Grades Reflect Effort, Not Just Memorization

Honors courses present a significant challenge, often accompanied by stigma regarding their perceived difficulty compared to community college classes. While initial concerns about adjusting to rigorous academic standards are valid, the experience reveals that these courses can indeed be demanding, especially during transitions like online learning due to COVID. Maintaining a high GPA, such as 3.7, becomes crucial for future academic aspirations, particularly for law school applications, which often require scores around 3.7 or 3.8. The pressure on grades intensifies with honors courses, emphasizing the need for a deeper understanding over mere rote memorization. Favoring teaching methods that focus on demonstration of knowledge rather than memorization may enhance learning and academic performance.