Society overstressing grades?

[preb34]

Thank you all for your answers . I was hoping to have enough experience to freelance Computer programming by the time I am in college, so that is why I was asking.

 

[Xantippe]

preb34 said:

“I was hoping to have enough experience to freelance Computer programming by the time I am in college, so that is why I was asking.”

I was actually thinking about freelance programming.

My husband teaches in the humanities, but he had an electronics class in high school back in the 1980s, and he’s been able to figure out how to make various electronic devices do neat tricks. This started as a non-profit hobby that he did in his down time starting with Palm programming some 15 or so years ago and turned into a $1,000 a month stream of side income at the peak. This was on top of a demanding full-time job and parenting two small children. Eventually Palm became defunct, but then I got a Kindle for Christmas one year and he started programming apps for Kindle. He got a couple of very good ideas and for quite a while we were getting around $800 a month from that. He eventually got an invitation out of the blue to apply for a Silicon Valley job with a major electronics company you’ve heard of (that was based on the fact that his stuff has had millions of downloads–mostly free stuff, obviously), but as he’s a tenured professor with three kids living in an inexpensive area, they’d have to pay squillions for it to be worth it to us. But it’s great for the self-esteem!

I have to warn you that if you do get a top-seller, people will drive you NUTS with technical support questions, and you’ll have to be doing ongoing bug fixes, so be prepared for the fact that this is not a fix-it-and-forget-it income stream. We’re still getting several hundred dollars a month, though, even though he’s not doing anything with it right now.

If you get good, it’s realistic to think that you’d be able to cover your basic college living expenses with your earnings.

One angle that’s worked for my husband is to look at a popular electronic device and think, what more can I make it do and what did they forget to include? His hobbies have provided a lot of inspiration for various apps.

Best wishes!

 

[signit]

I just saw this:

Speaking of your husband and daughter, do they know about The Teaching Company? They produce college courses on DVD and audio. Our library has purchased many of the courses–just the thing for those of us who only need to hear a lecture once or twice to master it! You have libraries full of written books for your adult learning, but perhaps your husband and daughter would enjoy these audio courses. (Many libraries are now carrying a wide range of books for audio download, too.)

I 100% recommend this company. (They’re now officially called The Great Courses.)

They also have rotating sales throughout the year, in which some of their courses are offered at a substantial discount.

 

[Xantippe]

preb34,

As a strategy, I think I’d suggest doing your college work, doing some exercise, and then using your leisure time (i.e. other people’s gaming and social media time) to work on your business. My husband has been surprisingly productive with the apps he’s done like this after work, after child care and after chores. You don’t need to use the best hours of the day for your business and let your homework pick up the scraps–plan to reverse that.

Of course, during the summer and breaks, go full throttle.

Best wishes!

 

[preb34]

Thank you for the excellent advice Xantippe!

I’ll implement it when I start a personal project of mine over the summer. It will be an app designed for tablets accessed via a web page.

 

[Xantippe]

Sounds great!

Oh–and be prepared to plow some income into buying devices. You’ll also probably run into the issue that different devices will handle your apps differently.

You may eventually want a little tax advice on this to figure out what you can write off.

Good luck!

 

[preb34]

Sounds great!

Oh–and be prepared to plow some income into buying devices. You’ll also probably run into the issue that different devices will handle your apps differently.

You may eventually want a little tax advice on this to figure out what you can write off.

Good luck!

Thanks! This is why I’m using jQuery mobile. I’ve heard that it works extremely well on different devices. And thankfully my sister already has an iPad, so I plan to test it on there (and later an android device).

And I plan to make it open source, so would I still be subject to taxes if they send me money via donations?

 

[Xantippe]

preb34

“And I plan to make it open source, so would I still be subject to taxes if they send me money via donations?”

I would be concerned about that one (especially if it winds up being any considerable amount of money), but I’m not an accountant.

I should probably mention that some states tax businesses a percentage of the value of their equipment every year. I believe WA and TX do this. It’s kind of dumb, because it negates the whole idea of a federal write off for business expenses, but if your state is like that, you’ll have to think about the issue. My husband has dealt with it by just not writing off any equipment on federal taxes for his electronics business–I’m not sure if that’s the right approach, but so far we’ve stayed out of trouble.

As you make actual money, you’ll have to think hard about this and get actual advice.

Also, come to think of it, plan to set aside 25% of income for taxes as money comes in. You may eventually have to pay quarterlies.

irs.gov/Help-&-Resources/Tools-&-FAQs/FAQs-for-Individuals/Frequently-Asked-Tax-Questions-&-Answers/Estimated-Tax/Individuals/Individuals

Small business people are always getting into tax trouble. A common mistake is to do something like spend all of 2013’s money and then attempt to pay 2013 taxes with 2014 money, by which time revenue may have collapsed so people wind up unable to pay. You can avoid that problem by setting aside money for taxes as you make it.

A personal finance class would also be a good investment. I always recommend Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University, which is offered in a lot of places.

daveramsey.com/fpu/preview/

Best wishes!

 

[EasterJoy]

I just saw this:

I 100% recommend this company. (They’re now officially called The Great Courses.)

They also have rotating sales throughout the year, in which some of their courses are offered at a substantial discount.

Absolutely wait for the sales. The libraries pick these courses up, too, although the courses are usually in high enough demand that you may have to wait for the selection and get right to it when your turn comes along.

I particularly like Robert Greenburg (who does the music courses). He’s with the San Francisco symphony, and uses lines like “rarer than a Raiders fan who uses a fork.” He has an East Coast accent, which he uses with gusto. A very enthusiastic speaker.

I also liked the fellow who did the course on cathedrals. Anyone going to England and France to see the great gothic churches will want to find that one. (And boy, does that fellow love churches!) You need that one on DVD, though. Gotta have the visuals!

When they say a course works in either audio or DVD, the DVD will probably include a lot of time watching the lecturer at a lectern, because they don’t want too much that is indispensable to be in visual form. The company web site and Amazon both have lots of reviews from other users for most of the courses. These can be very helpful, particularly with regards to whether or not a theology professor has some personal bent that he stirs in to the course, which can get irritating if you think it is in error. (This personal stamp is inevitable, when the subject matter has a lot of depth and breadth.) They will also let you know if a course has substantial overlap with one you may have listened to already.

Great stuff, though! Since there are no tests, no exams, and no grades, the whole premise of the company is that grades do not have to matter at all. How much you focus and how much you learn are where the profit and the enjoyment come in.

**I would stress that part very much: No matter how important your grades are (or are not) to your future, do not forget to enjoy your coursework! The part of your life that you can devote largely to learning can go by so fast!! Especially make good use of the time you get with dedicated and enthusiastic teachers. Some of us get to learn something new every day at work, but many of us have to devote ourselves to concentrate as we use the knowledge that we know well. It is still learning when you go out and tend to your education yourself. I mean this: Appreciate inspiring teachers while you have them.

 

[Xantippe]

Easter Joy said:

“I would stress that part very much: No matter how important your grades are (or are not) to your future, do not forget to enjoy your coursework! The part of your life that you can devote largely to learning can go by so fast!! Especially make good use of the time you get with dedicated and enthusiastic teachers. Some of us get to learn something new every day at work, but many of us have to devote ourselves to concentrate as we use the knowledge that we know well. It is still learning when you go out and tend to your education yourself. I mean this: Appreciate inspiring teachers while you have them.”

Yes!

 

[Flame4]

I haven’t kept up with the entire thread, so forgive me if my comment is a bit out of place. I am a student too, and I have to agree with the OP’s feelings. Of course there are people in society who don’t care enough about grades. And yes, we should work hard; its part of our call as Christians. However, society seems to define us by our “success,” whether that be in terms of money, fame, or grades. I think young people often feel in in terms of grades. There is a great pressure to be best from all corners, including parents. Parents often have the best intentions, but they do sometimes cause unneeded stress with this pressure.

From my personal experience I would suggest two things. Don’t stop working hard, but change your motivation as to why you work. Work for God. Offer everything you do in school up to him and remember that you are truly doing it for him, out of love. You will find God in your school work as a result, and your offering can convert souls, release souls from purgatory, etc.Suddenly, the burden becomes light (as Christ himself said it would be!) Secondly, while you should work hard, don’t fall into the thinking pattern that your worth is determined by your results. Yes grades are important, but your true worth comes from the fact that God says you are valuable. It is a complete gift, not something we can ever earn. All of our talent, whether in academics or otherwise is a gift from God as well.

Finally, be at peace about the future. Do everything to please God, and he will take of the rest. He will take you where you need to be, although it may not be where you hope you will be. Of course, his plans are always better than ours in the long run D), and you will find true happiness this way!

Hope this is helpful and God bless

 

[EasterJoy]

Easter Joy said:

“I would stress that part very much: No matter how important your grades are (or are not) to your future, do not forget to enjoy your coursework! The part of your life that you can devote largely to learning can go by so fast!! Especially make good use of the time you get with dedicated and enthusiastic teachers. Some of us get to learn something new every day at work, but many of us have to devote ourselves to concentrate as we use the knowledge that we know well. It is still learning when you go out and tend to your education yourself. I mean this: Appreciate inspiring teachers while you have them.”

Yes!

I know so many wonderful teachers who are continually frustrated with the extent to which so many of their brightest students obsess about points and grades at the expense of their personal development as scholars. It is as if these students were boy scouts hiking with blinders on, looking neither to their right nor to their left, for the sake of getting 10.5 miles in a day instead of 9.5. They are missing the point of what they’re doing!!

That is the ultimate in overstressing about grades, and it is very common.

(Also infamously known as: “Excuse me, Mr. X, but will this be on the exam?” )

 

[Xantippe]

Grade-grubbing is VERY unattractive to teachers.

Cultivating an attitude of disinterested love of their subject is far more endearing.

 

[HJ3822]

Hello everyone.

I’m currently a rising Senior in a catholic high school, and I’ve been hearing from several people online and in real life (including my parents) about how important my grades are. My parents have been especially cracking me down to the point where I’m confused as to how important they consider my faith. I have all A’s in high school (except for two 92s…), so I am nowhere close to failing. I’m just wondering:

Do you think society is overstressing the importance of grades and college in general? Sure they are important, but are they as important as society makes them to be (necessary for survival)?

I think there must be a way to measure academic achievement. Grades can play an important role in academic achievement and scholastic aptitude. Of course, grades aren’t the only things that are important or what colleges/universities look at when they admit new students for the coming fall. The truth is, if you’re in high school and want to further your education, good grades are the way to prove and challenge yourself, so that the admissions officers can look at your resume and accept you. I think society has done a good job with the heavy stress on grades. This stress is good stress.

 

[PaulinVA]

I think there must be a way to measure academic achievement. Grades can play an important role in academic achievement and scholastic aptitude. Of course, grades aren’t the only things that are important or what colleges/universities look at when they admit new students for the coming fall. The truth is, if you’re in high school and want to further your education, good grades are the way to prove and challenge yourself, so that the admissions officers can look at your resume and accept you. I think society has done a good job with the heavy stress on grades. This stress is good stress.

No, it is not good stress.

The emphasis on grades is causing people to check out of the academic rat race, is causing depression and anxiety disorders, and is making adolescence not so fun anymore.

The desperation the United States has in trying to fix our academic problems is resulting on more grade pressure, instead of lighting up and teaching subjects when more kids can be successful at them. Because several news organizations rate high schools based on IB and AP course enrollment, students are pressured to take these courses when they are not ready or qualified.

The stress is inflicted by the system and it is not healthy.