MARKS AND SUCCESS IN LIFE.

A very general fallacy among undergraduates is that the A men of the Law School are not, for the most part, those who have achieved distinction in studies while in College, but rather those who, either through indolence or because-they were engaged in other activities, averaged a C, or thereabouts, in their courses. A committee of the Faculty has recently submitted a statistical report, which effectively explodes this prevalent undergraduate delusion.

Upon examination of the records of the Harvard alumni who graduated from the Law School during the past twelve years, it was found that of those who received the simple A.B. seven per cent. attained the grade of A in the Law School; of A.B.'s cum laude, 20 per cent.; of A.B.'s magna cum laude, 40 per cent.; and of A.B.'s summa cum laude, 57 per cent. These figures become more impressive when it is added that of the 30 who received the simple A.B. and who graduated from the Law School with the grade of A, eight had entered College in their Senior year, and hence could not graduate cum laude. Deducting them, the percentage drops from seven to 5.6; and of all the 30 men, only one had an average in College of less than C. In short, that frequently heard creation of undergraduate fancy, the collegian of low grade who does A work in the Law School, has materialized just once in the past twelve years.

It is the concensus of opinion that rank in the Law School does indicate future success, and these figures show that such rank varies in proportion to rank in College. If this conclusion, namely, that high grade in studies while in College is a direct indication of later success, were firmly impressed upon the undergraduate body, it would do much to restore studies to the place that they should logically occupy in a College man's life.