“Grade Inflation” May Be Too Much of A Good Thing

Who could have ever guessed that getting good grades could be a bad thing? Well, actually, it isn’t—the problem is that so many students are getting excellent grades, college admission boards are having trouble using them as a “measuring stick for applicants.” The recent trend is called grade inflation, which refers to the gradually rising GPAs nationwide. The graph below shows the rise in GPA over time in a representative set of public and private universities (from www.gradeinflation.com).

What is causing it? A valid question to ask is whether teachers and schools have relaxed their standards (and awarding undeserved high marks), or if high school students are really improving academically. But, the bottom line is that students applying to college may have to revise their strategy to make sure they stand out in the applicant pool.

The End of Traditional Academics

This is just another nail in the coffin of what you might call “traditional academics,” where getting into college used to be as easy as getting good grades. Now colleges seek well-rounded applicants who, in addition to academic excellence, exhibit other qualities such as community involvement, special talents, volunteer work, and extra-curricular activities. More and more, colleges are phrasing admissions decisions as “What can this student bring to the learning environment?” rather than just “Can he or she learn and perform well on tests?” Often the admissions essays are an opportunity for applicants to shine, and to show all the facets of their personality. While a well-written essay has always been of value, as traditional measures like grades mean less to admissions committees, essays will be weighed more heavily in decisions. This also holds true for letters of recommendation. Admissions committees facing tough choices may turn to what was said by other educators to “make or break” the decision. Standardized test scores, such as the SAT and ACT, might also assume more weight, so prepping for these tests is essential.

Why Might Grade Inflation Be Occurring?

Many high schools, including the one I attended, awarded extra GPA points for Advanced Placement (AP) courses. As AP classes have become more prevalent, and more students are taking them, GPAs on average will rise.

“Extra credit for AP courses, parental lobbying and genuine hard work by the most competitive students have combined to shatter any semblance of a Bell curve, one in which ‘A’s are reserved only for the very best. For example, of the 47,317 applications the University of California, Los Angeles, received for this fall’s freshman class, nearly 21,000 had GPAs of 4.0 or above.”

Honestly, I believe that grade inflation is also the result of:

1) Parents and students realizing the immense competition for college, and investing more time in studying and more money in tutors,

and

2) Teachers and high school officials being put under pressure not only to help students be competitive for college, but to make the grade for federal incentives (e.g. No Child Left Behind).

One way to tell if students deserve the inflated grades is to compare academic grades with objective test scores. Teachers are rarely 100% objective, as they work with the students on a daily basis. Standardized tests like the ACT and SAT, on the other hand, are purely objective tests of the student’s comprehension. Although test scores have also increased over time, GPAs have risen higher and at a much faster rate than standardized test scores. This suggests that the inflation is not merely due to an increase in academic excellence.

The Bottom Line?

Having good grades should only be part of your strategy, but an all A’s record will always be an asset. It is important to cultivate interests, talents, and hobbies outside of school to provide colleges with a well-rounded applicant with a unique personality, confidence, and drive to succeed. Also, make sure the people you have write your letters of recommendation will only have the most glowing things to say about you. Finally, take many practice tests for the SAT or ACT, which have been proven to improve your final score. All these things together, and presented well in an application, will make you stand out among the tough competition.

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