I’m just another columnist who is going to use Harvard as an example: 90 percent of Harvard seniors graduate with honors. While at Harvard, there’s the traditional “Gentleman’s B,” Washington University boasts the “Gentleman’s C-.”
I was dismayed early on in the semester to receive a “C” on a paper that met the length requirement and made numerous references to the book being discussed in my English class. Even if the paper is below par, it should receive a “B” grade because compared to all English papers in the nation, it’s probably an “A.” That’s right, I’m promoting grade inflation.
Grade inflation has received unfair criticism in the last year. Think about it: at a university in which we were all “A” students in high school there should be a lot of “A”s given out as grades. The normal bell curve should not be applied, because we are all the small percentage on the bell curve that scores in the 90th percentile and above.
Some may argue that grading on a curve in college raises the standard for everyone and makes everyone work harder to achieve a good grade. Well, in my book, a “B” isn’t even a good grade, so I would still work harder if I received a “B-” as hard as if I received a “C.”
A “C” is basically the lowest grade you can get at WU without failing. According to pass/fail courses you have to make at least a “C-” to pass. This means that a lot more “B”s than “C”s should be given out, and really the average grade should be around a “B+”/”A-.” Our rate of seniors who graduate with honors is very small in comparison to Harvard’s, and this may hurt us on the job market as well as for getting into grad schools. Professors ought to let go of their pride and dignity and give an “A-” to that paper that they view as a “C+.” Relativity in terms of grades goes awry at a top 15 institution.
Here’s a suggested scale that Professors can refer to if they’re having problems grasping what I am trying to say:
A+: A grammatically, at least, almost-perfect paper. It can have a few mistakes and must present the thesis pretty clearly. Meets all the requirements listed for the paper. (The previous B+ and above.)
A: Can have some obvious careless mistakes that would have most probably been fixed by a second read of the paper. Has some form of a thesis. Meets most of the requirements listed for a paper. (The previous B or B-.)
A-: Has a number of careless mistakes, but still meets the length requirement. Is really really close to having a thesis, but doesn’t quite make the cut. Meets at least half of the requirements for a paper. (The previous C or C-.)
B+: Does not have a thesis. Has several careless mistakes. Does not meet the length requirement. (The previous D-, D, and D+.)
B: Ridiculously presented. (The previous fail.)
Notice there that I did not translate any grade lower than a B on this scale. That is why it is called the “Gentleman’s B.” If some of the best institutions in the world can go by this scale, so can we.
I must admit, some professors here already go by this scale, and kudos to them (we all know who you are-your classes usually have a waitlist).
Some of you who read this may find the “Gentleman’s B” scale unappealing, but just wait till you have to start sending your transcript to work places and gradschools-you’ll wish that our “Gentleman’s C-” was a “Gentleman’s A.
I’m hoping this is a joke. I don’t know where you went to high school, but my grading criteria haven’t been that lax since sixth grade.
sounds like you went to a strict school with uniforms, It’s a joke with points.