The difference is that the grade game can lead to positive life outcomes. People who do really well in school, all else being equal, tend to do better in life.

The difference is that the grade game can lead to positive life outcomes. People who do really well in school, all else being equal, tend to do better in life. Of course, all else is rarely equal and people who spend all their time studying tend to have a difficult time making friends. How that affects them in the long run is difficult to say. Very few people continue to take courses throughout their lives. At some point the grades game comes to an end.