With the number of valedictorians increasing each year, grades become more competitive. Survey finds that 75 percent of students consider 90+ a good grade.
Alexa Bu, Business Manager and Beats Editor
Jan 30, 2023
With the number of 5.0 valedictorians at Bellaire rising every year, the pressure to get “good grades” becomes ever-more pressing. However, what constitutes a “good grade” is relative. For students that consistently make Cs, getting a B may feel extremely rewarding, while straight-A students may see a B as the ultimate letdown. In a poll of approximately 50 Bellaire students, 75.5 percent of people consider 90+ a good grade. However, for junior Michael Sheth, the requirements are even higher, as he only considers 95+ a good grade.
“I aim for 95+ because it gives me a cushion,” Sheth said. “If I mess up and get an 80, then the 95 gives me some leeway because I will still have an A in the class.”
Where does the pressure for high grades come from? In a survey of over 150 students, 64 percent felt parental pressure to get good grades. According to Sheth the pressure to get straight As comes not only from his parents but also himself.
“One hundred percent my parents pressure me to get good grades, but I actually prefer having that pressure,” Sheth said. “It forces me to work harder, and now I’ve internalized their expectations, so I don’t need their pressure to do well.”
While students like Sheth aim for straight As, junior Ellie Stander aims to perform above class average.
“I usually want my grade to be above class average,” Stander said. “I want passing grades, but if I don’t pass, I hope it’s at least above how my peers performed. I like to know that I at least did better than one person, because I don’t want to be the worst.”
Stander has mixed opinions on the pressure her parents give her to perform well.
“It’s frustrating that my parents push me to get good grades, but it’s a healthy pressure,” Stander said. “The pressure encourages me to do better, but sometimes I feel judgment from them if I get a bad grade.”
The class also influences what students consider to be an acceptable score. For senior Nicola Gabbiani, a “good” grade in AP Calculus AB is vastly different from a “good” grade in English.
“In calculus, I just aim for passing, but in English I want at least a 95,” Gabbiani said.
Gabbiani’s parents no longer pressure him to get good grades.
“My parents don’t check my grades because they trust me to keep up,” Gabbiani said. “They used to be strict about grades, but ever since I got into college, they know that I am responsible enough to keep up with them.”
