A
How good are grades as a method of evaluation if almost everyone’s GPA is the same? This is where the problem lies. Grade inflation is the term given to the trend in some universities where higher grades are being given to less deserving students. The problem began in the early 1970s when maintaining good grades in college meant an exemption from the Vietnam draft. Professors didn’t want to feel responsible for sending young men into war, especially since college campuses were popular sites of anti-war protest. The letter grade C became rare while the F was actually banned at places like Stanford University in California, and Brown University in Rhode Island.
Today, grades are hardly a matter of life and death, but they can mean the difference between a good job and a great career. This is why it is important to differentiate excellent students from aver-age ones. Charles Rooney of the National Center for Fair and Open Testing feels that in the coming years good grades may not carry as much weight as before. “Whereas 10 percent of a class used to receive an A, now 40 percent is normal. The A has lost its meaning.”
When Donna LaBella began her college career at Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, three years ago, she expected it to be the greatest challenge off her life. Before long, Donna realized that the easiest road to a high GPA is by selecting classes taught by “generous” professors. “Course selection is just as significant as the final exam week in the outcome of your grade. By my sophomore year, I knew which instructors to avoid and I ended up with a perfect 4.0 without actually learning much.”
Professor William Cole of Harvard once said, “Grade inflation rewards mediocrity and discourages excellence.” Though different opinions may exist, one thing about grades is certain: As grades get higher and higher they will have less and less meaning.