because I need scholarships for college,” Tucker Hughes (12) said.

Contrary to popular belief, there are many colleges that don’t emphasize grades when admitting students into their school, and there are also colleges that don’t rely on grades when awarding scholarships.

Not every student plans on going into engineering, computer science, or chemistry—which are some majors that usually require high grades. Some students want to major in more creative subjects, which might require portfolios or auditions instead of emphasizing grades as much. There’s a whole other group of people who don’t want to go to college at all—preferring to go to the military, start a business, or continue working.

“I want to go straight to working after high school. As long as I get my diploma, I don’t care about my grades,” Madi Webb (11) said.

Ultimately, why should students jeopardize their mental health when, for many students, grades aren’t going to be that big of a deal? If everyone is choosing a different path after high school, shouldn’t we stop acting like grades determine everyone’s future?