Do your school grades reflect who you are today?

[Kain]

Since I am 17 right now and still in school, I was wondering if you older people around here have jobs that relate to how you did in school. Meaning, if got bad grades in school do you have a "bad" job now and if you got good grades in school, do you have a "good" job now?

Just wondering.

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[SOUNDJUNKIE]

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This message has been edited by SOUNDJUNKIE on 06-15-2002 at 05:45 PM

[Kain]

quote:

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Originally posted by SOUNDJUNKIE:

All A's with the exception of 3 courses in HS and graduated 2nd in my class...6 months early. Scored 1586 on my SAT's.

Went on to university at Massachusetts Institute of Technology where I earned two Undergraduate degrees in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering with a combined GPA of 3.96. Graduate studies completed at RPI where I was awarded my a Doctorate in EE. I work at a Digital R&D lab in Lancaster, Mass. BTW, my 10-pin bowling average is 217. Do I get the job?

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GEEZ!

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[HDBRbuilder]

A person's grades in school do not necessarily reflect how he or she will do later on in life.

BUT, when job hunting, those grades are a major indicator to the interviewer for the job of how much one can expect out of the individual seeking that job...in other words...is that prospective employee just going to show up for work, or will he/she apply him/herself to the task at hand and accomplish it successfully!!

Grades also are an indication of how much AMBBITION an individual has!!

Good grades are an indication of whether a person has fallen into a habit of performing to a lesser standard than that person is capable of, too!!

Good grades tend to get you further in education...and more education with good grades tends to get a person into a better job situation!!

Although good grades are an indication that is often closely perused by those deciding on whether you are best suited to the job, they are not necessarily the best indicator...BUT...in order for that employer to know whether you will do that job well, he/she needs to see your performance at the particular job...and that employer will likely not have the opportunity to see your performance at that particular job, if that employer decides not to hire you for that job based on your previous performance in your endeavors at education....so...it is a "catch-22" situation, isn't it?

My advice is to do your best in school and get those good grades...or you will MOST LIKELY be in a world of hurt later on!!

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[boa12]

i got great grades in the subjects that interested me & lousy grades in the those that didn't, such as algebra/calc. though i got great grades in quant type courses like geometry & statistics (could relate these more to the real world).

be sure to get a well rounded education. that includes

a lot of social interection & experiences w/ dif people & dif cultures if possible. learning to get along with or at least tolerate other people is one of life's most

important lessons.

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[m00n]

Kain,

I was terrible in school. I don't think it was becuase I was not smart, but because I didn't apply myself. I was more worried about getting high with my friends.

After high school (heh no pun intended) I had no direction in life which is why I ended up having to go into the military. It was the best thing I had ever done for myself. It got me off drugs and cleared out my head and allowed me to get a GI Bill which was money for college.

Got out of the military, framed houses for a while, said to hell with this. Framing houses in Oregon sucked in the winter time.

Went to college for Computer Software Engineering. Now I am working for a great company writing internet based software using the latest and greatest technologies.

My point to all this is, yes, you can do poorly in high school, but at some point your going to have to turn yourself arround and get your act together if you plan on having a career rather than just jump from job to job.

Would I take back the fact that I screwed up in high school which forced me to go into the military? No, probably not. I think those experiances in my life have helped me to become a well rounded person.

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[Malcolm]

Here in the U.S.A. secondary school grades generally affect the universities you can get into. The university you graduate from, your major, and your grades generally affect what jobs you can get when you leave school and your starting salary.

But it doesn't always work that way. I got good grades in school. When I graduated many years ago, my first job wasn't that great. The economy was bad and most employers were just not hiring recent graduates. In fact, they were not even interviewing at any university campuses. Things like this happen from time to time. For example, last year, Intel instituted a hiring freeze and rescinded offers to many recent graduates. These were people with good grades from the best universities.

After that first job, the importance of school, quickly diminishes. Most employers are interested in experience, ability and skills demonstrated on the job.

If you are wondering whether it is worth the trouble and effort to get the best grades you can, the answer is yes. It is worth the trouble if for no other reason that you will have learned more and be better prepared to succeed in whatever you do in the future. This even applies to subjects that you feel today have no relevance to you. You may be surprised at what is relevant in the future.

BTW if you go into a technical field, or go to work for the typical large company, your education will never end. So get used to doing well in school. I have spent about 6 weeks a year in school for as long as I can remember. And I graduated a long time ago. Classes like this are typically not graded. But it is very important to learn the material well.

[Deang]

Throw me in with Boa and Moon.

I was kind of lazy in school.

I graduated slightly above the middle in a class of 523.

Luckily, my dad helped get me job here at WPAFB, and through other relationships formed at the base I landed a job in Computer Operations running IBM and CDC mainframes.

I managed to the survive the UNIX distributed environments that superceded the mainframes -- and finally moved into networking 2 years ago.

So now I design networks, and rely on experience and certifications to keep me marketable.

I will say that hard work and a good attitude can take you a long way -- but only so far. People I work with who have degrees are making $15K a year more than me.

Business rewards people with degrees -- because they paid their dues.

If I had it to do all over again -- I would have went into the Air Force and went to school on the GI bill.

All things considered -- God has been good to me.

My advice: DO NOT SLACK. SET GOALS. FEED YOUR BRAIN.

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[justin_tx_16]

quote:

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Originally posted by SOUNDJUNKIE:

All A's with the exception of 3 courses in HS and graduated 2nd in my class...6 months early. Scored 1586 on my SAT's.

Went on to university at Massachusetts Institute of Technology where I earned two Undergraduate degrees in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering with a combined GPA of 3.96. Graduate studies completed at RPI where I was awarded my a Doctorate in EE. I work at a Digital R&D lab in Lancaster, Mass. BTW, my 10-pin bowling average is 217. Do I get the job?

---

Now THAT is impressive. I am above average, my nick name is Dictionary or Mark (don't know where Mark came from...). So, Dictionary here is a business owner at heart. I owned my own company at age 12. Stuff-IT Ink (playing off of Inc.) I made about $6000 in a year, not too shabby for a 12 year old. Did this for about 4 more years, tired of it, and since then i have designed three restraunts with blueprints, started a computer consulting service, and I do the accounting for my family to name a few. i am into big business. someday, i am going to start up one of my restaraunts. i would give the details but i signed a contract with my partner (cousin) (a real contract haha). just know it will feature KLIPSCH speakers. haha, no bose in THIS restaraunt. every person in my family has their own business, sometimes as well as working for a corp. my grandmother over 4 companies, my father two. i hope to follow in their footsteps.

in the cayman islands my family hold a huge monopoly. if you... want to buy a car, buy a boat, jetski, motor, get a slab poured, a house built, internet, buy groceries, go on a boat trip, parasail, stay at the new resort on cayman brac, get land cleared and preped, and even at one point to fly to cayman, you would have to go through my family. (my randfather sold the land for the airport after he moved to the USA). my family also owns a pirate ship tour boat, two restaraunts, a bar and a dive shop in Grand Cayman. Two of the Piolots for Cayman Airways are my uncles haha.

so, i am not a 4.0 student (actually a 5.886 out of 6.0) or a 1600 SAT (1260 and 1320) but I enjoy life and hopefully have a promising future. The enjoy life part comes before anything else, that and making sure I have some KLIPSCH, which kinda goes with the enjoying life haha.

oh yeah, the Hard Rock Cafe that was just built in Grand Cayman will PLEASE BE CONVERTED TO KLIPSCH SPEAKERS!!! Right now they are M/K (i think...) speakers. Not too shabby, but I want my summer time Hard Rock Cafe to be able to Rock Hard!

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[SOUNDJUNKIE]

Justin- Your family own Spanish Bay Reef? Spent a month there a few years back and went night diving quite a bit on the reef. Learned with my uncle who is a certified instructor in Jersey . The boat trip to feed the Mantaray was soooo cool.

This message has been edited by SOUNDJUNKIE on 06-09-2002 at 05:38 PM

[kenratboy]

...it's who you know!!!

I am 17 also, and being a Nevada resident, I can go to any Nevada college/university I want, and the state pays for it (if ANYONE, rich or poor) if you have above a 3.0 GPA. SAT's don't matter, you just need to take them to get in.

In other words, I will get into a good university with little fuss. I want to major in civil engineering, so I just need to learn the stuff.

I have a very sweet education setup now. Screw grades!

I will also live at home, so, no bills! Ha! I have a good job and will not be poor in college! Ha!

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[SOUNDJUNKIE]

Although there are certain advantages to where one attends university, it is NOT of utmost importance to attend Ivy league to become successful. What is MOST important is what you get out of wherever you go and to take it as far as you can go with it. I wish I could say my duckpin average was that good.

This message has been edited by SOUNDJUNKIE on 06-09-2002 at 07:13 PM

[cluless]

Stuffing the cat back into the bag.....

In answer to your basic question, Yes, the grades that you make now and the paths that you choose to follow now WILL come back to haunt you...

AND HOW IN THE FLAMING HELL DO YOU GET RID OF THE FLOMPY DOODLE GUY (the one that flomps and waves his arms up and down...not like the big rabbit at all)...PAUSE...breathe...That was my evil twin by the way.

This message has been edited by cluless on 06-10-2002 at 09:33 PM

[Malcolm]

As Dean pointed out, not having a degree when it is expected can hurt you. I once interviewed a really bright, motivated kid for a UNIX engineer job at major high-tech company. He had much more relevant knowledge and experience that the other candidates. He did not get the job, partly because of the lack of the degree, and partly because he didn't take the initiative to complete his degree.

OTOH I know of plenty of cases in the software industry where having a degree was unimportant when it came to hiring or promotion. The only thing that was important was whether the candidate could do the job. It really all depends on the mindset of management in the company. Of course, this may be an aberration peculiar to the industry. I haven't seen it to such an extent anywhere else.

BTW a degree in most fields, including Accounting, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, etc. does not mean you are actually qualified for a job in the field. It is just an indication to the employer that you are probably capable of learning the job in a reasonable amount of time.

[SOUNDJUNKIE]

Yes, that is why proper internship is needed. I once worked with a gentleman straight out of school with no work experience. His first task was to design a free-standing control box with indicator lights. It was interesting to see the print when he spec'd 10ga wire to feed the indicators, which were neon lamps. Damn harness would have been as thick as a fully deployed fireman's hose!!

This message has been edited by SOUNDJUNKIE on 06-09-2002 at 08:52 PM

[kenratboy]

I mean, just do the best you can, and pray for some luck along the way!

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[WMcD]

It is a good question. One that any young person should ask. It may be that you're asking: "Can you tell me what we're trying to accomplish here; and whether it will make a difference." Also, "what happens if things go wrong."

One thing I'll say from the start, an advanced degree (from wherever you are) is the very, very best investment in yourself you can make. The time studying and tuition bears better fruit than the stock exchange.

There is a broad range of linearity here. I've seen gifted people who can't get a decent job because they don't have an associate college degree. Others that are snubbed because they have a doctorate but not from an Ivy League college. Then there are masses who are downtrodden for lack of a high school degree.

None the less. There is a lot going on in the world with class struggle, ethnicy, politics. Academic achievement sidesteps much of this. Getting there is another matter. You're put in personal bondage to the academic system.

This gives rise to not intellectual problems, but rather, emotional problems, and many contradictions.

For good or for bad, the road to a degree at any level is a constant process of sitting in classes, and pleasing a teacher with homework, and test results. Much of this requires sitting alone in a library and memorizing, or cranking though the math. If you see this as a game you can play and win, or a bit of personal creativity, it can work.

If you have a problem with grades, or teachers, I'd suggest you talk to the teachers. I had some good experiences, some bad. Mostly good. They are insulted the sea of vapid, indifferent faces in the classroom. And interested student can be a joy.

The contradictions are manifold. How does studying Shakesphere make me a better person? Why is rote memorization rewarded while insights are ungraded. How come teachers get away with being incompentent. I dunno.

Bad grades are not irredemable in the long run. Any older person who wants to get a degee should do so. There are many programs.

However, please consider that there is a kind of a herd run in the early years. Students with good grades in high school go to college; good college students go to grad school. Then you get a better job. My suggestion is to run with the herd.

Regards,

Gil

,

[Malcolm]

Just to mix things up a bit...

There are definitely jobs where an advanced degree is the entry ticket. And there are positions where a degree from the right university is required. But advanced degrees, in general, do not pay off economically in the U.S.A. Don't know if the same is true in other parts of the world.

Some years ago, the California Department of Finance did a study on the cost effectiveness of getting a degree. Bachelor's degree in most fields, on average, was worth the time and money expended. Advanced degrees, with few exceptions, were not worth it. The expense incurred getting the education plus the lost earnings during the time in school exceeded the present value of the additional earnings over a lifetime.

If I recall correctly, the two advanced degrees that paid off economically at the time were medical degrees and M.B.A. An M.B.A. does not pay off today like it did in the past. Medical degrees may not pay off as well now either what with rising malpractice insurance rates, HMOs, etc. Interestingly enough, law degrees, on average, did not pay off. Sure, there are lawyers who make big bucks. But, there are a lot more who don't do well economically and struggle along or ultimately go into something else.

For some people, even the time getting a Bachelor's degree is not cost effective. Most of the millionaires I have met don't have degrees. A few just inherited the money or a successful business. But most just have intelligence, ambition, drive, guts, and luck. And they have 4 or more extra years to succeed because they did not go to university.

Remember, some of the most fundamentally world changing technology came from dropouts. Bill Gates of Microsoft, one of the richest man in the world, dropped out of Harvard. Steve Jobs of Apple was a dropout, too.

[kenratboy]

Bill Gate$ I$ the riche$t per$on in the world.

Just as an opinion, if you are looking at a "normal" type job (desk job), you need to get a 4-year college in.

I agree with the diminishing returns of a college education. If you spend 12 years at a university, you will probably end up with a $50,000 a year acidemic job and have a million dollars in debt.

I want to get my degree in civil engineering/business in 4 years and start making some money. As I stated in a above post, I will get out of college debt free!

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Yes, it sucks, but better to come. KLIPSCH soon! My computer is better than my stereo!

[dougdrake]

Well, I'll take the dissenting opinion here. And it is not my intent to spark a debate or step on anyone's toes. But, he asked, so here's my input.

Kain - Before you set yourself on a course, determine what kind of life you want to lead. Figure out what kind of money (and free time) it will take to lead that life. Then find the best vehicle you can which will deliver the time and money you want. Often, the best returns are not from glamorous jobs or businesses.

Too often we pick our money-making endeavors (jobs, for most people) based on what we like to do, or what we think would be interesting. We invest our most precious resource (our time) based on our emotions. Yet, I suspect few successful financial investors pick their investments based on how much they enjoy the company they are investing in. They pick it based on return on investment.

You should do the same when answering this question, IMHO. If you measure the wisdom of an investment based on returns after all expenses are paid, apply the same to your own income -- how much is left over after all the expenses?

There is a joke that says that "A" students end up teaching, and "B" students end up working for "C" students. True? I think there is some truth in it. I believe figures I saw indicated that 95% of America's millionaires got that way by having a business, 4% from investments, and only 1% from a job.

So, I'm not saying that grades aren't important or that jobs aren't good. I'm simply saying that where you want to end up should determine where you start. And where you want to start will determine what you need to do next. Like Alice in Wonderland, if you don't know where you're going, it doesn't matter what road you take .

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Again, I'm not interested in starting a debate or in offending anyone's position. This has been my own experience. I did the 3.8/magna cum laude thing in college, corporate job with Big Blue, etc...but it still didn't get me where I wanted to go. It is only by running a business that the possibility exists, in my view.

Doug

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