---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To many, achievement meant high grades in…"
description: "\"“To many, achievement meant high grades in every class. This idea had to be challenged. “What does getting an A really mean?”\" — Starr Sackstein"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/starr-sackstein-76366_success_to-many-achievement-meant-high-grades-in_1071704.jpg"
---

#  To many, achievement meant high grades in every class…

![“To many, achievement meant high grades in every class. This idea had to be challenged. “What does getting an A really mean?” quote by Starr Sackstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/starr-sackstein-76366_success_to-many-achievement-meant-high-grades-in_1071704.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/starr-sackstein-76366_success_to-many-achievement-meant-high-grades-in_1071704.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/starr-sackstein-76366_success_to-many-achievement-meant-high-grades-in_1071704.jpg)

> ““To many, achievement meant high grades in every class. This idea had to be challenged. “What does getting an A really mean?””

Starr Sackstein

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Achievement is often reduced to grades, but true learning is deeper than scores.

**In simple terms:** Grades aren't the whole story of learning.

Key Takeaway

Value learning over numeric validation.

Themes

education achievement meaning

Mood

critical inquisitive

Type

educational philosophical

When to use this quote

- school
- personal development
- career planning

Key Concepts

grade inflation intrinsic motivation assessment

Questions to Reflect On

- What does an “A” truly represent for you?
- How can you measure learning beyond grades?

A Different Perspective

Grades still influence opportunities despite critique.

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[Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/)

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> [I come from a place when people get high grades get low and if yo have a secret everybody knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/i-come-from-a-place-when-people-get-high-grades-get-low-and-if-yo/)

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[Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/)

> [I come from a place where people get high, the grades get low and if someone has a secret everybody knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/i-come-from-a-place-where-people-get-high-the-grades-get-low-and-if/)

[Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/)

> [How many more years will our educators continue to lecture us on the evils of whipping children until they bring home high grades? Year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/how-many-more-years-will-our-educators-continue-to-lecture-us-on-the/)

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> [In schools where parent involvement is greater, you do have higher achievement levels and better functioning, better performing schools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/in-schools-where-parent-involvement-is-greater-you-do-have-higher/)

[Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/)

> [Theories are more common than achievements in the history of education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-livingstone/theories-are-more-common-than-achievements-in-the-history-of-education/)

[Richard Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-livingstone/)

> [Our students wanted to know everything: but only the newest theory seemed to them worth bothering with. Knowing nothing of the intellectual achievements of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-levi-strauss/our-students-wanted-to-know-everything-but-only-the-newest-theory/)

[Claude Levi-Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-levi-strauss/)

> [“At least when he was at Aglionby he could turn over his papers to see the grades, concrete proof of his success at something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/at-least-when-he-was-at-aglionby-he-could-turn-over-his-papers-to-see/)

[Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/)

> [No creature can attain a higher grade of nature without ceasing to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ananda-coomaraswamy/no-creature-can-attain-a-higher-grade-of-nature-without-ceasing-to/)

[Ananda Coomaraswamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ananda-coomaraswamy/)

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[Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/)

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## More by Starr Sackstein

> [“Averaged scores say very little about actual learning: any number of students can earn a B for many different combinations of reasons. A gifted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/starr-sackstein/averaged-scores-say-very-little-about-actual-learning-any-number-of/)

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> [“Assessment must be a conversation, a narrative that enhances students’ understanding of what they know, what they can do, and what needs further work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/starr-sackstein/assessment-must-be-a-conversation-a-narrative-that-enhances-students/)

Starr Sackstein

Explore all 3 Starr Sackstein quotes

## More Achievement quotes

> [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/)

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> [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/)

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[Roger Deakins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-deakins/)

[Browse all 3,867 Achievement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/)

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