Undoubtedly, Albert Einstein was one of the smartest people in history. His work revolutionised theoretical physics, earned him a Nobel Prize, and fundamentally changed the way we understand the world. Yet, Einstein’s school grades were only mediocre: One of his teachers even told him that he would never achieve anything important in life — a prediction that clearly proved to be false. Perhaps your school grades don’t matter for who you become later in life?

Children are told from when they first enter school that good grades are the key to success. Good school grades unlock possibilities for further educational qualifications that pupils pursue after leaving school, and how well they will do, for example in terms of earning high university grades. Attaining better educational qualifications will in turn benefit someone’s chances of getting a job, making good money, and living a fulfilled life.

An alternative viewpoint is that school grades only matter for climbing the next rung of the education ladder, like going to university. In the real world, school grades may hold little relevance for success. For example, high earnings and one’s happiness in life. The rationale behind this perspective is that grades during the school years reflect traits that are only important for school but not for other practical aspects of everyday life. For example, being a bookworm and diligently doing homework are unlikely to prepare you for pitching a new idea to your boss or negotiating a higher salary.

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