Should You Focus More On Grades or Other Activities Whilst in School?
One of my students asked me this question recently as he was thinking about whether he should take on more activities in school. He was afraid that by doing so, he might risk his grades falling.
Disclaimer: Before I give my advice, it is important to note that I am not a recruiter. This advice comes from what I believe to be true as well as what I have noticed while applying for various positions. These include: Internships, University leadership roles and others. These insights have also been formed by my conversations with adults who are in the corporate world.
First, a pat on the back for you.
A student’s life is becoming harder and harder as the years go by. If adults tell you that you got it easy, that’s honestly what everyone says about the next generation.
True, things are much easier with advancements in technology and the fact that education is more accessible (Thanks Khan Academy!). But the pressure on students these days are crazy!
Credits: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MAXIMATOR-High-Pressure-Manometer-01a.jpg
A student is not only expected to achieve good grades but also be an insanely good footballer, a talented guitarist and Picasso! Why? This is because competition now is so high due to the fact that we are comparing students with those across the globe.
So, whether you are a crazy all-rounder or would just like to stick to your lane, you deserve a break from all this pressure, and frankly, a pat on the back for all your efforts to satisfy the unrealistic standards society has placed on what it means to be a model student.
So, let’s say you’re not a talented all-rounder and are wondering if you should focus on your grades or these other activities to boost your portfolio.
The most politically correct answer I can give you is that you should have a balance of both. But that’s not what you’re here for right?
So, my short answer to you is to focus on these other activities.
Before the parents start pointing fingers at me 6 months later for causing their child to achieve “poor” grades, let me first qualify why I said this.
(Alternatively, you can skip my rationale and head down to the section: “So what’s my advice”)
1. Are companies no longer looking at grades?
Technology companies such as Google, Tesla and Facebook have stated that grades may not matter as much as we may believe.
Google, one of the biggest companies in the world has stated that it no longer looks at grades when hiring.
Why? The article cited that those who scored good grades are “trained to give specific answers.”
Indeed, as problems become more and more complex, maybe what we need is creativity rather than the “right” answer.
Facebook, another technological giant, cites that even with bad grades, they will still consider hiring you for other reasons.
But, is it true that all companies don’t look at grades?
According to this article by the Straits Times, the answer is no. There are some companies who still view grades as an important metric
The article states that companies such as DBS (a local Singapore bank) and Economic Development Board still use grades to sieve out potential candidates. The reason some of these companies cited is because “there is no substitute (in terms of metrics)”. From the article, it seems like grades are being used as a baseline. However, what determines if you land the job after that are traits such as “curiosity” and a “desire to explore”.
Ultimately, it seems as though more modern companies seem to be moving away from grades while traditional companies still look at grades. One thing that both types of companies have in common however, is that they both consider what candidates do apart from studying.
2. Personal experience: Interviews
My experiences of applying to internships are frankly, not many.
However, from the internships which I have applied to, the companies did not even ask about my IB score. Instead, the interview was centered more on what other activities I participated in, what leadership roles I had and what I could do for the company.
Throughout high school and university, I also applied to various leadership roles which thankfully went successfully. In most, if not all of these interviews, I was not asked about my grades at all. Instead, what they were looking for were my past leadership experiences and my involvement in extra-curricular activities.
Having a relatively vast amount of experience participating in such activities also gave me the confidence that I am capable of taking on new roles. Of course, these roles came with different challenges and often required me to pick up new skillsets. However, I was also able to use what I had learnt from my previous positions to aid in these new roles. On hindsight, if I had not taken up the previous appointments, I would have to start fresh and adapting would have been much more difficult.
I believe this confidence also aided in the interviews as I was able to describe my experiences in great detail and provide concrete examples. This helped me to demonstrate my abilities in being able to take on the new tasks as it might have given the interviewers a glimpse in to how I handled situations and worked with teammates.
If you have ever attended an interview, you would have likely been asked about what traits you possess as an individual. Having experiences from such activities helps to provide concrete evidence of those traits. It is much better to say that you are a team player and then citing specific examples rather than just stating that you are one but have no experience to back it up.
So, what’s my advice? Grades OR the other activities?
I am a believer that the older you get, the less chances you have to partake in such activities. Even more so, you will have less time and energy to take up leadership roles or organise activities. Therefore, if you’re feeling the urge to partake in such activities, now is the time.
These opportunities to land a leadership role or participate in such activities dwindle the older you get. Why? Because the older you get, the more competitive it gets. Our competition evolves from just being our schoolmates to gradually, the whole world. We also have more commitments like taking care of family. Furthermore, when you’re young, you have more chances to make mistakes and learn from them, without facing severe punishments.
So, do grades matter? Sure, grades matter. But in today’s world, scoring good grades has become rather commonplace that it no longer matters as much. Everyone can score good grades but positions of leadership or participation in such activities are more scarce. (Let’s introduce some Economics here): With the number of people holding leadership positions or excelling in activities being relatively scarce while the number of students scoring good grades being abundant, which do you think is more valuable? Therefore, it’s alot about differentiation instead!
In my opinion, grades are at most just the ability for you to get your foot in the door (although, this may one day not even be applicable).
What matters after you get your foot in the door is firstly, how you present yourself and secondly, the experiences that you can use to back up your claims about yourself. I have heard of stories whereby even students with top scores aren’t able to land jobs. My guess is that they have not much experiences besides sitting at home and studying. As shown above, many companies are looking for skillsets such as “creativity” which studying does not prove.
I am not saying that being diligent in studying is a negative thing. I am just saying that grades will not be the only criteria that recruiters will look at. Other criteria matters as importantly, if not, more importantly.
So, start participating in these activities early! Build up a good portfolio and engage in activities and roles which you are passionate about. Naturally, you will be able to shine in them and produce outstanding results. At the same time, find time to study so that you still meet a minimum criteria which you can live with. The best case scenario is to add on more roles and activities once your grades are secure.
Life is about balance and recruiters know that. The perfect candidate can adapt to find the perfect balance.
