Reaction Article #9: Getting paid for Your A's

Name: Wendy Cheng (49712053)
Date: 12/05/2008
From: Time
My reactions:
There have been many high-school graduates who loan before starting their colorful college life lately. Parents are worried about their children’s future because their children are going to be in debt without having jobs.

However, in accordance with Kate Torgovnick in “Getting Paid for Your A’s,” she describes a website called Gradefund.com, which is launched by a Columbia Business School student and entrepreneur Michael Kopko. Gradefund.com can help top-performing students to ease off their loan crunch. As long as they upload their transcripts each semester, they can earn money if they get an A. Nevertheless, the way that Gradefund provide money is different from other common institutions. It makes students find their own sponsors such as relatives or friends and ask them for money whatever they want for each A. Besides, Gradefund also mails students a check if they reach $100 in donations. Although the website has caused some controversies, it still becomes popular in America now.

In my opinion, the website may indeed solve the problem that students are accumulating debt. But it can lead to some problems. For example, it may support rich students instead of students who really need money but they are not rich enough. In addition, it encourages students cheat in exams in order to get good grades. The method using in Gradefund is interesting and innovative: even so, it has much to improve. Maybe the government should do something to help students, future leaders of our society, study happier rather than worrying about their life. In conclusion, whether Gradefund.com is a wonderful website depends on how students use it properly. (266 words)