From Adeagbo Blessing
Has anyone ever told you that “good grades are overrated”? If you are a student or a young professional like me, I bet you must have heard this expression a number of times. Indeed, a lot has changed from the times of our parents when all they depended on for a blooming career were good grades.
When people say good grades are overrated, they mean good grades are accorded a higher opinion than they actually deserve.
If a student can graduate with a first class and not get a good job, what has his/her good grade done for him? If another can graduate with a third class and still achieve his/her career goal, why then is first class important?
Today, I will be taking sides with good grades and highlighting major reasons why they are not overrated.
First, good grades prepare you for good opportunities. Good grades rarely jump on people, except if they are amassed through corruption or other dubious means.
A person who has good grades most likely worked for those grades. The effort, determination and self-drive culminating into good grades stay with one for life. A person who has learnt how to tackle procrastination as a student will usually not procrastinate on his/her job.
Second, good grades bring more opportunities. Opportunities such as scholarship, employment and promotion are mostly hinged on good grades. Scholarship boards and recruiters usually include good grades as a basic requirement for considering applicants. For most of these opportunities, they do not go below second-class upper grade. If you desire to land juicy scholarships or juicy jobs, you should work on your grades.
Third, good grades boost confidence. As your grades go higher, you become more confident and comfortable and relate more with others. Have you ever seen anyone who is top of his class having low self-esteem?
Fourth, good grades give many options. Imagine graduating from school, having your dream job, deciding to go for further studies and actually getting it done, switching jobs to a better place, establishing yourself and achieving your career goals. It sounds too good to be true. Achieving all these may not be in your power, but one sure step can take you in that direction; good grades.
How do I improve on my grades?
The starting point on the journey to good grades is being aware of what you want. No two people want the same thing out of life. It is pertinent to ask yourself, what do I want out of life? What career goals do I have in place? What heights do I want to attain? What can get me there? Once you have responses to these questions, you are good to go.
Be ready to put in the work. Plans do not get actualised automatically. It is not enough to make plans to excel academically; you have to be willing and ready to put in the work. Studying yourself, planning your time effectively, having a feasible timetable, being devoted to your timetable, being part of study groups, discussing with colleagues, attending classes, celebrating milestones, asking questions and so on are all steps that should be taken towards achieving your academic goals.
Be consistent and determined. Consistency is key. It is not enough to kick the ball rolling; it is the consistent effort put into the game that brings results. This also applies to academics and career goals; you must consistently put in the work to get results. It sometimes happens that results do not commensurate the effort put into some courses, but you must be determined to not become discouraged. Keep at it even when you do not feel like it. Hard times do not last; hard people do.
Know God and pray regularly. The importance of prayer cannot be overemphasised. No matter who or what you pray to, pray without ceasing.
Blessing sent this article as part of Daily Trust membership community
