just procrastinating

Wednesday, April 28, 2004

Grade Inflation Again
So Princeton is deciding to ration the number of A's that they give.
PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) Princeton University faculty has approved a plan to combat rising grades by limiting the number of A's it awards to undergraduates.

The faculty on Monday voted 156 to 84 to implement the plan. Princeton is the first college or university to formally buck a nationwide trend of grade inflation by rationing A's, said Dean of the College Nancy Weiss Malkiel, who authored the plan.

Under the guidelines, which go into effect in the fall for Princeton's 4,600 undergraduates, faculty are expected to restrict the number of A's to 35 percent in undergraduate courses; for junior and senior independent work, the percentage receiving A's will be capped at 55 percent.
The 35% number sounds pretty fair, but 55% sounds kind of silly. I know if you get into an Ivy league school you are probably pretty smart (and your parents are probably pretty stupid for paying that kind of tuition) so they most likely should get more A's. But if 55% of the class gets them, what is the point? I thought a C meant "average".


 
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