Grades: What are the Causes that Bring it Down?

By Michael Kang


A student's grade, along with gpa, is allowed freedom to fluctuate, in either direction. But what causes grades to drop when students may just as well be studying with the many free times he or she has?

According to the Milwaukee School of Engineering's website, there are many factors that effect grades and some are more obvious than others. Along with common belief, stress is, yet again, a key component to grades. According to research done by the University of Minnesota, "Students who reported a minimum of eight sources of emotional stress possessed an average GPA nearly .6 lower than those who did not." Binge drinking is also said to have affects where those "[s]tudents who drank excessively at least once in the previous two weeks had, on average, a GPA nearly .3 lower than those who did not." Although some may say that it is obvious that those who drink recklessly will have negative side affects, there is one situation that I believe not too many people know about. The University of Minnesota's researchers also noticed that "[students who looked at screens], [w]hether it be the television, videogames, or computer time, reported spending four or more hours in front of a screen had an average GPA over .25 points lower than students who spent an hour a day in front of a screen."

Unfortunately, with technology growing day by day, creating less "screen time" is becoming more difficult. Universities nation wide are relying more on the use of computer submitted assignments and tests, along with email being the primary means of communication.