1. Newman, Christine, et al. “Realities of Mentoring High School Students from Inner City Public Schools vs. Private Schools in STEM Research at an R1 University.” ASEE PEER Document Repository, 13 May 2019,

Background: This article explores a program called WISE that was implemented in public and private high schools in Virginia. Through this new program, students were able to get exposure to STEM before graduating and possibly pursuing a career in it. The article details the differences between the public and private school participants as well as the outcome of the program as a whole. 

How I Used It: This piece of writing was extremely useful in demonstrating that students who attend a private school do not have an advantage over those who do not. The results of the program showed equal success among both groups despite the private school students having many more resources. Also, this article demonstrated that the public school students had to work harder to perform at the level of their private school counterparts.

2. Strauss, Valerie. “The Problem with Teaching ‘Grit’ to Poor Kids? They Already Have It. Here’s What They Really Need.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 18 Apr. 2019, http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/05/10/the-problem-with-teaching-grit-to-poor-kids-they-already-have-it-heres-what-they-really-need/. 

Background: In this article, the topic of teaching grit to underprivileged students is addressed. This has been practiced in many low-income public schools across the country. The authors of the article explain that these kids already acquired grit through the challenges of their everyday lives and this type of counseling is a waste. 

How I Used It: I used this article to demonstrate the difference between grit in underprivileged children and privileged children. Those who grow up in less favorable conditions are forced to develop grit while those in favorable conditions never have to worry about these hardships. This helped prove that disadvantaged children end up being more motivated and have a leg upin the workforce. 

3. Cupitt, Cathy, and N. Golshan. “[PDF] Participation in Higher Education Online: Demographics, Motivators, and Grit: Semantic Scholar.” [PDF] Participation in Higher Education Online: Demographics, Motivators, and Grit | Semantic Scholar, 1 Jan. 1970, http://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Participation-in-higher-education-online:-and-grit-Cupitt-Golshan/2887cbbe91f91da12f8c67b44da3fc01009b0d56. 

Background: A survey of students at Curtin University showed that students who were not the first in their family to go to college were more likely to display grit. Also, their biological parent’s level of education directly correlated to their own grit.

How I Used It: I countered the argument this article makes by pointing out that second generation students don’t necessarily have grit rather the resources to attend college, such as money. The “grit” they are describing is simply the expectation that they will attend college like their parent(s). Meanwhile, first generation college students often have to overcome more to attend college.

4. Grant, Adam. “What Straight-A Students Get Wrong.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Dec. 2018, http://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/08/opinion/college-gpa-career-success.html. 

Background: Dr. Grant, organizational psychologist, explains in this article that good grades are only so beneficial. After your first year out of college there is almost no correlation between grades and job performance. The issue is that those who get good grades aren’t necessarily prepared for the workforce, they just know how to memorize information.

How I Used It: This article distinguishes the difference between success in school and success in the workforce. I used it to highlight how good grades actually translate to the real world. 

5. “The Effect of Taking Paid Employment During Term-Time on Students’ Academic Studies.” Taylor & Francis, http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03098770220129406?src=recsys. 

Background: This article discusses that more students than ever are working while in school. Despite having slightly lower grades, students report that working has aided them overall. These students are said to range from confidence to business and social skills. 

How I Used It: I used this article to show that straight A’s and perfect attendance won’t build the skills you need in the workplace  Although these students do believe their grades would be a little higher if they weren’t working, the benefits outweigh this. The small decrease in GPA won’t matter in the long run when you’ve earned real world experience through working.

6. Beth Arky is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer and editor covering parenting, health and children’s learning and developmental issues. “Help Kids Learn to Fail: Building Self-Esteem in Children.” Child Mind Institute, 29 June 2020, childmind.org/article/how-to-help-kids-learn-to-fail/. 

Background: Beth Arky with the Child Mind Institute explains how constantly helping your child to succeed is hurting them in the long run. At a young age, children need to learn how to accept failure. If they don’t do this, challenges in the future will be extremely hard to overcome 

How I Used It: I used this piece of evidence to support my claim that a more challenging educational career is setting a student up for success. Once the child learns how to handle failure they will be better prepared for the future in regards to college, work, and life in general. 

7. Giang, Vivian. “14 Things High Schoolers Should Know Before They Go To College.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 16 July 2013, http://www.businessinsider.com/what-young-people-should-know-before-going-to-college-2013-7. 

Background: Good grades in highschool and college doesn’t guarantee you’ll be a great employee. Often, the best employees did not thrive in the classroom because they go against the grain and think outside the box. 

How I Used It: I used this article to explain the difference between a good employee and a great employee. The employees who are “people pleasers” often did very well in the classroom. Once they enter the workforce, these individuals don’t have the ability to go above and beyond

8. “The NCES Fast Facts Tool Provides Quick Answers to Many Education Questions (National Center for Education Statistics).” National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Home Page, a Part of the U.S. Department of Education, nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=84.

Background: This website offers statistics about educational institutions in the US. The focus of this page was the number of high schoolers that graduate each year/ the number of high schools in the country. 

How I Used It: For the purpose of my argument, I focused on the number of valedictorians and salutatorians that graduate each year. This demonstrates the point that although being in the top of the class is an accomplishment in highschool, when applying for a job there will be plenty of others with the same accomplishments. 

9. Karantzas, Myra “Gifted and Talented Students Will Succeed Anyway, Won’t They? Helping the students you might think don’t need any help.” Agora; 2019, Vol. 54 Issue 2, p49-52, 4p https://web-a-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.rowan.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=7262035e-e731-4d5a-b694-54f69efdb2b5%40sessionmgr4008&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=139131596&db=eue

Background: This article talks about how gifted and talented students often get overlooked by administrators simply because they’re viewed as self sufficient. The less academically gifted children are often focused on and given the most guidance. This can lead to emotional issues for the GT students.

How I Used It: This article was a great indication of how being a star student can have adverse effects. It’s reasonable to say that this lack of support from teachers would lead to low self esteem. This source helped solidify some of my claims about a rigorous educational track taking a negative toll on students. 

10.  “Figure 2—Source Data 1. Distribution of Edu + and EdU- Spermatocytes at the First Prophase 40 Hr after EdU and CisPt Injection.” doi:10.7554/elife.42511.004

Background: This paper discusses some of the flaws within the education system. For example, grit is often taught in the classroom like any other lesson. This is said to be ineffective since grit essentially cannot be taught.

How I Used It: This piece was very helpful in defining what is and isn’t grit. It’s important, for the purpose of this argument, to acknowledge that students cannot learn grit rather acquire it through experiences 

11.  Sharon Field, Mary D. Sarver. “Self-Determination: A Key to Success in Postsecondary Education for Students with Learning Disabilities – Sharon Field, Mary D. Sarver, Stan F. Shaw, 2003.” SAGE Journals, 1 Jan. 1997,

Background: This piece of writing focuses on students with disabilities and their educational journeys. There are different methods of teaching. Some of which are more effective for students with disabilities and vice versa. Overall, students with disabilities exhibit more determination than other students. 

How I Used It: I focused on the portion of the article that discussed grit in students with disabilities. Studies show that these students exhibit much more self motivation in order to achieve good grades. This helps demonstrate how those who face adversity are far more likely to be “gritty” than those who don’t

12.  Beshara, Tony. Unbeatable Résumés: America’s Top Recruiter Reveals What Really Gets You Hired. American Management Association, 2011. 

Background: This book covers the do’s and don’ts of applying for jobs. The author covers what employers look for in their applicants and how to get the job every time. Most importantly, the unlikely assets that will stand out on a resume. How I Used It: The section of this book that was the most useful for me was the input from real bosses and employers. For the sake of my argument, it was important to have evidence straight from the corporate world. The interviews conducted in the book justified my stance on how little importance grades have during the hiring process.