Originally posted by Cataholic
I think good grades mean you pay attention, can memorize (if not actually learn), are in school most of the time, do well on tests, etc. BUT, they are not the indication of future life champions...
Well, I'd say it's more complicated than that. A good grade in a well-taught class generally means the student has learned something. If the teacher is lazy, or "teaching to tests" because of political pressure placed on the school and faculty, a good grade may not mean much at all.

Also, good grades may indicate more about future success if the student has to work to get the grades. "A"s may not be much of a success predictor for a kid with a 150 IQ who can pass a final exam after sleeping through class the entire term. But where a student has to employ good work habits to get high grades, those habits tend to carry over into the real world.