With the exception of my final two years at university, the only time I cared about grades came with the school report cards every six weeks. Dad was given the mistaken impression by a teacher that I was smart and lectured me every six weeks about my grades. Which, by the way, never improved during that time.
Even as young as 15, I was more concerned with learning than grades. Even at 17 when I looked into potential professional graduate school (seminary) I figured out that what that was was simply a certificate which served as a ticket into a club. A club I may not wish to join.
Seth Godin recently wrote, “Education is the hustle for a credential. It exchanges compliance for certification. An institution can educate you, but only you can learn.”
[I figured out the game, finally, during the third quarter of my second university year. The game meant I should work enough to get high enough grades to graduate. That I did. And at the same time devised my own curriculum to learn what I wished outside the approved structure. But I’m staring at the envelope holding a portfolio with a piece of paper awarding me a BA. That’s all I needed to get interesting jobs—and continue learning.]
If you wish to be a doctor of something or a pastor or the like, you’ll need that certificate. Nothing wrong with that. You can probably study both in the system for the grade and certificate and to learn just for your own growth. Just be aware of what road you’re on.
[This is post number 3,500 on this blog. I started it in 2008 as sort of a trial. I didn’t treat it seriously for about a year. With the demise of Google search and algorithms and the essential end of Twitter, my traffic is down a little. But there are many subscribers one way or another. Mostly I write to think. For those of you who continue to read—Thank You very much.]
Faith Venture 
Leave a comment