How much do grades really matter?

It's 9 o'clock. You hear music playing in your son's room. You know there is a project due and you're pretty sure he hasn't spent a whole lot - if any - time on it. You're calculating his current grade in the class in your head since he clearly isn't. He's a sophomore. You're thinking If he can't work independently now and can't get this done, what will he do in college? Should I knock on his door and see what he's doing? I've reminded him twice already. What if his grade tanks? Can he afford a B in this class?

How important are grades in the college admission decision?

State colleges tend to give greater weight to grades than private colleges. The most competitive private colleges each have their own rubric (as do all schools) where all grades, including standardized test scores, account for 30% or so of the overall weight of the applicant's file. Each school is a bit different, of course, but this is a good rule of thumb for those most competitive schools. State colleges use test scores for 50% or so of the file's weight, and in some states there is a formula where GPA, SAT/ACT score, etc. can be plugged in and acceptance status can be determined automatically (there is usually a variance between in-state and out-of-state applicants in these instances).

So yes, grades do matter. But so does learning the consequences of not working hard and not earning an A, or a B. There may be more long-term gain from one C on a project. Your son (or daughter) may learn that hard work is needed to earn the grades they want.  This is a lesson better learned early on.