Written by: Jessica Cooke

With five weeks left in the spring semester, it’s safe to say the final days are here, and students of every classification are ready to wrap up their papers, projects, presentations and exams to enjoy two months outside of the classroom.

Although the anticipation is rising, so is the question of how students’ performance this semester will affect next semester. Every semester is a preparation for the next step in one’s career, especially in regards to grade and content.

Some students believe that as long as their grades remain up to par, college will flow smoothly and graduation will roll around in no time. But some students fail to realize that content matters just as much as grades.

How can you expect to advance in a career path if you don’t gain the information needed for that career?

Of course as students continue to climb the academic ladder and take part in more challenging classes, the work becomes a whole different ball game that consists of a little more studying and a little less partying.

However, students also start focusing on the day they’re expected to graduate, and they begin to do only enough to meet standard requirements.

Yet content and grades work hand in hand. It’s important to absorb class material because anything presented by professors in class is sure to be of assistance to students in the workforce.

“As a college graduate and now in the work force, I can honestly say I don’t think I would’ve been well-prepared if I didn’t take advantage of the content in my classes,” Loren Binns, VSU alumnus, said.

 Enjoying social activities, experiences and relationships is part of the typical college life, but the primary reason for attending college is to achieve academic excellence and learn material that will allow students to acquire a great job in the career of their choice.

 Academic excellence and a promising career can be established through time management, focus, dedication and ambition; all VSU students were accepted due to the belief that those characteristics lie within them.

 So do students focus more on grades or content? They focus on both equally.

Although it’s an unconscious action, students make good grades in order to move forward, but they also have to grasp the content in order to make that grade. And once students grasp the content, it sticks.