Grades and the significance behind them Q&A’s: Ian Mahoney

Name: Ian Mahoney

Grade: 12

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the word “grades”?

“The thing that comes to my mind when I think of grades is spending nights studying for tests and practicing presentations.”

What advice you would give to someone who stresses about grades for levels below you?

“[The] advice I would give to others in grades below me in terms of stressing about grades is that a non-A is not the end of the world and stressing about this is extremely unnecessary.”

What has your experience been like with grades and how has it changed over time?

“My experience with grades has not been very stressful. I always try to start off the school year strong which allows me to relax towards the end of the semester as I have some padding and room for error due to my previous work. I definitely overworked myself freshman year just to keep straight A’s, but now I have come to the conclusion that my grades don’t define me, which has unconsciously increased my grades.”

Why do you think grades along with GPA are important?

“Grades are definitely important just to get a general benchmark of a student, but grades definitely should not be the only focus as this can prevent students from just enjoying high school life. Similar to grades, GPA is a good measurement for an average level and benchmark of a student, but it certainly does not define a student’s intelligence.”

How often do you check PowerSchool?

“I check PowerSchool a couple times a day if a teacher said that they finished grading an important assignment. However, if it’s a normal day, I check Powerschool maybe every other day.”

Does GPA tell you how smart someone is?

“Similar to grades, GPA is a good measurement for an average level and benchmark of a student, but it certainly does not define a student’s intelligence.”

What is one word to describe grades?

“One word to describe grades is ‘stress.’ The stress from keeping A’s throughout FHC is prevalent, and I definitely experience this as well.”

Are there more important things in life than grades?

“Experiencing life outside of grades in high school is definitely more important than grades. Developing social skills through social events is necessary to succeed post-high school. Also, with colleges, many students have great grades, but the focus is now on what students do outside of the classroom.”