It seems as if every day I hear one student or another say, “I didn’t learn much but who cares? I got an A,” or, “I spent only half an hour on that project and still got an A.” Students try to either play down their accomplishment or brag about not trying in an attempt to sound cool or smart. Underlying this attempt to impress is a more significant issue. The issue of students caring more about the grades they get than the learning they achieve.

Grades are supposed to be a benchmark of a student’s success in learning a material. The issue rises when grades and tests become the only motivation for a student. Corners can be cut, projects can be thrown together, tests can be cheated on. The end result of the grade shows an A, but the true result of the learning is an F.

Without the true drive to learn, students will leave Westside unprepared for the world. Regardless of whether a a person is going on to college or directly into the workforce, society requires people to be continually learning new skills and expanding on what they can accomplish. School should not just be about grasping a topic, but also about preparing to learn in the real world.

Does this burden to learn fall on the student? Partially. The person needs to want more from his or her education than a grade. In the end, the decision falls on the student to decide whether he or she is going to try to learn the topic or just get the A. However, this decision is affected by many factors. Parents put pressure on their kids to get good grades, not to learn. Colleges put pressure on their applicants to achieve the highest grades they can get. Teachers assign mods to students for poor grades, not poor learning.

The individual needs to want to learn. Like in many cases, students get out what they put in. There is no special formula that allows everyone to learn without giving any effort. But that does not excuse the fact of the current demands of society during high school does not support a learning environment. Things can be done to make it better.

Colleges are starting to rely more on the essay, making an applicant more than just his grades. Teachers are starting to develop more project based classes that force students to apply their learning.

There is still much left to be done. Though the choice is up to each individual on whether they truly learn or not, factors surrounding the student encouraging a grade focused learning need to be reduced. Until that happens, the mindset will not change. Students will continue to only care about the grade; it is what their rewards are based off of.