Einstein’s bad exam results

For any teenager, receiving Highers results can seem like a defining moment – five As and the path to happiness is secure; three Ds and a “no award” and only a life of misery awaits. However, be assured that neither statement is true.

Those who have done well can still find university or the workplace, which both may require a greater ability to think for yourself, a challenging experience. And anyone who hasn’t done as well as they’d hoped should take heart from the numerous older people who have gone on to achieve a fulfilling life despite doing badly in their exams. No one’s fate is set in stone at the age of 16 or 17. Even that most celebrated of geniuses, Albert Einstein, left school without the expected qualification and then initially failed the entrance exam to study at the prestigious ETH Zurich university. Once finally admitted, he appeared to be an “average student” and later struggled to find a job.

The path of life is smooth for only a lucky few. For most, it consists of a succession of obstacles to be overcome. The trick is not to be daunted and to find a way to enjoy the struggle, to fight the good fight.