Grade inflation is a phenomenon that occurs in many university settings in which the number of higher grades assigned to students continues to rise. Grade inflation, which has resulted in higher grade point averages, is most common in humanities courses. Grade inflation is less common in science and math classes, but there are small increases or surveys of courses where material has been watered down to allow more students to achieve a higher grade.
In the years 1991-1992, for example, a survey of numerous private schools revealed that the average grade point average (GPA) was 3.11, slightly higher than the B average. After ten years, the GPA had increased to 3.26. Similar findings can be found at a number of public universities.
Some universities have expressed concern about what they perceive to be grade inflation and have implemented policies to try to prevent it. In some cases, policies such as limiting As to no more than 25% of the class or reintroducing curve grading have helped to reduce grade inflation. However, many universities continue to improve their grades, particularly private universities such as Harvard, Princeton, and Dartmouth.
Many students believe that lower grades can harm their chances of finding work after graduation, especially if they attend a university where grade inflation is minimal. It’s difficult to compete with a near-straight-A student from a university where grade inflation has been documented, especially if one’s grades are lower. Some argue that grade inflation gives certain students an unfair advantage when applying for jobs or graduate schools.
Furthermore, when it comes to earning merit scholarships, a student’s performance in school may be harmed grade inflation, or, more recently, grade deflation policies. When it comes to grades, students may have a “consumer” mindset. They may have the expectation that because they paid a large sum of money to attend college, they will receive good grades. They are paying for a product, and they expect to receive all of its benefits. They will not be successful in the marketplace if they have low grades.
There have been some attempts to demonstrate that grade inflation is a natural result of superior students. It is true that universities have become more competitive in general. Some of the above-mentioned private universities are unlikely to accept students with a grade point average of less than 4.0. Due to the high level of competition for Ivy League schools, these schools get to choose the “best of the bunch,” and thus may have a higher number of high-achieving students.
Nonetheless, grade inflation has impacted a number of universities, some of which have less stringent admissions requirements. There is little evidence that today’s students are better educated than those who graduated ten years ago. In fact, some evidence suggests the opposite. As a result, a steady rise in GPA cannot be attributed solely to higher-quality students.
Some schools have shown no evidence of grade inflation, which is a contributing factor. Uniform grade inflation across all colleges would mean that all students would be competing with each other for admission to top schools and jobs. Certain schools, on the other hand, have a history of grading standards that haven’t changed much over time. Iowa State University, Purdue University, University of California-Irvine, and Washington State University are among them.
Many people blame the difficulty in establishing consistent grading standards on the highly subjective nature of grades, especially in humanities classes. Even if there are standards in place, individual teachers are likely to grade essays in a variety of ways. Some universities have had a non-grading policy in the past to achieve this goal. Students at the University of California-Santa Cruz were not graded until recently, and instead received credit or no credit for their work.
However, because so many scholarships are based on a verifiable grade point average, this system was abolished a few years ago. While universities try to combat grade inflation, students are left to reap the benefits or suffer the consequences of their efforts. Their grades may reflect either too harsh or too soft grading practices.