Grades remain central to school life, shaping confidence, motivation, and stress. While designed to show subject understanding, students and parents say grades can both guide learning and create challenges.
A study from UC Berkeley found that student engagement across academics, research, and career preparation declined during the pandemic and has yet to recover.
Researchers warned that these lasting drops could slow recovery for public universities.
Some students use grades as a way to improve performance.
“Even small assignments make me nervous sometimes.”Freshman Landon Cash said.
Others view grades as a tool to track progress.
At Ole Miss, researchers discovered that scores in college classes are not returning to their pre‑pandemic levels, noting that declines continued even four years after COVID disruptions.
The team pointed to deeper issues beyond academics, including gaps in life skills.
“Grades show me what I’m doing well and what I need to fix. I don’t get stressed unless it’s a big project or test.” freshman Bentley Wells added.
Effort does not always match results.
“I study a lot, but sometimes my grade still isn’t what I hoped for. It makes me feel like my best isn’t enough.”freshman Diego Granados said.
Teachers also recognize the tension between motivation and pressure.
An analysis at Iowa State revealed mixed outcomes,final grades were 0.21 GPA points higher in fall 2020 compared to pre‑pandemic years.
Researchers cautioned that this rise masked uneven performance across demographic groups. Some students still faced significant setbacks despite grade inflation.
“Grades can encourage students to stay on track, but they don’t always show the full picture of learning.” Alejandra Garcia, a high school English teacher, said.
Parents emphasize growth over letter grades.
“A grade isn’t always a clear picture of effort. I focus more on how my child is improving.” Angela Ruiz said.
Some families worry about the long‑term impact of grades on student well‑being.
“Kids sometimes tie their self‑worth to grades. We try to remind them that learning matters more than a number.”. Angela Ruiz said.
Despite different viewpoints, most agree that grades strongly affect students’ experiences at school. As families and educators continue to discuss what works best, the role of grading remains a central issue in education today.
