Are Grades a Good Way to Measure Academic Success?

Mar 10,2023

Did you know that 19% of college students aren't certain if they'll return to campus the following year? With a competitive job market and other uncertainties, it can be difficult to know whether college is worth the investment. And it can be easy to assume that grades are the only instrument that will determine one's success.

While grades matter, they're not the only barometer of academic success. Stay with us to see if grades are a good way to measure success — and learn what else can have an impact.

Defining Academic Success

For many, academic success may translate to getting good grades. Or it may mean standing at the top of the class as valedictorian at the end of an educational journey.

If one defines academic success in this way, then grades would be an effective way to measure it. After all, grades can help measure a student's competency in a subject area.

But for many, academic success does not rest in a particular letter grade or GPA. Academic success may reach beyond grades. In other words, is a student able to obtain a relevant internship or job that connects to their area of study?

To do this, a student may need good grades. But they'll also need the ability to advocate for their strengths. And they'll need the ability to persist in the face of rejection or obstacles.

Academic success also may include a student's participation in campus or community life. Beyond classroom work, volunteering and participating in organizations can create a well-rounded academic experience.

A student may not need the highest GPA to obtain academic success. They will gain intangible enrichment from serving others outside of class time. Plus they will experience mentorship from faculty and staff members by being active in clubs or service organizations.

Grades Can Measure Performance

Yes, grades can work well to measure a student's performance in a given area. That's because grades serve as one of the more objective forms of assessment. And using grades as an evaluation tool can help both students and their teachers.

If a teacher notices poor performance by most students on a particular test, they may want to revise how they present the relevant material. Additionally, they may need to reword questions on the test or reframe a course objective.

For a student, a poor grade may be an indication that they need to manage their time better. Or they might need to seek help for concepts they struggle to grasp.

In some instances, students may decide that they need a break from a traditional learning environment. Grades offer a concise way to look at performance and decide the next steps.

Feedback Needs to Accompany a Grade

Most courses will establish learning goals or outcomes that students should meet. Courses will use assessment instruments, such as tests or essays, to see how well students meet those goals.

It's a common experience for a student to receive a test or lab back with a letter grade circled at the top. Similarly, a student may receive an essay with a letter grade indicated on the final page. But for these grades to carry meaning, they need to be accompanied by feedback and guidance.

For example, on an essay, the professor should provide a rubric with comments. The rubric may assess skills such as reading comprehension, essay organization, and grammar. A particular score will be attached to each assessment area.

Faculty should go beyond filling out the rubric with checkmarks or scores. A faculty member should elaborate on areas of strengths and weaknesses when grading an essay. They should do this in writing and meet with students who may need extra help.

Feedback can help students identify what they have misinterpreted. It also can guide them toward what they can improve.

Even more importantly, students should receive a rubric detailing expectations on the front end of an assignment. That way, they can understand what is expected of them. As an example, an art student will need to know what constitutes a high-quality photograph.

For students to have any hope of achieving a good grade, they need to know the benchmarks to achieve it. And they need timely feedback so they can identify areas for improvement on the next assignment.

What Grades Don't Do Well

Grades shouldn't be seen as the only measure of academic success. Indeed, grades do provide an organized and tiered way of measuring a student's grasp of materials. And they make it easy for anyone to assign a value to a student's subject matter expertise.

But grades don't always account for personal growth and improvement. Grades show the average of a student's performance in a class.

For example, a student may struggle in a statistics class at the beginning of the semester. But with tutoring and intervention, that student may transition from a D average to a high C by the end of the semester. While a C may not communicate excellence, in this instance it is a sign of improvement and persistence.

Additionally, grades don't necessarily reflect a student's employability. A student may crank out high grades in a class but lack the ability to connect course content to employable skills. Similarly, if a student is applying for a scholarship, they need to be able to connect their area of study to their future plans in an application essay.

That's why personal and professional development needs to accompany traditional coursework. For a student to achieve academic success, they need to understand the transferable skills gained in the classroom. And they need to know how to put them into practice.

Faculty members should be intentional about articulating these connections, too. Students will see the merits of what they are studying and be better prepared for job interviews.

Factors Impacting Grades

When looking at grades, one should consider that ability is not the only factor impacting a letter grade or percentage. Other factors can help position some students for success while leaving other students behind.

A student's home environment also can impact their performance. Educators should recognize that not all students start from the same position.

Students raised in privileged homes where academic success is a priority will have an edge. In particular, students from wealthier backgrounds may have access to tutors and enrichment opportunities. They also may have a more comfortable setting where they can work on homework and study.

By contrast, students from less affluent backgrounds won't have these supports. They may have responsibilities at home that prevent them from studying as often. Or they may need help and feel reluctant to ask for it.

Further, students for whom English is not their first language will have additional hurdles. Schools will need to be intentional about working with students closely. Then they can understand outside factors influencing their performance.

Most school curricula favor established standards created by white educators. Consequently, students from underrepresented backgrounds will be at a disadvantage. They may need extra help from educators to understand cultural norms, as well.

Other Ways to Measure Academic Success

It's critical to know that grades aren't the only way to measure academic success. There are other means of measuring success or performance that may be more effective in certain situations.

Grades can act as a form of summative assessment, meaning that they are cumulative. But formative assessment can contribute to academic success, as well.

Examples of formative assessments can include meetings between students and faculty members. These assessments may include communication via email, as well. Such communications can help spur growth and understanding.

When done thoroughly, formative assessments can help students see learning as an ongoing process. As a result, they may come to see academic success as more of a process than a finite result.

Using collaborative peer projects, case studies, and project-based learning can diversify in-class experiences. In addition, these activities open the door to peer-to-peer feedback and student self-reflection. Unlike more traditional tests and reports, interactive activities can help motivate students toward educational success.

Another important consideration is that not all students share the same interests and goals. Some students may aspire to enter a trades discipline where top scores on standardized tests are not essential to success.

Further, a student may not be interested in a traditional four-year college. As a result, they may not ascribe meaning to doing well in a traditional subject. Academic success may result in obtaining licensure for a particular trade or working in a hands-on capacity.