Good Grades = Longer Life

Speaking of knowledge, here's another interesting study.  This one links health to GPA.

From the NYT...

Do straight-A students live longer? 

Researchers have long known that education and good health are inextricably linked. Numerous studies have found that people with more years of schooling and higher education enjoy better health, over all, than those with less. But in a fascinating new report, investigators found that it is not just the number of degrees or years of education that make a difference, but another factor — class rank. 

“Even among those who each had 12 years of education, the person who performed better had better health,” she said. “That’s new.”

She’s convinced there’s something about the actual mastering of academic material that’s vital — not the algebra and United States history per se, but the process of developing critical thinking skills and improving cognitive function.  “The people who do better in high school — they learn more, they’re more engaged, they’re active learners, and that probably plays out across people’s lives,” Dr. Herd said. “They may have actually potentially learned how to learn more effectively, and that could affect things like how much you keep up with the latest innovations on how to improve your health, both medically and through your behavior.”

Whew! I'm glad the link is based on high school grades and not college.