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University marks do not matter as much; the most important thing is to learn. This is the narrative engraved in our heads by lecturers and other students when we started our engineering degrees. Although the above sound very believable as it is endorsed by many, there is clear evidence that good results offer students some advantage compared to not caring much about the results.
Good marks in engineering can offer more opportunities for work after graduation as it is highly favourable by employers compared to average results. In addition, good results are an indication of the student’s ability and understanding of the field. On the other hand, if marks become the only motivation for students, it can lead to ongoing stress and loss of interest and passion for the field in extreme situations.
4 Reasons why marks in engineering degree matter
The reasons that make marks matter are related to the number of opportunities students can get.
1- Get an internship
Engineering students have it rough because the competition is too high, especially in internships. Nowadays, almost every engineering major demands at least 3-6 months of work experience. It becomes significantly harder for students who do not have any work experience to compete with other students for graduate positions.
Unfortunately, good results are quite in demand in this early stage of your degree. Most employers would hire undergrads for the chance to offer them a permanent position. Good marks are usually one of the methods used to screen students. Good marks will get you through the door, but they will not help you further. Therefore you need to learn how to stand out in internships.
2- Getting a scholarship
Scholarship has always been reserved for the top students with high academic results. At least, that is one of the requirements in almost every scholarship. Scholarships are a great way to support students financially or wipe out a significant chunk of their student debts.
Engineering scholarship might also include an exchange program or an on-site experience that can benefit students and boost their knowledge. Universities usually endorse those programs, which is why they favour students with high marks over others.
3- Get your dream job
As much as it is not publicised, employers favour good academic results. University results are one of the biggest indications of students’ competence – It is the result of the hard work. It is also less risky for employers to avoid a bad hire that can potentially perform poorly.
So why would university marks not be a significant deal-breaker when hiring new graduates? Simply no reason or evidence would suggest otherwise. After all, if you are an employer, why would you not use results as a metric to screen students? Do not be fooled by the cliches that results do not matter. It matters in competitive industries in engineering, such as software, civil, mechanical and electrical.
If you feel that your bad results will stop you from getting your dream job, that is not true; there is more than meets the eye. For that read: Can I Get a Good Job With Bad Academic Results?
4- Higher education and other pathways
It is difficult for students who have not worked as hard as other students to pursue higher education because higher education, such as master’s and PhD, is more technical than a bachelor’s degree. You will be specialising in a niche area within your field; this usually includes complex calculations, studying theories and making conclusions. This is difficult for students who have not studied the basics of their engineering field in detail.
Even if you are trying to work on an academic project, it is harder to get in because almost all professors will use your results to evaluate your capability for the project. On the other hand, branching out to other engineering and non-engineering fields might be challenging if the student has not done well in their original field.
4 Reasons Why getting good marks in engineering should not be your only motivation
Now that you understand the reasons behind getting good marks, there is also a negative side to seeking good results above everything else.
1- You become a perfectionist
Perfectionist students have a hard time in university. They spend a huge chunk of their time getting good marks instead of focusing on learning first. Things go sideways very quickly, from learning to having sort of a full-time job where the goal is to get good results. This can negatively impact the student’s morale and increase stress and anxiety levels. If you suffer from stress, read: How To Beat Stress, Fear & Anxiety as Engineering Student.
Moreover, perfectionism is usually not preferred in the workplace. Employers would rather hire confident people full of enthusiasm instead of perfectionist students who care too much about small unnecessary details and take too long to do one job. Moreover, perfectionist students have a hard time taking on risks and taking responsibility, making them not good candidates for a leadership position.
2- You lose your passion for engineering
Unfortunately, caring too much about your academic transcript might be the fastest thing to passion burnout. While it can be a motivation for many students as it is nice to see your hard work translated into results that you can be proud of. However, the real world does not work in the same way. In the real world, no one will give you a score of 90 for doing a report your boss asked you to do.
The signs of losing passion are easy to spot: you care less about your engineering industry and more about the results. This can go to an extreme situation, such as Paying For Someone To Do Your Tests or copying someone else’s work, where the goal is to get marks, not learn. This might be a sensitive subject for many, but people who get into engineering for the wrong reasons lose passion very quickly. Read more about this topic here: 4 Reasons You Did Not Like Engineering In The First Place.
3- You care much about a flawed education system
This might come as a shock, but your transcript is just a piece of paper from an educational institution at the end. It might dictate the first job you might get, but after a few years of working in the industry, you have built an experience that enables you to work anywhere. There is nothing wrong with doing your best in university, but that does not mean all university subjects are beneficial to you. Some subjects might be difficult for you compared to others, while others you might find too boring to study.
While engineering fields generally change rapidly every few years, the same can not be said about education. University studies still use the same teaching fundamentals taught a few decades ago. Marks are still the only metric indicating someone’s success instead of personality, communication, confidence and other skills. University still uses a very rigid way of teaching instead of a dynamic way like your job.
This is why you should not give too much attention to some subjects you do not find interesting. You should not force yourself to study hard just to get good marks. This is a very long topic; you can learn all about it here: What Is Wrong With Education?.
4- You do not experience university to the fullest
University is more than just going to classes and submitting your assignment on time. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity where you get to establish relationships and discover yourself. Spending almost your whole time to ensure your assignment gets the highest mark might be good for landing the dream job you want, but it also costs you the chance to socialise and build other skills.
In fact, once you score above average in your GPA, you are already in that sweet spot where you can rest assured that you will get an internship and a job when you graduate. You do not have to stress too much about making everything perfect, and use this time to enjoy the university experience. Read some valuable advice from a graduate engineer, Life As an Engineering Student. What can a graduate engineer teach you?.
