Were you an academic all-star or dud in high school? Did you bring home report cards filled with A’s, to the delight of your parents? Or were you a C or D kinda-guy or gal?
Did you grab one honor after another at graduation or you did stand by and watch others take the glory?
Hey, maybe you were a football star or cheerleader and that was your thing. Who cared about academics? Does it really matter that 10 years later you could recite the Gettysburg Address from memory?
Let’s be honest: We don’t learn a whole in high school anyway except maybe how to find a guy or gal to go steady with (and then break up, truthfully believing the world has ended). The learning begins in college or when we step out into the real world and then sink or swim depending in part on how smart we are. We know of no employer in history who has ever asked a job candidate to recite the Gettysburg Address – except maybe as a tour guide.
Did you notice something at your 20-year reunion? The most popular kids – the ones voted Most Likely To Succeed – were building their careers as crosswalk guards while the geeky, nerdy, academic types were successful doctors, lawyers, software engineers and corporate big shots.
So what about you? How did you fare academically in high school? Please leave a comment.
##RVT1004b
My Father passed away when I was 15 and I could have cared less about school after that. I was raised by my Grandfather. I got through, barely, but learned quite a lot over the next 20+ years. I went to college, got my degree and helped teens in detention centers turn their lives around. I miss my job, but enjoy retirement and camping.
I survived.
I couldn’t stand high school. In elementary school I was a A- to a B+ student but high school was of no interest. Later in the Marines I got a GED, then 8 1/2 years later in a GM plant I applied for and got into an apprenticeship and went on to become a well paid skilled tradesman. I consider myself fortunate for a high school dropout.
I hated academics in high school. I just wasn’t interested and thought the classes were a waste of time. To my surprise after I graduated I landed a job that required typing reports. Reports that were then distributed to different agencies where they would be read and the information used for different purposes. So the typing class I was forced to take in high school and the English classes paid off.
I raced cars and chased girls so my grades were in the middle of our class. Graduated then worked for a year joined the Navy
for four years (thought I would stay out of Vietnam but I didn’t) when I left the Navy went to work Southwestern Bell for 38 years and I did well. By the way, I caught one of the girls I chased and we have been married almost 51 years!
Every time a test came up I would study as hard as I could but I would not retain what I study for the test I was about to take.
fast forward to today. I am 55 years old and I never had good paying jobs.
I only can wish I would have applied myself in high school by paying attention more.
Jeff don’t put yourself down dude. I judge no one on their value of money I judge on value of one’s self. I have more friends with just change in their pockets than dollar bills in their wallets and they are the souls of this earth. If I need help with something they’re there to help. those few with money wouldn’t ever think to get their hands dirty but they are friends of a different book. Be who you are for no one should judge another until they have walked in those shoes. Peace and smile all the time and travel proud.
Thanks skip. I try everyday to do my best. I have a wife who’s an accountant and says once we retire we will be alright.
I just kick myself because I could not retain what I read.
I had difficulty focusing in school, also. My mind would drift off in class, but not intentionally. (Maybe mild ADD?) Not sure how I made it through. Also, I could read something over and over and still not retain it. I typed a draft of a book for an MD in 1978, and he mentioned in it that some people learn best visually (by reading something), some learn by hearing something (like a lecture), and some learn by doing (hands on). So don’t kick yourself, Jeff, for something which may have been totally out of your control. Take care. 😀 —Diane
I was frequently on the honor roll in high school, including my entire senior year without feeling challenged. Life went downhill after that. Just kidding. I worked hard, weathered some difficult times and then met someone else who planned for the future instead of living for the day. It worked and we retired reasonably comfortable.
In subjects I loved, I was the top of the class. If I hated the subject, I barely passed. I believe I averaged out in the middle of the pack.
I was above average, good enough to get into college, and learned to love the English language. But now it’s a curse when I see it hacked to death on social media by those who didn’t do so well.
I hated high school. Barely made it out. Had to go to summer school every year to make up for classes I flunked. Signed up for city college to beat the draft (early 60’s) but disliked that so much I bailed and joined the navy. Blew a cash register repair apprenticeship with NCR because there was too much studying involved. At some point started driving trucks (which, it turns out, I absolutely loved and was darned good at it). Fast forward over 30 years and I’m happily retired with my wife of over 30 years – and I wouldn’t change a thing.
So much world to see. I think I spent my time gazing out the windows during class. I graduated in the top 10% but I think I learned by osmosis. Never took a book home to study. Graduated, did a five year apprenticeship, became a master electrician. Worked 43 years and retired quite comfortably. Pure luck?? No, good wife!
OH BOY! I responded average, as I always got C’s with a few B’s. Not to mention a report card that said I was not performing to my capabilities. High School was a social event for me. Then my senior year I decided to apply myself. Nothing but A’s. Boy my parents were not happy that I could have been doing that all along!!
I was a D & F student. Enlisted in the Army and served 7 years. Went to collage after on GI bill, made the president’s list 2nd quarter and never came off that list. Graduated as a member of the honor society in 1982.
Tutored students during collage. Worked for one of the national laboratories 36 years. Enjoying retirement now.
college
Thankfully my parents expected me to get good grades and a Catholic school education through high school helped in that regard. The comment above about learning beginning in college is hilarious – have you seen what colleges are producing these days
Academically, I did what I needed to do….nothing more…nothing less as my interests were geared around being socially accepted. It was mostly all about girls, cars and having a good time.
Sadly, I was not challenged. In middle school we had to take an I.Q. test. I had the highest male score, but some of the lowest grades. In High School, it was a repeat.
As I went through school, my grades got progressively better; from average in high school to finishing a Master’s with a 4.0 GPA. I guess things just got more interesting as I moved along.
good work! I don’t think HS students appreciate the value of an education, which is why we had parents to remind us of that.
I love this because I barely graduated. As a mater of fact, had a teacher not changed my grade I wouldn’t have. Went to college in my 50s and graduated with a 3.87 GPA. All this proves is that grades often don’t reflect anything about how smart you are.
I was average only because I was looking for fun and good times…nothing illegal just fun.
I was below average. I had to work during high school. Graduated and was drafted. I’m a Vietnam Veteran. Came home and went to work in the oil industry. Retired after 38 years as a Drilling Supervisor with a 7 figure retirement. Not bad for no college, sometimes hard work pays better.
Between ADHD and short-term memory issues, my time in school was hell. I did excell in History, Science and Civics classes, though. Math and English were not my forte’, and thanks to many years of developing alternative learning methods and other coping strategies, I managed to get my Bachelors degree and even started on my Masters.
Grad from HS entered the service and work through 20 years and got my degree combining many colleges from all over states and including Europeon colleges. Upon my retirement moved on to work in state service and retired recently. I’ve never used my degree and completed higher education was a cost to me of $2500 thanks to uncle sam. No more schooling of college university. Now gun smithing school in my old age. But during high school I just didn’t want to be there. It was girl’s, work and fun. Some where shortly I got serious and started my career for life. Someone looking over me for I have the three retirements and didn’t realize it until 1 May when retiring I had built the bridge to early retirement.
Honor roll English, History, Debate Squad, above average Biology (flunking till I realized it was all about s*x (how a zygot is just a gametes way of producing more gametes) and math (until realized geometry is basically a language- a way of describing the world) Went from C- D to A’s after that. ALSO: Officer on Debate Squad, Girl Scout, Yearbook Staff, Pep Club, Awarded 1968 Poetry award. Worked 30 hrs weekly as a Soda Jerk, ran a Methodist Church Teen Coffeehouse on weekends, In my spare time I tried to drive my father nuts. Isn’t that what teens are supposed to do?
Yes, academically I was a total disaster K-12. Later on, to keep my job and move upward, it took me eleven years to get a simple BA. My change in attitude started when I discovered while still working on a BA that baseball, basketball and tennis were not how I would earn a living. However, after that things clarified and with altered attitude, I eventually attained a Ph.D. in sociology and then went back to complete a second Masters…the second was in science. So, in my estimation its not the teachers or the program but the student’s personal goals that matter most. Later on, continuing onward and upward I also garnered an electronics two year jr. college degree which I find very useful in one of my hobbies, ham radio. Most of my now deceased teachers never did believe that I had achieved these goals. Unfortunately, the likelihood of discussing these trivialities with them will never occur as where most of them surely went and where I hope to go are entirely different places
Graduated high honors. But the public high school educational system failed to provide the type skills required in “the real world”. Sure, math and science prepared me for the very basic foundations needed for my public universities Chemistry degrees. That higher educational degree also fell short. Work-a-day life – the real world – is far removed from the antiquated education systems designed to turn out cookie cutter students. And I see little hope in changing those self serving systems. I would say my MBA courses combined with my science & engineering were in lock step with the entrepreneurial characteristics that have made America the greatest nation in the world.
Not much of a student. But, I have obtained a Master’s Plus in Education. Was a teacher for 34 years. As a student I was smart enough, but lazy. If I liked the class, I succeeded. Ended up teaching my aces in the hole, Visual Art, and Physical Education. Semi- Professional Musician. Maybe my difficulties made me a better teacher. I understood the unmotivated.
Really good student until senior year in HS. Bored joined Army overseas for 5 years, including Vietnam. Married HS sweetheart still happy after 54 years. Retired Postmaster US Postal Service. Always thought I should have had HS diploma instead of GED since I tested with above average IQ. Used GI bill to go to college for 2 years after military service had 3.90 GPA. Education is what you make of it. Life is real.
7th out of 145. Studied HARD in high school due to peer pressure. My father was on the school board, everyone said the teachers were afraid to fail me. Was burned out when reaching college in 1968. All the Grad students who were teaching the classes the Professors were supposed to be teaching thought we were all draft dodgers and hated us. After 2 years I moved into the work force, moved rapidly upward in the field, wearing many hats, and retired at 55. Had lots of more highly educated people work for me over the years. I feel it’s the person more than the diploma.