Historical grade inflation at the university level

Other College & University Education
1

The other day I came across a very interesting graphic that I wanted to share here, since it is relevant to the many current and future college students and educators in FIRST:

http://gradeinflation.com/figure3.gif

Also check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grade_inflation

The basic point: All else equal, average grade point averages have climbed dramatically - across the board, but more so at some institutions than others - over the past 50 years.

This plot intrigues me because it is no doubt an artifact of a very complicated inter-relationship of social and economic factors…

  • Is the profit of universities and colleges the main motivating factor (failing students tend to drop out early and don’t donate to their alma mater)? If so, is grade inflation really in their long-term best interest?
  • Is the phenomenon illusory, and explained away by improved primary and secondary education?
  • Has a culture of parents ready to complain when their child fails scared the educational institution away from giving low marks?
  • How does this mesh with today’s prevailing “everybody must go to college” mentality?
  • What, if anything, should be done about it?

What are your thoughts?

2

The nation’s SAT scores are going to be “recentered.” Lovely word. It means that every child in America will get something like 100 free points added to his score. By next April, every high schooler in America will look a hundred points smarter.

Inflation Hits the SATs
The Washington Post
June 17, 1994

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3

check out Purdue. no inflation there !

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4

I noticed that as well. Boiler Up!

5

gradeinflation.com (where the graph came from) has an interesting empirical formula for calculating a colleges expected average GPA.

GPA = 2.8 + Rejection Percentage /200 + (if the school is private add 0.2)

The top universities have been able to be much more selective over the past 50 years.