Grades vs Education

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The emphasis students put on grades reflect the emphasis the society puts on grades. Try getting a scholarship with bad grades, you probably won't even make it to university. If you don't have good grades you won't get into universities, grad schools, professional schools, etc. etc. And it's really hard to compete for opportunities within your program if you do not have good grades. Every single job interview I've had that is even slightly related to my studies, they've asked for my transcript. And that's the first thing they want to talk about at the interview. I've been a student my entire life and yes I put a lot of emphasis on my grades but that's not to say that I like doing that. I like to learn, I don't like to feel like I need to perform a specific way to a specific level to be allowed to stay in the game, but that's what reality is.

Also about science students not having lab experience, you really cannot fault students for that. There are a lot of students in science programs and universities only give them basic lab courses in their first and second years, many techniques they don't learn until they get higher up or get a gig in a lab. But if you haven't done some sort of research project after your second year, your resume is going to look horrible, so this is the time you go out and get something despite having no experience in it. But it's not possible to expect 100% of the students to get these sort of opportunities, usually those that do are those with good grades or good connections. And not every science student likes research or lab work, there's plenty you can do in science that isn't related to lab work. Universities are failing in this department, if they are truly there to provide education then why do students have to venture out and find other ways to learn? Universities are there so we can earn our qualifications, it's no longer about education, education is something that you have to take care of on your own time.