man, the Dean at Tufts was really rankin' on Harvard!
http://www.tuftsdaily.com/2.5541/easy-a-s-at-harvard-inflate-student-egos-1.606912
Easy A's at Harvard inflate student egos
By LAURA ISRAEL, Daily Editorial Board
Published: Saturday, September 1, 2001
Harvard is at it again. The world-class academic institution that has been to known inflate its grades, has been reported to be committing the practice of grade inflation at an all-time high frequency level.
Only nine percent of Harvard's class of 2001 did not receive the honor of cum laude or higher, according to an article in the Boston Globe. The percentage of Harvard students graduating with these Latin honors is more than double that of its Ivy rival, Princeton, where 44 percent of graduates are deemed cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude.
At Tufts, grade inflation is reportedly less rampant. According to Dean Charles Inouye, 50 percent of the class of 2001 received honors. That number is up from 45.5 percent the year before.
...
If that's the story Harvard professors are selling, Tufts administrators aren't buying. "It's just another symptom of their culture of arrogance - image over substance - and it's finally catching up with them," Inouye said. "Everybody in the business knows just how little Harvard students work. They're essentially a lazy bunch. A lot of them aren't even that smart."
Harvard senior Trevor Cox supported Inouye's assertion in the Globe. Cox described a career characterized by an easy grading scheme that has left him with a B+ average. "It's scandalous," Cox said. "You can get very good grades, and earn honors, without ever producing quality work."
"I feel like Tufts is different because if you hand in less than quality work, your grade will reflect it," sophomore Lauren Amira said. "Harvard seems like an elite society where, once you get in, everything is handed to you on a silver platter."
...
Originally posted by MelanerpesIn Dutch high schools, central exam grades are such that a fixed number of students fail.
are there ANY education institutions ANYWHERE that aren't practicing inexcusable levels of grade inflation?
recently, I visited the website of my old high school, and it included data on grade distribution - and almost 80% had a GPA of at least 3.0 or better.
Originally posted by MelanerpesI'm guessing not, but 91% cum laude or higher is pretty extreme.
are there ANY education institutions ANYWHERE that aren't practicing inexcusable levels of grade inflation?
recently, I visited the website of my old high school, and it included data on grade distribution - and almost 80% had a GPA of at least 3.0 or better.
I spent a semester at a Midwestern University that had a practice similar to what Kazet describes.
Originally posted by MelanerpesIf a school is know for this, recruiters will know this. The only result is that a cum laude at school A that inflates grade is worth less than a cum laude at school B.
perhaps there should be a law specifying that no more than say 5 or 10% of graduates of any college class can be considered "cum laude" --- unless this remedy would be considered to be "excessive statism"?
Originally posted by Bartsand yet grade inflation remains a widespread problem -- perhaps because most recruiters aren't doing a better job rewarding graduates from schools that don't inflate grades and honors?
If a school is know for this, recruiters will know this. The only result is that a cum laude at school A that inflates grade is worth less than a cum laude at school B.
Originally posted by KazetNagorraNot sure on what level this fixed number of failing students is enforced, but this doesn't seem to be the best policy either. This way a good student in a particularly strong year is punished by not getting a grade that he would have gotten had he been part of a weaker class. Of course, if the number of students is big enough you can assume there won't be any big differences between the years.
In Dutch high schools, central exam grades are such that a fixed number of students fail.
I live and teach Mathematics / Calculus in Thailand.
Students with 80% scores are given A's [ 4.0 here ]
Exams are giveaways, with no one allowed to fail as retests are given until they pass.
They will not be held back even if they never pass.
In America or The West, if top Uni's give grades regardless of work and effort quality, what does that say about the future quality of top heart surgeons, lawyers, professors, judges, congressmen, scientists ?
America is in decline, maybe ?
Originally posted by BartsNot students out of a particular class, but students from the entire country. If you pick a certain subject in high school, you take the same exam as everyone else. Out of this group, (roughly) a fixed percentage will fail. This then makes up half the grade, the other half is determined by the school (this part is subject to possible grade inflation, so if it were up to me, the central exam would determine the entire grade).
Not sure on what level this fixed number of failing students is enforced, but this doesn't seem to be the best policy either. This way a good student in a particularly strong year is punished by not getting a grade that he would have gotten had he been part of a weaker class. Of course, if the number of students is big enough you can assume there won't be any big differences between the years.
I like the idea of having a big "central exam" for all subjects that high schools in the country teach. Whether you pass or fail (and whether you get "honors" in the subject) would depend entirely or almost entirely on your performance on this exam. The exam would not just be a bunch of multiple choice questions, but would include many in-depth essays and-or extensive mathematical analysis and-or practical concrete demonstrations of skill.
Then -- let schools, parents, and businesses figure out the best way to prepare students for these exams -- and give parents and students the information and financial resources to choose the program that will provide the best preparation.
Those who fail would be allowed to take the exam again every 6 months of so until they pass it. However -- the exams would have a high standard for passing (and an extremely high standard for any kind of "honors" status). Perhaps, to prevent the inevitable loosening of standards over time, there could be a requirement that a certain minimum % of text-takers be given a failing grade.
Originally posted by KazetNagorraBut there's still going to be year-on-year variation in the abilities of each cohort. In an exam I think you should be competing against an agreed standard, not against your fellow students in that year.
Not students out of a particular class, but students from the entire country. If you pick a certain subject in high school, you take the same exam as everyone else. Out of this group, (roughly) a fixed percentage will fail. This then makes up half the grade, the other half is determined by the school (this part is subject to possible grade inflation, so if it were up to me, the central exam would determine the entire grade).
Originally posted by MelanerpesAt my alma mater, Cambridge University, only about ten percent of students get the top grade, First Class Honours, in any given year. I think this has remained pretty consistent in recent years.
are there ANY education institutions ANYWHERE that aren't practicing inexcusable levels of grade inflation?
Originally posted by MelanerpesYep. Public schools have more rigorous standards than private schools. This is true for children and teens (NCLB does not apply to private schools) and it's true for adults. Didn't we go through this recently already?
are there ANY education institutions ANYWHERE that aren't practicing inexcusable levels of grade inflation?
recently, I visited the website of my old high school, and it included data on grade distribution - and almost 80% had a GPA of at least 3.0 or better.
UC Berkeley represent!
http://timeplots.com/2010/05/03/grade-inflation/