Is academic performance the best indicator of potential for success in life?

Topic:
Education Debates

19 Contributors
in this discussion.

Yes
37% of users

  • Potentially yes.

    Someone who shows determination and a good work ethic in school is much more likely to succeed than someone who doesn't.

    Yes Anonymous

  • It potentially shows how serious a person is about succeeding.

    When a person can buckle down, show that they are serious about academics and excel academically, it demonstrates their willingness to succeed in life. It has been proven that those with the best grades are normally the ones who are chosen first when it comes to getting the best jobs.

    Yes SlipArnal

  • Lets talk about probability

    This argument is really simple. As a WHOLE, education correlates with success. It doesn't CAUSE success, but there's certainly a positive correlation. Admittedly, that might be because of a self selection bias. Generally, the brightest kids are the ones who chose to go to college in the first place. That being said, the general rule is that education leads to success. You can always make exceptions to the rule, but the rule is still the rule for a reason. If i were first starting out, I would want all the odds i can get in my favor. Therefore, if not for any other reason, I would at least attend college to set myself up for the best possible shot at a successful life.

    Yes Anonymous

  • Academic performance indicates insured success

    I'm saying this type of success as a blue-collar American type success. I'm not talking about Bill Gates or the super rich. I'm talking about Middle class americans. And acedemic acheivement means that most likely you will be able to receive this type of job.

    Yes Anonymous

  • Academic performance is the best indicator of potential for success in life, because people who are educated and have a degree are the most likely to obtain employment.

    Not only is good academic performance an indicator of a person's intelligence, but it also shows that person is diligent and determined, two qualities that many employers look for in potential employees. In other words, people who perform well academically are highly likely to be employed by any company or individual they desire.

    Yes MarIMiIk

  • I agree that academic performance is the best indicator of potential for success in life.

    Good academic performance paves way to good jobs, good income which, in turn, lead to a happy life. Someone with consistently good academic performance is most sought after in today's employment world which is a good example that shows how important it is.

    Yes KiPPAPenguin

  • Yes, since it provides more opportunities.

    Academic performance is the best indicator as far as potential for success is concerned. It not only provides more opportunities and options but also serves as a stamp at many places. It reflects one's abilities and especially matters for entry level positions. It also adds value when it comes to securing certain top positions.

    Yes TownMaso
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No
63% of users

  • No Child Left Behind-geared education can't predict anything.

    Children are totally being taught towards tests, and being passed over right now, especially in poorer schools. I think that, for boys, school is harder, as they need to move more. I think you can do horribly at school and have a perfectly fine life. Some people can excel in school and end up in prison. I think schools need to be fairer, and No Child Left Behind needs to be stopped.

    No PointlessElbert47

  • I think academic performance is only one of many indicators of potential success in life, and we should never judge a personal solely on his/her academic performance.

    I work with at-risk youth at a public high school, so I have seen first-hand how individuals who fair poorly with regards to academic performance can go on and lead productive, healthy, and happy lives. Some of these kids barely passed high school, but are now business owners, professional athletes, and the like. Some people just don't do well academically, and it's a well-known fact that public schools are not set up for everyone to succeed. I think musical ability, athleticism, technical skill, personality, artistic ability, motivation, and work ethic are more indicative of future success than just academic performance.

    No VagueWiley89

  • No, because being highly motivated, not academic performance, is the best indicator for potential success in life.

    Academic performance is not the best indicator of potential success. The best indicator for potential success is the ability to work hard and having a strong internal motivation. The ability to succeed in an academic environment does not predict the ability to succeed in a business or workplace environment. Succeeding in the workplace also requires a set of skills, such as interpersonal skills, discipline, and connections. These skills can be acquired even by someone not academically talented, if they're willing to work hard.

    No PreciousMiguel78

  • Academic performance is not the best, or even a good indicator, of success in life because it does not fairly measure various qualities of an individual such as personality, leadership potential, drive, creativity, etc.

    Evidence is best lent by understanding what "success in life" means. If money, the ability to move technology barriers, and shaping of the world are metrics, consider the number of people who were academic failures or dropouts at one point in their lives. Examples include Albert Einstein, Bill Gates (Microsoft), Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Larry Ellison (Oracle), David Cote (CEO of Honeywell), and Scott Walker (governor of Wisconsin). The world is full of academic failures who have succeed in various endeavors.

    No NedCar

  • Academic performance does not guarantee success in life.

    There are many people who had high academic performance in school and now have blue collar jobs. Academic performance needs to be combined with ambition in order to have a potentially successful life. A parent should encourage both in their child, not just academic performance.

    No BrianDj

  • Define success in life

    Graduating top in a class may lead to the highest paying position and a luxurious life-style, BUT is life success defined by salary, fame, and material things like big houses and new cars? If the person has all of these things but failed in his/her marriage, failed as a parent, and contribute to morally destructive things such as pornography and drugs, then is that person still successful in life? Also, a person can work hard for his/her academic success, but that doesn't mean his/her future professional work will be for the betterment of the community or for society. For example, graduates who choose the highest paying job without caring what social impact the job has - like graduates who chose to work for Enron. I hope people will understand their talents and passions in life and match it to a career that enables them contribute their life's energy to making a difference (to fulfill their unique purpose). They don't have to be famous in the end, but they must have lived a free life - free from the control of high salary, fame, material things, and so on. A free life + valuable life's work, now that is a seed for life's success.

    No Anonymous

  • Performance Ability or Conformity Submissive Ability

    With Standardized Testing being used at the level it is and not considering the fact that there are different ways of knowing, learning and demonstrating comprehension one can only NO. Are schools forced into push teaching to the tests? Yes, that determines everything for that school. Teachers are forced by administration then to focus on the test scores. In some states they want to move towards a teachers salary being based on the scores the kids produce. This is dangerous as only a portion of the population will ever be deemed to be successful and reality is that there are those that are told they will not succeed based on scores and end up being big time success stories. Some of us learn by seeing, some by hearing, some by experiencing (taste, feel) and some simply absorb everything or nothing. As long as Testing and Standardize Grades (A,B,C,D,F) are used as a means to determine academic success over portfolio or other methods of demonstrating understanding then academic performance is not he best or accurate indicator of potential success in life. Reasoning being that if not everyone learns and comprehends the same way and we in schools push the emphasis on standardized testing

    No Anonymous

  • Academic performance does not always equate to success in life because academic performance does not guarantee common sense.

    Even people who get straight As are not guaranteed a job when leaving a college or university. Some of the most successful people in modern history, Bill Gates for example, made billions without stepping foot inside a higher education institution. There is not much at a university you cannot learn from teaching yourself with books and by networking. The advent of the Internet has also made it easier to learn new skills.

    No RayEar

  • Why isnt there a 'Maybe'?

    My comments exclude Doctors, Lawyers, Nurses and alike which is mainly why I say maybe. Outside of that I am going to say no. I have hired a lot of awesome people that had somewhat ok academic scores. I have also hired a bunch of people that have had awesome academic scores that I wished I had never hired. Of course there are a few exceptions on both sides. Some people’s academic performance has no real indication of their ability. Some, including myself, did OK without real effort. So yes, if I applied myself I would have had a 4.0 GPA but that is not a real indication of my future ability to be successful. It didn't stop me when I went to work at my first real job, it didn't stop me when there was discrimination about my education when promotions were on the line and it didn’t stop me from proving my abilities to people that now recognize my usefulness. In fact, that just gave me the right push to show everyone that GPA means nothing if someone is intelligent enough they are going to make things happen and be successful regardless of their academic scores. I get the side that academics opens doors, but as a hiring managing I would rather have someone with solid intelligence, experience, quick on their feet that didn’t finish college or had poor college scores that someone that is trying to get by with their academic performance. I will say this, 10-15 years after you leave school no one really cares about your performance in high school or college. They are looking for solid work history and your ability to make a meaningful impact on their business. Will you make them money or not? That is what matters.

    No Anonymous

  • Academic performance is not the best indicator of success, work ethic is.

    I believe that the best indicator of potential success in life is work ethic. While I also believe that work ethic can improve academic performance, I still think that work ethic is more important. While academic performance can be a result of strong work ethic, it can also be based on socio-economic status (access to tutors, books, previous education) and general level of intelligence. A strong work ethic on the other hand is much more useful than keen intellect in the work place. A very smart person with a horrible work ethic will not go as far in a company as a less intelligent person with a very strong work ethic. Better workers are more diligent, and garner the respect of their coworkers and higher ups.

    No IarsChrome

  • No, not if you measure success by most people's standards - with money.

    Success is largely measured by wealth. And, if you look at those who have wealth, they are not always the most scholarly. Determination, persistence and a dream have more to do with success. If you lack these things, but perform academically well, financial success won't automatically be your destiny. I know that this is what we are taught, but academic success is a great foundation. It is a foundation that must be built on if one wants to end up in a position of wealth. Academic success is just part of the equation. Equally important are personality, life smarts, connectedness, perseverance and ambition.

    No MohaI0v35

  • No, there are plenty of success stories of people who didn't do well in school.

    Academic aptitude isn't always a sure indicator that someone will be successful. There are plenty of examples of people who didn't do well in school and went on to become quite successful. Some people have a knack for being what they call "book smart" while others just never seem to do that well in school. Sometimes a person just has to find their niche and sometimes they discover a true talent that makes them very successful in life.

    No PinkMych
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Is academic performance the best indicator of potential for success in life?
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