Naked Science Forum
General Science => General Science => Topic started by: researcherer on 18/07/2016 22:30:11
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Hello friends.
When I was a high school student, I was not a good student.
I had also a failure at a class when I was 14 years old (3rd grade of high school in my country, I am from Europe) and I obligated to take its exams again (something derogatory in my country).
Interestingly, after my graduation from high school and the pass of some years, I found the motivation and I took exams for the higher education. Now, after 10 years course in higher education I am doing a Ph.D. research in a university department of high reputation.
I had a conversation with a friend of mine few days ago, a Ph.D. candidate too, and told him about my strange-derogatory high-school past.
I am wondering if did right. By search on the internet, I found many opinions that support the connection between smartness or high intelligence and good grades.
How I will “legalize” my present academic position taking into account that a smart person cannot have bad grades.
The only article that gives me some relief is this: type on Google: “Were there any famous mathematicians or scientists who weren't prodigies in high school or even in college/graduate school?”.
Do you think that by saying someone that was not a good student in high school but now is academically successful is something that gives advantage or it is something unnecessary that will make the other person to think negatively?
Thank you in advance.
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It makes much more sense to judge someone on their more recent achievements.
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Winston Churchill and Albert Einstein were poor school students.
I never really got the hang of mathematics until after my physics PhD.
The best aeronautical engineering consultant I know was classed as dyslexic and unlikely to ever gain employment on leaving school. He recently retired as a respected professor of mechanical engineering.
The least capable physics undergraduate I ever taught, has gone on to win awards for teaching physics.
Never mind what you did then, it's what you can do now and what you will do tomorrow, that pays the rent.
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It makes much more sense to judge someone on their more recent achievements.
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Never mind what you did then, it's what you can do now and what you will do tomorrow, that pays the rent.
I agree.
There are many reasons why people perform badly at school, motivation, learning difficulties, environment, when the situation changes eg new school or teacher then performance can change as well.
It's also important to remember that some very high performers at school become underachievers later in life.
Also bear in mind that intelligence is multifaceted, how you use knowledge, how you motivate yourself and how you interact with and motivate others can be essential to success in achieving your goals in life.