Are Mediocre 5th Graders Likely to Retire Comfortably at Age 40?

The Kid, Mrs MM and I are totally amused by this American television program called “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” Besides the fact that some of the questions are completely American biased, like the first names of American Presidents, we seem to do reasonably well as couch contestants. So it was rather amusing that I found my 4th, 5th and 6th grade report cards and realized I wasn’t even a “smart” 5th grader! With grades averaging in the low to mid-80’s, otherwise labeled “Satisfactory,” I was probably ranked close to the middle of a class of say 35-40 students at a local Catholic school I attended for 3 years until my parents figured out it was a potentially disastrous choice… I told the Kid I found my report cards from this school were “Fathers” could whack you with a ruler if they wanted (new laws on child abuse were to take effect only 20 years later) and she was just dying to see my scores. I think impressionable young minds always look up to older role models, and often assume older folks did well in school… But the reality is I think grades in primary school are a poor predictor of eventual success in life…
53 Comments Send this post to a friend






