Students often see grades as the major obstacle to getting into college, earning their degree, or landing their dream job. For many students, this pressure anxiety, and stress. According to our HHS students, the grading policy can be stressful because you have to try and stay on top of your assignments, projects, etc. Some students at HHS think that our teachers’ grading policy is pretty good since some give students opportunities to turn in any missing work or even turn in assignments/projects late. This gives students the opportunity to get some credit and bring their grades up. We also have some students who think some teachers should improve their grading policy.

One HHS student stated, “Grades make students responsible for their work.” The meaning behind this comment was that for many students grades are important, and making sure that they are doing their work and keeping grades up is what motivates them to do better every day.  Some HHS students believe that grades don’t always identify how successful they will be in the future.  Another HHS sophomore student mentioned that college is not always a student’s goal and that you can have a decent life without having to go to college.  Some HHS students also believe that the grading policy can affect students’ mental health and decrease their motivation. After conducting my interviews, it appears that there are some students who believe that some teachers’ grading policies should have fewer demands, while other students think the various policies are acceptable as they are. The second group of students thinks that the grading policy in general will help most high school and college students to do well. 

Here at HHS, we have rules about grading.  For example, a common grading policy among teachers is having a cut-off day for late work some teachers are more lenient than others.  Some students may disagree with some of their teacher’s grading policies. Getting students opinions can help teachers and staff get an idea of how well the policy is helping.  As HHS sophomore, Ellie Ortega stated “Sometimes when you have all the pressure on you about grading it can stress you out and it’s not very healthy.” 

School can certainly be stressful for us, especially for those students who plan on attending college.  Sometimes being a student can be hard and stressful because of the amount of homework we receive or because of sports, clubs, or work.   On the other hand, we have students who do work and get good grades despite having a busy schedule. Most of us know that grades are important and we students should be responsible and try to stay on top of grades and anything else to do with school.  This is because getting an education can provide a better life and more opportunities for your future. 

So, if you are feeling anxious or stressed out because of school, you’re not alone. There are many of us who feel the saw way. My advice to you is don’t give up even if you feel this way. You’ll be better off for it in the end. If you have any academic questions you can contact  Angelica Martinez at [email protected] or Robert Sierra at [email protected]. If you are feeling stressed out or anxious, you can always visit the Wellness Center for some advice or peace of mind in Room ET1 & ET2.