AnaElda Ramos | Managing Illustration Editor

Editor’s Note: A shortened version of this article appeared in print to accommodate space limitations. The full version is published below.

10 is for God, nine is for the professor, and eight is exceptional. The Dutch grading system is very different from that of American universities, where getting a six or seven out of 10 means a death sentence for your GPA. Instead, in the Netherlands, these are solid scores.

When I first received one of these grades, I was frustrated. Why would you have a grade scale where it is effectively impossible to receive the top two numbers? I thought this system was pointless and would make people disincentivized to work hard. But, as I have come to learn, it instead keeps people from working themselves to the bone.

In Dutch culture, you don’t have to do “the most.” Of course, not all students or workers in the Netherlands have the same view of how much effort is enough, but even in a short time here, I’ve noticed how their expectations and mindsets differ from ours in the United States. 

At university in the Netherlands, students attend class when it is mandatory and they study as much as they have time for. People are not only OK with a low score, but are often OK with failure, as retaking high-stakes exams or even full classes is normal. In their careers, people work when they are on the clock and rarely work overtime (granted, making a living wage makes this possible). In fact, many jobs are turning to four-day working weeks and the Netherlands has one of the shortest working weeks in the world.

Some people would perceive this behavior as “slacking,” and that can sometimes be true, but it doesn’t make Dutch people less intelligent. Most of my classmates at the University of Amsterdam (from various different countries) know more about world issues — and America — than any American I’ve ever met. This knowledge is in part a result of their education system, which teaches them about more than their own country and provides affordable higher education, but it is also because they value the knowledge more than the score they receive.

The students I’ve talked to spend time reading the news, engaging in activities they are interested in, and advocating for issues they are passionate about, rather than dedicating every waking hour to their studies. They learn in classes, but without the pressure of perfection, they also have the time to learn by doing. They don’t sacrifice their lives for their grades and make time to do what they are excited about.

The results of this mindset speak for themselves —the Netherlands is the fifth happiest country in the world. The Dutch’s interaction with and understanding of the world also translates into higher civic engagement, with an average voter turnout of 72.46%, significantly higher than many other countries, including the United States, which had an average voter turnout of 62.8% in the 2020 United States presidential elections.

The Dutch orientation stands in stark contrast to the culture of exceptionalism that I’m accustomed to in United States schools and workplaces, where we are expected to constantly work our hardest, do better than our best, and innovate. 

WashU is the perfect case study for this American exceptionalism: Students are undeniably hardworking and intelligent, but the pursuit of perfection can be debilitating. I don’t use the word “perfect” lightly. In a class last semester, we received our grades back for an essay and someone questioned why they got a 94 instead of a 100.

When we aren’t striving for perfect grades, we are involved in a laundry list of extracurriculars, jobs, and clubs. If you take a quick look at WashU students’ LinkedIns, you’ll see endless posts about their newest internship, award, or invention. At the same time, if you asked any WashU student about how they are feeling, the vast majority would probably include a variation of the word “overwhelmed.”

Seeing how Dutch students learn beyond the classroom showed me more than the obvious issues with American exceptionalism, i.e. being overworked; Americans’ ignorance about the world and tendency to stay in our comfort zones not only begins with what we are taught in our classrooms, but what we are taught to value and prioritize.

WashU students rarely take breaks, which not only harms our mental health, but also our interactions with our communities and the world. With so limited free time, students are less likely to escape the WashU bubble and learn beyond their classrooms or workplaces. Rather than interacting with the St. Louis community or reading the news, students will stick to their comfort zones and closest circles, like a WashU party or restaurant on the loop. 

Of course, there are drawbacks to going full throttle into the Dutch mindset. Our collective drive at WashU (and other American colleges) gives us a stronger community. We feel bonded by the college experience of working hard and spending our time together, on campus, and in WashU clubs and activities. Dutch universities are not valued like the American “college experience.” Instead, they are seen as a practical step that people complete in order to move onto the next stage in life. 

Rather than taking on one mindset or the other, we should take a balanced approach. Instead of striving to be exceptional at everything, we should pick and choose our battles. We can do our best to prioritize our studies and work, but not so much that we sacrifice the things that sustain and inspire us. Working hard should not come at the expense of learning and trying new things.

This approach is easier said than done; a true cultural change necessitates structural change and a large-scale change in mindset, but the current state of WashU (and America) makes this nearly impossible. Some people need to go above and beyond to remain in school or their job, or to survive. Maybe they need overtime to earn a living wage or get a good GPA to maintain their merit scholarship. Working “less hard” at WashU and other American colleges can also feel like a waste of tens of thousands of dollars, and makes it nearly impossible to retake a semester.

The Dutch grading system and working week are great examples of potential structural solutions to the American education and economic systems. WashU could take inspiration from the university system as well, such as allowing students to retake final exams or classes, or, thinking bigger, getting rid of a GPA scale. 

However, as the current state of the country and world limits these reforms, we can take personal steps to embrace a quasi-Dutch-American mindset without devaluing ourselves to American society. Take a pass-fail class each semester, whether it’s to explore a subject you are interested in but don’t have time to grind for, or to lighten your workload. Taking on as many extracurricular activities or internships as you can will not make or break your grad school or work application; quit at least one of the activities or jobs that you dislike. Try not to take on an extra obligation if it is something that you won’t enjoy. Use some of your free time to learn about current events, engage in your community, try new things, or visit a new place. 

American and WashU exceptionalism push us to constantly strive for perfection, leave us overwhelmed, and trap us in monotonous routines of work and study. We owe it to ourselves to take a break and pursue what we enjoy. We also owe it to our communities — and the world — to engage with them, rather than staying confined to our bubbles. The more we all embrace this mindset, the more we contribute to a culture that balances achievement with passion, knowledge, and joy.