They do to me and they always have. If you really care about doing a good job in school, graduating and becoming a productive citizen, then they do matter. Let me tell you a quick story in relation to this subject.

I am in my second year of college, having just finished my Fall Semester. I spent the entire semester, checking my grades, doing various calculations, and all sorts of math, checking my grades, seeing what grade I needed for this letter grade and what I needed to pass. I basically calculated right down to the T exactly what grades I would get when final grades were posted. And I was absolutely correct, I got a B in these classes, and an A in this class, and even in the days after finals and before final grades were posted, I spent the entire time worrying about my grades. Because I am one of those rare few that actually go to every class, take as much notes as possible, do extra credit if needed (it really saved my grade in my Sociology course!), and genuinely like college. I am in college to learn and to get a good job and have a great life, and in order to get the good job and better life, I need to graduate and get a degree. And the only way I can graduate is with good grades, so of course, grades really matter.

I remember one Professor telling another student who didn't do great on a paper in our Freshman year, that grades don't matter and I thought, "Seriously, she's a Professor. Grades do matter!" Don't let anyone tell you that they don't.

Learn more about this author, Ashley Benlove.
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