GPA. It’s meant to act as a measure of how academically talented a student is. However, it often fails to really give a good read on the subject. 
So many things factor into a student’s GPA, and it isn’t a fair read of how talented a student is. So how come it’s used as a way to judge students? 
Things like loans, for example, are often based on GPA, so students can be turned away for how high their grades may or may not be.
Now, don’t get me wrong, if you’re someone who has a high GPA, that’s great and you should be proud of it. Nothing feels more rewarding than seeing hard work pay off in the form of an A on a test. I am in no way trying to say that having a good GPA isn’t important; it just shouldn’t be everything.
So many factors outside of someone’s ability to learn and recall information will influence their GPA. Things like mental health and money have strong influences on it. People who have to work their way through college, or those who have less-than-ideal mental health, have a much harder time achieving that 4.0 GPA everyone dreams of. So, yes, GPA can be a great way to show off how strong you are academically, but it shouldn’t be able to be held against someone. 
Another underlying factor is the classes themselves. A student who needs to graduate sooner, whether it be for money or otherwise, will have to load up on classes, taking more than the average student each semester. There are also strong differences between professors. If one student takes the same class as another but with a different professor, the grades they achieve could be vastly different, even if they put in the same work.
GPA shouldn’t be able to close as many doors as possible. After college, sure, other things matter, like experiences, internships and letters of recommendation. These things, however, can be heavily influenced by GPA. Better internships, closer relationships with professors and scholarships.
I understand that there is a need to measure how well a student performs, and I agree that there has to be a way to do it, but using a number scale that was invented in 1792, is not the best way to do it. 
Healey Lucier is a senior horticulture major from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. You can contact her at [email protected]