Is everyone capable of making A's?

[thesauce]

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I'd like to get some opinions on this:

I did incredibly poorly in high school, but managed a 4.0 in undergrad (chemical engineering) and went straight to medical school (now an M2). When I was in college, it was clear that many of my classmates were a lot more "naturally gifted" than me, but I managed to get better grades with a lot hard work, hence I took on the mentality that anyone is capable of making A's as long as they put in enough effort.

Now a couple of my friends that I grew up with are starting to think about going to college. They were both poor students like me in high school, neither graduated, but they both got their GED. They're inspired by my turnaround and I constantly tell them that they could make straight A's too if they put their mind to it. Now one of them is enrolling at a local community college with the thought of being a nurse or other health professional (not a doctor).

But recently I've had cause to think differently. I chatted with that one friend's dad and I was amazed to hear her own father say that she was not capable of making A's. His point of view is basically that "some people have it and some people don't." He thinks that the reason that I did so well is that I just happen to choose a major that I was incredibly gifted at so the grades came naturally.

Now I ask you guys, simply: "Is everyone capable of making straight A's?" Please keep in mind, I'm not talking about making straight A's at an Ivy League school or anything like that, just a local state school. Thanks in advance for your replies.

 

[ALEX KAREV]

I'd like to get some opinions on this:

I did incredibly poorly in high school, but managed a 4.0 in undergrad (chemical engineering) and went straight to medical school (now an M2). When I was in college, it was clear that many of my classmates were a lot more "naturally gifted" than me, but I managed to get better grades with a lot hard work, hence I took on the mentality that anyone is capable of making A's as long as they put in enough effort.

Now a couple of my friends that I grew up with are starting to think about going to college. They were both poor students like me in high school, neither graduated, but they both got their GED. They're inspired by my turnaround and I constantly tell them that they could make straight A's too if they put their mind to it. Now one of them is enrolling at a local community college with the thought of being a nurse or other health professional (not a doctor).

But recently I've had cause to think differently. I chatted with that one friend's dad and I was amazed to hear her own father say that she was not capable of making A's. His point of view is basically that "some people have it and some people don't." He thinks that the reason that I did so well is that I just happen to choose a major that I was incredibly gifted at so the grades came naturally.

Now I ask you guys, simply: "Is everyone capable of making straight A's?" Please keep in mind, I'm not talking about making straight A's at an Ivy League school or anything like that, just a local state school. Thanks in advance for your replies.

oh i was thinking an IVY LEAGUE. taking that into account. Yeah ANYONE can get straigt A's. however if you were talking at an IVY league then NO, not everyone can.

 

[Chuckwalla]

Eh, doesn't really matter if everyone is capable or not. If you don't get mostly A's you don't get into med school, simple as that. I am sure that there are B students who would be much better doctors than A students but you can't logically choose B students over A students.

The difference between a B and an A is just a little bit, if you can't get that little bit you aren't getting A's.

 

[Xypathos]

I'd like to get some opinions on this:

I did incredibly poorly in high school, but managed a 4.0 in undergrad (chemical engineering) and went straight to medical school (now an M2). When I was in college, it was clear that many of my classmates were a lot more "naturally gifted" than me, but I managed to get better grades with a lot hard work, hence I took on the mentality that anyone is capable of making A's as long as they put in enough effort.

Now a couple of my friends that I grew up with are starting to think about going to college. They were both poor students like me in high school, neither graduated, but they both got their GED. They're inspired by my turnaround and I constantly tell them that they could make straight A's too if they put their mind to it. Now one of them is enrolling at a local community college with the thought of being a nurse or other health professional (not a doctor).

But recently I've had cause to think differently. I chatted with that one friend's dad and I was amazed to hear her own father say that she was not capable of making A's. His point of view is basically that "some people have it and some people don't." He thinks that the reason that I did so well is that I just happen to choose a major that I was incredibly gifted at so the grades came naturally.

Now I ask you guys, simply: "Is everyone capable of making straight A's?" Please keep in mind, I'm not talking about making straight A's at an Ivy League school or anything like that, just a local state school. Thanks in advance for your replies.

All things fair, yes.

But the fact is sometimes you get a bad draw --- be it a professor that just doesn't like you (or one you don't enjoy), tried to handle 6 courses instead of 4-5, overlooked a question on an exam, etc.

My town use to show a billboard of a quadriplegic who attended Harvard and I think it showed her GPA as an A-, and next to it said (I think) "Determination" and it inspires me a lot to push a little harder.

Ultimately, you have to ask yourself ... How bad do you want it?

 

[Xypathos]

oh i was thinking an IVY LEAGUE. taking that into account. Yeah ANYONE can get straigt A's. however if you were talking at an IVY league then NO, not everyone can.

Well, not exactly true ... Ivys are notorious for grade inflation, case and point, Harvard.

 

[ALEX KAREV]

All things fair, yes.

But the fact is sometimes you get a bad draw --- be it a professor that just doesn't like you (or one you don't enjoy), tried to handle 6 courses instead of 4-5, overlooked a question on an exam, etc.

My town use to show a billboard of a quadriplegic who attended Harvard and I think it showed her GPA as an A-, and next to it said (I think) "Determination" and it inspires me a lot to push a little harder.

Ultimately, you have to ask yourself ... How bad do you want it?

i semi agree. but ******S cannot get straights A's at MIT. i mean cmon it is hard enough for NORMALS to get that.

 

[Xypathos]

i semi agree. but ******S cannot get straights A's at MIT. i mean cmon it is hard enough for NORMALS to get that.

Last I checked, MIT isn't known for letting mentally handicapped individuals into its school.

 

[fpr85]

No, I don't think everyone is capable of an A. There are some people, no matter how much effort they put in, that simply cannot grasp the material.

 

[khadija]

not everyone can get all A's. but then again, getting A's depends less on how smart u r and more on how hard u try. i have so many friends who r smart, smarter than me. But their GPA is significantly lower than mine. y? because they don't go to class. or because they don't do the assignments or do them late. or because they study for an exam the night before. or .... the list goes on. but i do know students with a 4.0, and thats because they try hard and stay on top of their game.

 

[ALEX KAREV]

Last I checked, MIT isn't known for letting mentally handicapped individuals into its school.

then i gues they wouldnt be getting straight A's at MIT then WOULD THEY!

 

[Xypathos]

then i gues they wouldnt be getting straight A's at MIT then WOULD THEY!

More so they wouldn't be getting any grades at all, so the case is null and point.

 

[ALEX KAREV]

More so they wouldn't be getting any grades at all, so the case is null and point.

so my statement was correct "but ******S cannot get straights A's at MIT"..

you are arguing that it is not but you proved yourself wrong!

 

[defrunner]

OP -

Most of the posters on here are not saying anything, even though they're talking. Ignore them.

To answer your question, yes anyone can get an A (yes, even in an Ivy League institution). However, there are certain people that will have an easier time of getting an A, whether it be with less study time or whatever their situation is. They are just that naturally gifted. However, a truly dedicated person can get an A in whatever subject there is. Some people might disagree but the fact is, all education really boils down to is getting the student to comprehend the subject matter at hand. If a person who has difficulty with the 'normal' education route discusses this subject with someone outside the class who can better explain it or merely thinks outside the box as to how to go about 'studying' for this class, this person will get the A.

It is just a matter of relating the subject matter at hand correctly to that person.

Anyone who says otherwise is underestimating the capabilities of many people.

 

[thesauce]

I always love the tangents that the threads go off on. Seriously though, if I just asked if "anyone is capable of making straight A's" then someone would say "well, it depends on the caliber of the school", so I thought that I'd pre-emptively stop that with the stipulation that we're talking about a state school and now people are attacking the Ivies.

I appreciate the urmytiya, xypathos, fpr85, and the others that gave me their honest opinions.

 

[thesauce]

Eh, doesn't really matter if everyone is capable or not. If you don't get mostly A's you don't get into med school, simple as that. I am sure that there are B students who would be much better doctors than A students but you can't logically choose B students over A students.

The difference between a B and an A is just a little bit, if you can't get that little bit you aren't getting A's.

She's not going for an MD or DO. She wants to be a nurse.

 

[ALEX KAREV]

I always love the tangents that the threads go off on. Seriously though, if I just asked if "anyone is capable of making straight A's" then someone would say "well, it depends on the caliber of the school", so I thought that I'd pre-emptively stop that with the stipulation that we're talking about a state school and now people are attacking the Ivies.

I appreciate the urmytiya, ALEX KAREV, fpr85, and the others that gave me their honest opinions.

no problem , im here to help!

 

[45408]

No, I don't. A lot of people can, but there are a lot of people who just have trouble picking up concepts, no matter how hard they try.

 

[thesauce]

no problem , im here to help!

Clever!

 

[ALEX KAREV]

Clever!

thanks!

 

[Wackie]

Given enough time, yes, just about anyone can get an A, IMO. The difficulty lies in time, motivation, and mental blocks.

 

[defrunner]

No, I don't. A lot of people can, but there are a lot of people who just have trouble picking up concepts, no matter how hard they try.

They're just not learning it in the right way then. Seriously dude, I really think anyone can get an A with the right learning environment and the right amount of motivation.

 

[novawildcat]

Of course everyone is capable of getting an A. You start out every class with an A , you only have to figure out how to keep it.

 

[thesauce]

Given enough time, yes, just about anyone can get an A, IMO. The difficulty lies in time, motivation, and mental blocks.

Ahh the mental blocks...I know what those feel like!

 

[thesauce]

Of course everyone is capable of getting an A. You start out every class with an A , you only have to figure out how to keep it.

Wait, you're a math major, right? A 0/0 isn't 100% is it?

 

[thesauce]

Okay, so for the people that don't think that everyone is capable of making straight A's:

Should you tell people that or should you just keep telling them that they can do it?

 

[GoodDoctor]

No, not EVERYONE can get A's. I have a several friends who simply cannot do simple algebra if you spent all year trying to teach them. So, they're not going to be able to score A's in Gen. Chem. or Physics, and would not understand line graphs found throughout biology. They're both in fields requiring no math or real scientific reasoning. Other people have attitudes or attentions spans that defeat them academically ("I can't do it" or "Who cares").

I believe MOST COLLEGE STUDENTS can get A's, but don't because they don't put in the effort. Tell your friends to study every day for each class for 1-3 hours. If they can't get A's then, it's clear they don't have the mental capability. If they waste time, procrastinate, study while watching TV, etc., then it may only be a problem of dedication or study habits.

Did your friends do poorly in high school due to lack of effort? Or did some things simply not click? Maybe they slacked so much in high school that now some basic math and writing skills need to be aquired before attempting even basic level bio or intro to chem.

 

[novawildcat]

Wait, you're a math major, right? A 0/0 isn't 100% is it?

It is undefined. when you first start a class the professor usually gives a syllabus with how many points tests are worth etc. instead of thinking that you have to earn those points think about in a different way. You already have all those points, when you take a test you can only take away from them. I have told this to some people and they really get more motivated to do well by thinking about their grades this way.

 

[thesauce]

No, not EVERYONE can get A's. I have a several friends who simply cannot do simple algebra if you spent all year trying to teach them. So, they're not going to be able to score A's in Gen. Chem. or Physics, and would not understand line graphs found throughout biology. They're both in fields requiring no math or real scientific reasoning. Other people have attitudes or attentions spans that defeat them academically ("I can't do it" or "Who cares").

I believe MOST COLLEGE STUDENTS can get A's, but don't because they don't put in the effort. Tell your friends to study every day for each class for 1-3 hours. If they can't get A's then, it's clear they don't have the mental capability. If they waste time, procrastinate, study while watching TV, etc., then it may only be a problem of dedication or study habits.

Did your friends do poorly in high school due to lack of effort? Or did some things simply not click? Maybe they slacked so much in high school that now some basic math and writing skills need to be aquired before attempting even basic level bio or intro to chem.

First off, I appreciate your response, I really want her to be able to do it, but I don't want to give her false hope ("don't quit your day job" type stuff). Where did you come up with the 1-3 hours, out of curiousity?

My friends did poorly in HS for different reasons as near as I can tell. The girl in question was by far the worst case. She had a bad attitude, is naturally a slow learner, and was apparently sick for all of high school (psychosomatic maybe). As a matter of fact, she tested into math 81, which is like pre-pre-algebra (6th grade level), but did manage to get into English 101.

 

[thesauce]

It is undefined. when you first start a class the professor usually gives a syllabus with how many points tests are worth etc. instead of thinking that you have to earn those points think about in a different way. You already have all those points, when you take a test you can only take away from them. I have told this to some people and they really get more motivated to do well by thinking about their grades this way.

That's actually a pretty good idea! I'll have to share that one.

 

[stoppushingit]

this thread is seriously scaring me.
especially when my transcript ROUGHLY looks like this
(freshman yr --> senior yr)
BBBCBBBBCBBBAAAA+ (not to scale)

 

[RDood]

Wow, too bad there weren't a way to delete all of the crap posts to this thread.

Anyway, I would like to echo the concept of grade inflation at Ivys (I believe Harvard's avg GPA is an A-, although there are already mostly smart people there).

I don't think everyone could get straight A's though, even under ideal circumstances. First, let's remember that time is finite and sleep is a necessity. Second think of all the people who "don't do math." My sister is actually one of them. No matter how much time she puts in or tries, she's never going to be able to do calculus. I really think some people are just wired differently.

 

[RDood]

this thread is seriously scaring me.
especially when my transcript ROUGHLY looks like this
(freshman yr --> senior yr)
BBBCBBBBCBBBAAAA+ (not to scale)

You may not need a 4 point, but to stay competitive at most med schools you're going to at least want a 3.5. It's a harsh reality I suppose.

 

[ALEX K..]

Wow, too bad there weren't a way to delete all of the crap posts to this thread.

.

yeah we would have to delete all of Rpoop's posts!

 

[stoppushingit]

^ i sense a troll reincarnated
note the very unoriginal name.

 

[ALEX K..]

^ i sense a troll reincarnated
note the very unoriginal name.

what you talking about willis?

 

[RDood]

yeah we would have to delete all of Rpoop's posts!

Did he really make a poop joke? Seriously man, when will you understand that your comments are unwanted on this board. You're like a masochistic puppy that likes to be kicked by its master everyday.

 

[ALEX K..]

Did he really make a poop joke? Seriously man, when will you understand that your comments are unwanted on this board. You're like a masochistic puppy that likes to be kicked by its master everyday.

you mean, when will u undertand that I DONT CARE!!!

 

[RDood]

you mean, when will u undertand that I DONT CARE!!!

The sadder fact is that you're the one wasting time sitting on the internet to do so. Get a job, a girlfriend, or a meaningful extracurricular activity.

And now, ignore.

 

[ALEX K..]

The sadder fact is that you're the one wasting time sitting on the internet to do so. Get a job, a girlfriend, or a meaningful extracurricular activity.

And now, ignore.

not wastinf time....this is so fun to see you get your panties in a twist!

 

[rouge et noir]

First off, I appreciate your response, I really want her to be able to do it, but I don't want to give her false hope ("don't quit your day job" type stuff). Where did you come up with the 1-3 hours, out of curiousity?

My friends did poorly in HS for different reasons as near as I can tell. The girl in question was by far the worst case. She had a bad attitude, is naturally a slow learner, and was apparently sick for all of high school (psychosomatic maybe). As a matter of fact, she tested into math 81, which is like pre-pre-algebra (6th grade level), but did manage to get into English 101.

I did really bad in high school, too. In fact, I dropped out, got my GED, and when I first went to a community college I tested into Math 080, they called it "elementary algebra". So obviously I did not grasp too much math in high school. Oddly enough, I also managed to test into English 101.

Throughout grammar school, and especially high school, I failed every math class I ever took. Yes, I even failed basic math because I didn't know how to do long-division. Honestly, I thought I was hopeless. Teachers thought I was hopeless. My friends, who were generally supportive, even thought I was hopeless. I just couldn't get it.

Well anyway I decided I wanted to become a doctor, blah blah blah, and realized I had to learn math. I went to class, studied like crazy, asked for help a lot with the teacher, and lo and behold, even I managed to get an A in all math classes in undergrad after I transferred to UW. It took a lot of hard work, a lot of thinking my brain wasn't used to, but I managed. I always thought I had a math learning disability but I passed calculus.

Point is, yes, unless your friends are seriously ******ed, they can get As. I mean, if I could, trust me, they can, too.

 

[thesauce]

I did really bad in high school, too. In fact, I dropped out, got my GED, and when I first when to a community college I tested into Math 080, they called it "elementary algebra". So obviously I did not grasp too much math in high school. Oddly enough, I also managed to test into English 101.

Throughout grammar school, and especially high school, I failed every math class I ever took. Yes, I even failed basic math because I didn't know how to do long-division. Honestly, I thought I was hopeless. Teachers thought I was hopeless. My friends, who were generally supportive, even thought I was hopeless. I just couldn't get it.

Well anyway I decided I wanted to become a doctor, blah blah blah, and realized I had to learn math. I went to class, studied like crazy, asked for help a lot with the teacher, and lo and behold, even I managed to get an A in all math classes in undergrad after I transferred to UW. It took a lot of hard work, a lot of thinking my brain wasn't used to, but I managed. I always thought I had a math learning disability but I passed calculus.

Point is, yes, unless your friends are seriously ******ed, they can get As. I mean, if I could, trust me, they can, too.

Congrats on your accomplishments, you have my sincere respect. Y'know, if you're a 2nd year at UWSOM, we could've been classmates b/c I was accepted there 2 years ago (went to WSU for undergrad). Funny, I went to the east coast to be with my fiance instead. I'm thinking about UW for residency, though. The girl that I'm talking about lives in Richland and just started at Columbia Basin College.

 

[eddie13231]

After being a tutor for one year for the univeristy, I can say not eveyone is capable of earning A's. It may be math, physics, or organic chemistry, there is always one subject that people just never understand with consant studying and getting help. I thought one of my students was a slacker and never did problems until one day she brought her book and was covered in 3 colors of highlighter along with outlines and notes plus HW. I asked her about study habits and she told me. She studied constantly and went in for help with me as her private tutor, didn't have a job, yet she still didn't get an A. Some people are just smart, that's why the word is in the english language.

 

[mvenus929]

OP -

Most of the posters on here are not saying anything, even though they're talking. Ignore them.

To answer your question, yes anyone can get an A (yes, even in an Ivy League institution). However, there are certain people that will have an easier time of getting an A, whether it be with less study time or whatever their situation is. They are just that naturally gifted. However, a truly dedicated person can get an A in whatever subject there is. Some people might disagree but the fact is, all education really boils down to is getting the student to comprehend the subject matter at hand. If a person who has difficulty with the 'normal' education route discusses this subject with someone outside the class who can better explain it or merely thinks outside the box as to how to go about 'studying' for this class, this person will get the A.

It is just a matter of relating the subject matter at hand correctly to that person.

Anyone who says otherwise is underestimating the capabilities of many people.

I somewhat agree. There are a lot of things that can affect your grades. For example, one of my friends in high school just moved to the US at the beginning of 8th grade from India, and she didn't know English at the time. So now, she struggles because she cannot understand the material, partly due to language barriers. Sure, if she studied non-stop out of class, gave up sleep, and took a reasonable courseload, she could probably pull off straight A's. But that scenario isn't realistic. There's only so much someone can do before they just can't do anymore. I know another friend from high school that goes to a state school that spends all day on the weekends catching up on homework, and studies every chance he can get. He isn't making straight A's. It's very difficult for him to grasp the material, so he suffers for it. It isn't that they aren't working at getting good grades, it's just that they don't understand it when they do study it.

But, to be fair, perhaps neither of them are thinking about things correctly. Perhaps if they tried studying differently, they'd grasp the material more easily, and could possibly make the A's.

There's also the chance that they will end up in classes where it is simply nearly impossible to make an A. Perhaps it's because the class is curved significantly and it works against them. Perhaps it's because the answers required to get an A are so abstract that very few people can understand (the extra credit questions in my bio class are like this, so I'm sure there are some professors that make these type of questions the focus of the test). In classes such as these, it's just not realistic to think that anyone who works hard enough can get the A. They'd have to work harder than 90% of their classmates (sometimes 93%).

Similarly, there are people like my sister who just can't get their ideas across due to a mental problem (Autism, in this case). Apparently she does really well in English though. She would just fail a speech class, and she really struggles with math.

 

[BigRedPremed]

No, not everyone can get an A. It's called a curve. It restricts the number of people who can earn a certain grade.

 

[kingtz]

Not all minds were created/formed alike, and as long as there is that IQ disparity, not all individuals can make A's.

There is, of course, a lot of gray area and blurry lines involved. I believe that a solid B or B+ student can pull straight A's through determination, perserverence, and a lot of hard work. However, someone who is optimally a C or D student will not be able to make those straight A's. With similar determination, perserverence, and hard work, he might pull B's, but not A's. I think there is a limit or cap to every individual's potential. If there is a "C student" who does manage to pull straight A's through a lot of hard work, it was probably because he was optimally a B or B+ student and was considerably underachieving during his C student status.

 

[DrMT]

all outside circumstances equal, most definitely not. i dated a girl that wasn't too bright and no matter how hard she tried or how hard i tried to tutor her, it was all in vain. she failed.

you can't say "well, if they focus..." because maybe that person doesnt have the ability to focus. I do believe that a smart person, with a lot of determination, can give a naturally gifted person a run for their money. That's what I'm trying to do...

 

[J-MUNCH]

all outside circumstances equal, most definitely not. i dated a girl that wasn't too bright and no matter how hard she tried or how hard i tried to tutor her, it was all in vain. she failed.

you can't say "well, if they focus..." because maybe that person doesnt have the ability to focus. I do believe that a smart person, with a lot of determination, can give a naturally gifted person a run for their money. That's what I'm trying to do...

Wait she wasn't smart. Then why did you date her???????????

Oh, I Know why!!!!!!!!!!!!






Yea, I love fat chicks tooo!!🙂 🙂 🙂