What is a good student?

By Mathias Mihkel Frost Jakobsen, 11/28/2023

Some may believe that it is a high grade-point average that points to the answer, while others believe that it is your personal learning and how you act on the basis of the education you have received. There are also student jobs and volunteer work, which are important for getting your foot in the door to the job market afterwards. Is there room for a social life for a good student? Likely on the back burner. It is probably a very small population of the entire student pool in Denmark that reflects all the "hints" in response to the question of being a good student in reality.

The reality is that it's never just one piece of the puzzle that shows exactly what a good student is. The bigger picture of the whole puzzle, which we call the human being, gives us an idea of ability and competence. The big picture is hard to measure, but it has a clearer resonance than numbers or titles could ever achieve. So why do we choose to look at only one part of the picture? Why is it the grade-point average that is chosen to answer how we measure a good student?

When I graduated from high school, my grade point average was just below 6. Now, in my 5th semester of my Bachelor of Arts in English, my grade-point average is above 9 and I am very proud and happy about that, but that is not what has mattered to me. What has meant the most in my time as a student has been learning, my friends, fellow students and colleagues that I have worked and spent my time with, contributing to who I am and what I have achieved today. When you uplift a student like me and give them the opportunity to show their colours and abilities, you would be amazed at the potential that lies within each individual. Everyone deserves the opportunity to prove themselves to society, but should it be through the grade-point average?

At the University of Southern Denmark, they have recently decided to raise the grade-point average on most bachelor programs to a minimum of 7. The idea was that this would "maintain and further develop educational environments where talent and professionalism are strengthened and dropout rates are minimized". Is this how we measure students? At a time when we should be emphasizing diversity, well-being, unique perspectives and a wide range of capabilities, we are limiting ourselves by narrowly focusing on the GPA.

A great student is not just defined by numbers on a paper, but by their ability to think critically, collaborate, contribute to society and navigate the wider world. By creating an environment that values and fosters these attributes, we can cultivate great students, regardless of their GPA, who are ready to meet the challenges of the future and create positive change in society. Let's look beyond the grades and recognize the whole that makes up a great student. Let us look at the whole person.