--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I went to a public school through sixth…" description: "\"I went to a public school through sixth grade, and being good at tests wasn't cool.\" — Bill Gates" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/934/bill-gates-137_being_i-went-to-a-public-school-through-sixth_2491489.jpg" --- # I went to a public school through sixth grade, and being… ![“I went to a public school through sixth grade, and being good at tests wasn't cool.” quote by Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/934/bill-gates-137_being_i-went-to-a-public-school-through-sixth_2491489.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/934/bill-gates-137_being_i-went-to-a-public-school-through-sixth_2491489.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/934/bill-gates-137_being_i-went-to-a-public-school-through-sixth_2491489.jpg) > “I went to a public school through sixth grade, and being good at tests wasn't cool.” [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Academic achievement was valued over social coolness, highlighting differing school priorities. **In simple terms:** Being good at tests wasn't cool. Key Takeaway Recognize diverse strengths beyond grades. Themes education social dynamics selfesteem Mood reflective thoughtful Type observational analytical When to use this quote - school environment - student interactions Key Concepts peer pressure identity formation Questions to Reflect On - How do you define "cool" in academic settings? - What other qualities can be valued in school? A Different Perspective Social acceptance may depend on traits beyond academic performance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Cool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cool/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-tests-968130/) [Public school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-school/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Sixth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-sixth-968129/) [Sixth grade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sixth-grade/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) [Tests Wasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests-wasn-968128/) ## Related quotes > [I was at a public school until I was in sixth grade when I moved to New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sami-gayle/i-was-at-a-public-school-until-i-was-in-sixth-grade-when-i-moved-to/) [Sami Gayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sami-gayle/) > [In sixth grade, I went to a very good private school, and I did learn there. I learned how to read and write. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/in-sixth-grade-i-went-to-a-very-good-private-school-and-i-did-learn/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [Good tests kill flawed theories; we remain alive to guess again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/good-tests-kill-flawed-theories-we-remain-alive-to-guess-again/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [“Tests were fine and good. Tests were important. Tests were like rehearsal. But all that really matters is what happens when the audience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/tests-were-fine-and-good-tests-were-important-tests-were-like/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [The attempt is that we want to get a couple of minutes under our belt, depending on how good the tests are and take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-mcfarlane/the-attempt-is-that-we-want-to-get-a-couple-of-minutes-under-our-belt/) [Todd McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-mcfarlane/) > [I left the school sixth form after the first day because they wouldn't let me wear jeans and I couldn't go home and ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/i-left-the-school-sixth-form-after-the-first-day-because-they-wouldn/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [“Under the best of circumstances, middle school is a sixth-circle-of-hell situation, sandwiched somewhere between flaming tombs and flesh-eating harpies. It's the kind of situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-wasserman/under-the-best-of-circumstances-middle-school-is-a-sixth-circle-of/) [Robin Wasserman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-wasserman/) > [With demands for special education or standardized test prep being shouted in their ears, public schools can't always hear a parent when he says:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/with-demands-for-special-education-or-standardized-test-prep-being/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [Apparently almost anyone can do a better job of educating children than our so-called 'educators' in the public schools. Children who are home-schooled by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/apparently-almost-anyone-can-do-a-better-job-of-educating-children/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [As you get to the end of the project you want to run all the tests cases against one version and make sure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/as-you-get-to-the-end-of-the-project-you-want-to-run-all-the-tests/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Kids should be taught about sex, sex hygiene and contraceptive methods starting in the sixth grade, and whenever they want to try it, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/kids-should-be-taught-about-sex-sex-hygiene-and-contraceptive-methods/) [Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/) > [My family - my mother and father had gone through such a hard time that by the time I graduated from sixth grade, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-bridges/my-family-my-mother-and-father-had-gone-through-such-a-hard-time-that/) [Ruby Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-bridges/) > [I do recall loving 'All Quiet on the Western Front,' and I know I read it in a schoolroom, but I think I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-do-recall-loving-all-quiet-on-the-western-front-and-i-know-i-read/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [My first dunk was actually in sixth grade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-carter/my-first-dunk-was-actually-in-sixth-grade/) [Vince Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-carter/) > [Everybody either wanted to take care of me or push me around, you know? I was teased a lot, sure I was, of course.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-hunt/everybody-either-wanted-to-take-care-of-me-or-push-me-around-you-know/) [Linda Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-hunt/) ## More by Bill Gates > [If you’re a person struggling to eat and stay healthy you might have heard about Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali, but you’ll never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-re-a-person-struggling-to-eat-and-stay-healthy-you-might-have/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I really had a lot of dreams when I was a kid, and I think a great deal of that grew out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-really-had-a-lot-of-dreams-when-i-was-a-kid-and-i-think-a-great/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Understanding science and pushing the boundaries of science is what makes me immensely satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/understanding-science-and-pushing-the-boundaries-of-science-is-what/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [We're focused on providing innovations in software, driving the continuous improvement for a much better experience, and there's a lot going on here that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-re-focused-on-providing-innovations-in-software-driving-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Paper is no longer a big part of my day. I get 90% of my news online, and when I go to a meeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/paper-is-no-longer-a-big-part-of-my-day-i-get-90-of-my-news-online/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Software will get to be somewhat more mature, ah, but it will never be as predictable as most areas of engineering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/software-will-get-to-be-somewhat-more-mature-ah-but-it-will-never-be/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Students deserve great teachers. And teachers deserve the support they need to become great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/students-deserve-great-teachers-and-teachers-deserve-the-support-they/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The machines need to get faster. They need to get cheaper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-machines-need-to-get-faster-they-need-to-get-cheaper/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Over time, yes, countries will need to look at specific GMO products like they look at drugs today, where they don't approve them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/over-time-yes-countries-will-need-to-look-at-specific-gmo-products/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Competition is always a fantastic thing, and the computer industry is intensely competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/competition-is-always-a-fantastic-thing-and-the-computer-industry-is/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I don't think there's anything unique about human intellience. All the nuerons in the brain that make up perceptions and emotions operate in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-unique-about-human-intellience-all-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [At every juncture, advanced tools have been the key to a new wave of applications, and each wave of applications has been key to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/at-every-juncture-advanced-tools-have-been-the-key-to-a-new-wave-of/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Software is more important than hardware.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/software-is-more-important-than-hardware/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Talking to mothers, always brings it home because they're so anxious to do everything they can for their kids and so tragic for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/talking-to-mothers-always-brings-it-home-because-they-re-so-anxious/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) [Explore all 1,165 Bill Gates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) ## More Being quotes > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I love being in Malibu. It's so cool there, and the water is just, it's nice and, and I love the beach. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-evancho/i-love-being-in-malibu-it-s-so-cool-there-and-the-water-is-just-it-s/) [Jackie Evancho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-evancho/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [I love to fish. I love the peacefulness of being around the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evonne-goolagong-cawley/i-love-to-fish-i-love-the-peacefulness-of-being-around-the-water/) [Evonne Goolagong Cawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evonne-goolagong-cawley/) > [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [Being a new mother is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phaedra-parks/being-a-new-mother-is-a-blessing/) [Phaedra Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phaedra-parks/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Having small children and being an investigative reporter would seem like a difficult mix, but it worked well for me. I was often working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/having-small-children-and-being-an-investigative-reporter-would-seem/) [Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [We should not live in fear, we should all enjoy being able to express our views freely and openly, challenge each other on issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/we-should-not-live-in-fear-we-should-all-enjoy-being-able-to-express/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) [Browse all 18,139 Being quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I went to a public school through sixth grade, and being good at tests wasn't cool.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Gates" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-went-to-a-public-school-through-sixth-grade-and-being-good-at-tests/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-went-to-a-public-school-through-sixth-grade-and-being-good-at-tests/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/934/bill-gates-137_being_i-went-to-a-public-school-through-sixth_2491489.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/934/bill-gates-137_being_i-went-to-a-public-school-through-sixth_2491489.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/934/bill-gates-137_being_i-went-to-a-public-school-through-sixth_2491489.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I went to a public school through sixth grade, and being good at tests wasn't cool.” — Bill Gates", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bill Gates", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I went to a public school...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-went-to-a-public-school-through-sixth-grade-and-being-good-at-tests/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-went-to-a-public-school-through-sixth-grade-and-being-good-at-tests/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```