“Though intrinsically worthless, grades, if properly manipulated, can be traded for what has value: a degree, which means a job, which means money. The one thing college actually offers–a chance to learn–is considered irrelevant, even less than worthless, because of the long hours and hard work required.”

This statement made an impact on me because it named, simply, what education puts on the table. It can be very easy to get caught up in a grade because of the consequences of that grade and the opportunities it can represent but if we take the learning away from that grade what is it really worth? If we only use grades as a means to an end (a degree translating to a job, translating to money) then we are really only using it as a capitalist tool and losing sight of what it really represents, our efforts. The only currency college classes deal in is knowledge and experience and the only purchasing power we have is hard work.

This statement made an impact on me because it named, simply, what education puts on the table. It can be very easy to get caught up in a grade because of the consequences of that grade and the opportunities it can represent but if we take the learning away from that grade what is it really worth? If we only use grades as a means to an end (a degree translating to a job, translating to money) then we are really only using it as a capitalist tool and losing sight of what it really represents, our efforts. The only currency college classes deal in is knowledge and experience and the only purchasing power we have is hard work.

I believe the author states their thesis at the very start of their essay with this: “There is a dangerous attitude among college students today that good or passing grades do not actually have to be earned if one is adept at pleading or getting extra credit. After graduation their lack of knowledge could actually endanger the public.” They support this thesis by giving all the examples of excuses their students have employed to try to improve their grade and the reasons the students gave for deserving that. In the latter half of the paper, the author goes on to support why they believe this behavior is dangerous by giving examples of engineers in their field who have acquired degrees but made grave errors in calculations that led to destructive ends. The author restates its importance in the final paragraph with “But it’s more than fair; it’s necessary to help preserve a minimum standard of quality that our society needs to maintain safety and integrity.”