Grades don’t define your success in university

By Hailey Leggett

Getting a bad grade can take a toll on your mental health and confidence as a student. For most of your life, your knowledge—and often your worth—has been measured by a set of letters and numbers. From an early age, the difference between an A+ and a C- has often felt like the difference between being seen as “smart” and not. You may have been taught that an A meant success while a C meant failure. But that’s simply not the case—and it never was.

Plenty of academic sources will emphasize that grades don’t define your intelligence or self-worth—but believing that for yourself is a different kind of challenge. It’s one thing to hear this message but living it—especially as a university student—is something else entirely. Unlearning something you’ve believed for years isn’t easy but recognizing that it’s possible is the first step toward change.

The transition from high school to university can be very challenging, especially for those who were high achievers in secondary school. What many students don’t realise is that a drop in grades does not mean you’re not smart or capable, but rather, it reflects the shift to a more competitive and rigorous academic environment. In university, you are often surrounded by people who were similarly high-performing, and the academic expectations tend to be significantly greater. As a result, it is common for grades to decrease during this period. University assessments also tend to be quite different from what you’re used to in high school—sometimes major exams can account for 50-60% of your final grade.

Some courses rely more on memorization, while others are focused on applying concepts. Everyone will have different skills. Some of your peers will be better at application-based content, while others may excel at memorization. Even if you study for hours, things don’t always go as expected. The grade you receive doesn’t necessarily reflect your knowledge of the subject. The pressure that comes with exams can influence your ability to perform and thus impact how well you do. Don’t let a grade define your interest in the subject. What matters most is finding joy in what you’re learning.

In university, assignment instructions can sometimes feel unclear or even frustrating. That’s why it’s important to ask questions early on. Get clarification on even the most mundane details. Some Teaching Assistant’s (TA) can be very particular about how they grade. Understanding the expectations of the person marking your work can help prevent or minimize disappointing scores. If you’re unsure about a grade, don’t hesitate to ask your TA for feedback. One bad grade isn’t the end of the world. If you are struggling to keep up or feel that you aren’t doing as well as you’d like, bring it up with your teaching team. They are there to help you. You have to start somewhere so don’t let your peer’s grades get in the way of your own achievements.

When you receive a disappointing grade—because almost everyone does at some point—give yourself time to process your emotions. It can be helpful to create a checklist with some practical steps for next time. Here are a few things that can help you move forward after a tough grade:

Take a deep breath.
Review all the feedback carefully and with an open mind.
If you disagree with the marking, schedule a meeting with your TA or professor.
Visit academic advising sessions or explore support tools.
Talk to an upper year about how they managed the course.
Re-evaluate how you study and devise a new plan that caters to the class or subject.

As you work through the ups and downs of university, remember that a single grade doesn’t decide your whole future. What defines you as an individual is how you respond to challenges. University is a place and time for growth, change, and self-discovery. You are more than a number on a transcript. Who you’re becoming matters far more than any letter grade. You belong at university just as much as anyone else.