Students these days are very focused on keeping their GPAs high.
Lily Beeson-Norwitz, a student reporter for the The Cleveland Clarion newspaper, described the GPA system as, “how we perceive ourselves as learners.”
Kazi Maimuna, COP Class of 2028 at Ketchum University, said, “If I wasn’t studying, I felt guilty. If I didn’t get an A, I felt defeated. My GPA started to feel less like a number and more like my entire personality.”
Maimuna’s pursuit of a perfect 4.0 GPA led to burnout, isolation, and an unhealthy relationship with her academic career.
“Not everything is about academics,” said LCDS Senior Gabbie R. “Expressing myself and doing things that benefit me and my community make me happy, and are just as important as grades. Extracurriculars are just as important for college, and college is the next stage of my life.”
Gabbie added that, “Communication skills, building close relationships, and keeping connections for the future” are some of the most important things she’s learned during her time at LCDS. She encourages her fellow students to, “Push yourself to be better and do things that you think will benefit you, and you only.”
