Credit: Abby Bergeron

Join WSPN’s Karis Tam as she discusses how harmful grade comparison can be to teens.

You just got your grade back from a biology test. You look down and see a 70%, which is not bad. Your friend comes over and says, “Oh, I got an 88%. I did so bad!” Naturally, your mind starts to compare your test score to your friend’s, and the score you originally thought wasn’t bad starts to become more and more disappointing. This is one example of how comparison tank one’s mentality. The fact that comparison of grades is a recurring problem in today’s society means it can definitely have an impact on teens’ mental health.

In high school, students are pushed to do their best. For some, especially in Wayland, their “best” means very high grades (90% – 100%). Obviously, it’s not feasible for students to achieve these results for every single test, quiz, assessment etc. For some students, the “best” scores come often with some exceptions. For others, the “best” grades come once in a while, and for some, those scores never come. Just because some students don’t get the ideal grades that society pushes for doesn’t mean they aren’t good students. School grades merely display one aspect of how a person thinks. In reality, students have different measures of intelligence, which is not always reflected in school grades.

I find that at high schools, including Wayland High School, grades are one of students’ main priorities. When someone gets a good grade, they are proud. When someone gets a bad grade, they are disappointed in themselves. This is just the natural course of school life. However, I find that many students go around talking, flaunting or complaining about their grades. I too have done this. What I came to realize, is that when someone talks about their scores, I compare myself to them and start to spiral. There are plenty of people that brag about their grades obsessively, and I’ve seen how the mood shifts for others around them as they chatter about their “lesser” grades. Then I have met people–who have high expectations for themselves– who complain about their “bad” grade, even though many people would love to have their “bad” grade. When people complain about their “bad” scores, others who scored lower than them feel terrible, even if they were once proud of their grade.

In all of these scenarios, the people around the person talking about their grades start to measure their grades to others. Comparing grades is harmful to everyone, no matter what their score is. It creates an unhealthy atmosphere and causes competition and jealousy between students. This can ruin someone’s thoughts and cause them to think that they are not good enough. I think the pressure to do better than the next person is why so many students are struggling in school. Comparing scores simply adds on to the pressure.

No two people have the same way of thinking. If everyone’s minds are different, why are we comparing other people’s grades? It’s like comparing apples to dresses. They’re not the same, it’s useless comparing them to each other. Grades are just a small reflection of one’s capability.

So, if you catch yourself complaining about or showing off your grades, stop and talk about something else that can help uplift someone else’s mood. If someone else is talking about their grades, try to help them see that their mind is different from others. Just because they got a better grade, doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re more successful. Don’t fall into the trap of comparison when it comes to schoolwork.