Bill Gates once said “I failed my exam in some subjects, but my friend passed. Now he’s an engineer in Microsoft, and I am the owner.” That quote alone poses the controversial question “does a letter grade define one’s intelligence?” In an attempt to answer this question, I have collected opinions from a student and a teacher’s aide, while also including my own.
When asked her opinion, senior Gemma Gatto answered, “A grade doesn’t prove a person to be ‘smart’ or ‘dumb’. All it proves is that someone can look at a book, and retain the information for the next day.” Gathering from Gemma’s prospective, memorization is only one aspect of intelligence. She is consistent in stating that getting an “A” only measures someone’s ability to remember things. Gemma uses herself as an example when she says, “I’m not the brightest, but I can easily read over some information, and keep it in my head until the test. However, that doesn’t mean a week later from now I will be able to tell you anything about the information I was told to learn prior to my exam.”
On the other hand, a teacher’s aide states, “I believe a letter grade most certainly does show someone’s intelligence. However, there is more aspects that play into it.” She continues on to say that those other aspects include decision making, life decisions, common sense, etc. She explains to me that even if someone gets straight A’s, the people they surround themselves with can alter how intelligent they appear. I learned from this aide that typically, when someone sees an individual with A’s, people assume said person will be successful. “Well,” she says, “that isn’t always the case. In order to be successful, it takes more than an ‘A’. It has a lot to do with the choices you make.”
An A doesn’t define how smart a student is. However, I do agree that it is one of many variables that play into a person’s intelligence. It is a combination of academic knowledge, skills training, and a desire and drive to learn that indicate intellectual success. While one student may achieve good grades on a test, another doesn’t; however, the student with lower grades may be better in a more hands-on field.
An “A” isn’t only a letter grade. I believe an “A” or even a “B” or “C” is a definition of one’s effort. In a nursing field, the difference between “A” work and “B” work can cost a patient’s life. In other fields, it could mean a small crack in a bridge or a loose bolt on a tire; both may not fail, but the possibility of catastrophe exists more than without perfection. It could mean a better salary -- the difference of charging $5 for a burger and fries or $12. In other fields, it may result in a lost promotion or raise. Better work equals a better result.
So what does an “A” mean? From the opinions I have collected, I think it can easily be concluded that an “A” isn’t just a letter grade, but it also doesn’t completely define someone’s intelligence either. A letter grade, whether literally in school or metaphorically in life, is a measurement of one’s effort. As we conclude this article, remember to give everything your very best “A” effort, for it may someday determine your success.
-Felicity Merlini
For more inspiration on putting your best effort in all you do, take a few moments and watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6o8GRmPdiE 
