chapter 1
10 Common Myths about Grades in College
1: "It's Bad to be a Grade-Grubber"
We hear the terms all the time: dweeb, nerd, geek. Or worse: buttkisser, brown-noser, grade-grubber, teacher's pet, or TL-er. All of these names, of course, are used to put down students who are just trying too hard to get good grades – students who are ill-adjusted, under-socialized, and will go to practically any lengths to get that A. That's why many college students are ashamed to admit they care about grades at all. And why we see such students coming to office hours with their tails between their legs, sheepish about displaying even the slightest interest in grades.
But let's face it, grades are the currency of college. They're the money, they're what counts. No one should feel apologetic about wanting to get good grades. According to the US Census Bureau (and hey, these guys would know), a college diploma can cash in at $1 million in increased lifetime income compared to a high school diploma. A high GPA can get you into top professional schools and higher paying jobs. Just like a high batting average is a sure ticket to a lucrative contract in the major leagues, or an excellent bottom line is a sure route to a large end-of-year bonus for a CEO. Do you ever see baseball players embarrassed by good stats? Could you imagine a CEO apologizing to stockholders for the company's record earnings? Why then should you be embarrassed about wanting good grades – the measure of success at your job?
Clearly you have a healthy respect for grades (otherwise you wouldn't be reading this book). And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Indeed there's something absolutely right with that. So don't let some little voice in your head (or your friends' head) tell you that only geeks and nerds care about grades. That voice could keep you from getting where you want to go. Turn that voice off and stand up for your desire to get good grades...
