Students almost everywhere in the world suffer from the pressure of balancing school and life. Some choose to focus more on academics, while others focus on extracurriculars. Others manage to find a perfect blend of both. Grades are considered important in many schools, but what is considered a good grade? All schools tend to have a different grade standard for students. Attending a Blue Ribbon School ranked eighth best high school in Maryland, students here know firsthand the struggles of keeping good grades and doing outside activities.
On the top of any elementary school report card, you will find the types of grades you can get and a description of what that grade means. On a high school report card, however, the percentages of the letter grades are mentioned as well. An A, which is what many students strive for, is described as “excellent” and is a 90-100 percent. A B is described as “good” and is a 89-80 percent while a C is “average” and is a 79-70 percent. And while B’s are defined as good, people tend to have different opinions on what it actually stands for. “On a classwork I consider a B a good grade, but on a report card I definitely don’t,” said freshman Caroline Altman-Farrell. “If other people get B’s on report cards I’d consider that a good grade, but for myself I have higher standards.”
This seems to be the case with many students, praising others for what they would consider an unsatisfactory grade for themselves. “I consider a B a good grade, but my parents would disagree,” said junior Alex Herschelman. “There is a stigma against a B, particularly in our town and in this new millennial age. It’s like all or nothing, if you’re not perfect you’re bad and it’s stupid, it’s really stupid.” Getting a C, although defined as average, also is not usually what people feel is a good grade. “I’m okay with a B, but a C I know i could have done better, and it bothers me that I didn’t try hard enough to get a better grade.” said freshman Evan Brierly.