The first reason is that although grades do not define a student's value and overall knowledge, it is

manifestations of hard work. Students are encouraged to be at their best and exert extra effort in
maintaining good grades. “Working hard is important; if you do not put in the time and effort to
improve your academics, it will be hard to maintain good grades.” (Guo, 2017). According to the
article written by Selene, Hard work is significant both indirectly and directly. Hard work builds good
study habits and skills and your work ethic. For example, even though students are just mediocre in
terms of knowledge when they exert a lot of hard work like doing their assignments on time, doing
an advanced study, putting extra time on every school task, just focusing on studying, being at their
very best in schooling, and trying to learn every day then, you can get good marks.

Furthermore, good grades boost confidence. We all know what it feels like to have good grades. It
felt like a success for us, right? It felt like all of our hard work and sacrifices pays back. Hence, it
makes us proud and confident to show it as an achievement to others. A study at the University of
Michigan found that 80 percent of students surveyed based their self-worth on academic
performance, and family support and pride in them came in second place. In addition, ChalkyPapers
(2022) also stated that Individuals who achieve good grades are more likely to develop higher self-
esteem levels than those who fail to. An increase in the confidence of learners is positively linked to
excellent academic achievement.

Lastly, good grades open opportunities in 3 ways. One way of them is that good grades can lead to
scholarships. We all crave that scholarship because it helps a lot in terms of finances in education.
However, colleges and scholarship committees will review the documents: higher grades, high test
scores, and participation in extracurricular activities. Thus, good grades still matter here since there
are only limited seats, especially for the more popular academic programs. Another one is that good
grades open job opportunities. We may not have much experience to show potential employers
when seeking jobs as a student or recent graduates. What you can provide is evidence of your
excellent academic performance. Several employers are concerned about your GPA. Even if they
don't directly ask for it, including your grade point average on your Curriculum vitae can assist. It
indicates that you are more likely to be self-disciplined, focused, and capable of setting objectives
and meeting deadlines. The third opportunity is that grades lead to privileges. We don't have to wait
until we go to college or have a job to benefit from the advantages of excellent marks. There's a
strong possibility your school already recognizes children who work well in class. Membership in
private clubs or organizations, the chance to opt out of final examinations, opportunities to attend
special events or field excursions, dual college enrolment, and work-study programs are all
possibilities.

Reference

ChalkyPapers. (2022, June 13). The Effects of Tests and Grades on Self-Esteem. Retrieved from
https://chalkypapers.com/the-effects-of-tests-and-grades-on-self-esteem/

Dittmann, M. (2002, December 1). Self-esteem based on external sources has mental
health consequences. Monitor on Psychology, 33(11).
https://www.apa.org/monitor/dec02/selfesteem
https://www.quora.com/Are-good-grades-the-result-of-intelligence-or-hard-work/answer/Esther-
Guo-4