Being Introverted Doesn’t Mean That You’re Worse At School

by Hilary Htun

30-50% of the population is made up of introverts, meaning that at least 1 out of 3 people are likely to fit in that category. In general however, introverts are often misunderstood and involved in negative stereotypes. Examples of this would include being alone, antisocial, shy, pessimistic, and unemotional, among other things. Sometimes it’s even considered to be a mark of shame. But the one misconception that I’ve found the most surprising was that introverts are bad at academics.

I define Introversion and extraversion not by how shy someone is, but by how stimulated someone prefers to be, with extroverts liking more stimulation and introverts liking less. The misconception with academics comes from our modern classroom environment, where desks tend to be arranged in groups and classroom participation is emphasized. In classrooms made to be suited for extroverted students teachers often report that an ideal student would be more extroverted. The constant praise of participating can easily be misleading to students—believing that only when you are more involved, is when a person goes farther academically. This mindset is one of the reasons why the stereotype is common.

Susan Cain, a former lawyer and author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in A World That Can’t Stop Talking, described several flaws in the school system during an interview with David Cutler, a highschool history teacher and writer. One of these flaws included the misconception that introverts make bad leaders. “There’s an expectation that everybody should be a leader...Why does everyone have to be a leader, exactly? I don’t think we’re designed that way. I think if you look at many of the great thought leaders and political leaders in history, they were not the ones who were leaders in the classroom.” An example Cain gave of this is Mahatma Gandhi, known for his activism and actions which led to movements for civil rights and freedom during the British rule in India. He would run home from school everyday because of his reservation. Regardless, Gandhi became a leader figure when it was required, despite not being a “natural leader,” which further proves the point that introverts can be leaders despite not being a leader in class.

Furthermore, a study by The Gifted Development Center shows that 60% of gifted children are introverted, with 75% of highly gifted students also being introverted. Some studies show that introverts can be better than extroverts at taking standardized tests as well. "Parents of extroverts have told me [those students] never actually learn to work alone, so when the time comes to take tests, they have trouble," said Cain.

Overall, introverts aren’t “bad at academics.” They can make good leaders, and are only perceived as lagging behind because of the classroom environment. However, these facts do not mean that being extroverted makes you worse at school. Introverts are just more unwelcomed when it comes to being “normal” in social and school situations, and they should be shown or at least reminded that it’s completely okay to not want to talk sometimes.