Re:Why I regret getting straight A's in college
by cstejerean on Thursday December 13, 2007 @12:18AM
(#89015)
I couldn't disagree more.
"What's the cube root of 9? What is the minimum number of points needed to determine a plane? What happens in your app if you divide by zero?"
All those questions only show that you can memorize answers.
"On the other hand, what motif did Browning employ in the last stanza? Is man basically good or evil? Which economic theory works best in the third world?"
These questions show that you have an ability to think. Most of the time when you're doing real development there are little black and white questions. Most of the time it's a matter of trade-offs and using your judgement, experience and intuition to choose a solution.
The point of grades is not to judge how many "correct" answers you have memorized. The point is to reflect the instructors opinion of a) your intelligence, b) the amount of effort you have displayed and c) how much you have learned.
And you can judge how much you have learned not just by having the right answer to every question, but by having solid reasoning behind your answer.
"What's the cube root of 9? What is the minimum number of points needed to determine a plane? What happens in your app if you divide by zero?"
All those questions only show that you can memorize answers.
"On the other hand, what motif did Browning employ in the last stanza? Is man basically good or evil? Which economic theory works best in the third world?"
These questions show that you have an ability to think. Most of the time when you're doing real development there are little black and white questions. Most of the time it's a matter of trade-offs and using your judgement, experience and intuition to choose a solution.
The point of grades is not to judge how many "correct" answers you have memorized. The point is to reflect the instructors opinion of a) your intelligence, b) the amount of effort you have displayed and c) how much you have learned.
And you can judge how much you have learned not just by having the right answer to every question, but by having solid reasoning behind your answer.