Competition is a part of life that cant be avoided. Even when we dont realize we are doing it, we all try our hardest at what we do often trying to rise above everyone else. Often on the school level many types of competition are nurtured and encouraged. From very young ages little children are put in sports programs and music lessons and are asked to perform their very best. A competition to achieve high-grade marks is also placed upon children and this competition lasts the individuals entire career as a student. Competition for grades is a healthy almost necessary influence on students.
No practice, however, is perfect or works for everyone. Some students will feel unnecessary pressure on themselves because of the responsibilities placed on them, and some students just dont perform well under pressure. If students are not working up to their potential either because of pressure or because they just dont have the ability to, it will be easy for them to become frustrated. And competition for grades in some cases could lead to an unchristian attitude just like bad attitudes and unsportsman like conduct show up in many other types of competition.
The practice of striving for the best grades does have many valid points in its favor as well. Competing for grades will force a student to make use of their talents. Without a goal or incentive most students will become apathetic and not see any reason to try in school. With this happening the students wont try, therefore, they wont learn. So with competition in grades also come benefits for the students that do well and rise to the top of their respective classes. When a student does well he can get college grants or even gets all of his further education paid for.
When students do well it also helps colleges pick the students that will do the best in their field. Working hard to get the best grades also prepares students to compete for jobs when they leave school. The students grades also help the job they are applying for pick the best person for the job. With no grades it would be difficult for employers to realize who is best qualified for the job. When students compete for grades it helps students prepare for the rigors of the job market, it also enables employers to choose employees who are best suited to do the job and best serve society.
Striving for the best grades is healthy for students and its an almost necessary practice. It gives students and incentive to use their God given talents and then it gives them the opportunity to reap the benefits of their hard work. It also prepares students and employers alike to provide a job market most suitable to help everyone involved. Looking at all this we see that competition follows us from little on and stays with us our whole life.