Want a higher GPA? Go to a private university.

[Little32]

Grade inflation is real and it doesn't start in college. Also there is pressure at private institutions to give certain grades, whether the pressure comes in the subtle form of making sure your grade distribution aligns with that of your colleagues or the overt form of being told to change your grades because they are too low (both from personal experience).

Of course, the students love it. Either they don't recognize or they don't care that it does this does them the greatest disservice, because they are the ones that ultimately do not have the knowledge that their grades indicate that they should possess.

When I was in college, I always appreciated most those professors that made me feel like I was working and pushing myself to new heights to earn the grades I received--whatever those grades ended up being. There was no satisfaction for me in getting an A that I didn't feel like I earned.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by Little32

Grade inflation is real and it doesn't start in college. Also there is pressure at private institutions to give certain grades, whether the pressure comes in the subtle form of making sure your grade distribution aligns with that of your colleagues or the overt form of being told to change your grades because they are too low (both from personal experience).

Of course, the students love it. Either they don't recognize or they don't care that it does this does them the greatest disservice, because they are the ones that ultimately do not have the knowledge that their grades indicate that they should possess.

When I was in college, I always appreciated most those professors that made me feel like I was working and pushing myself to new heights to earn the grades I received--whatever those grades ended up being. There was no satisfaction for me in getting an A that I didn't feel like I earned.

That's why I always appreciated my science coarses more than my humanities coarses.

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

That's why I always appreciated my science coarses more than my humanities coarses.

Why's that? Are you claiming that humanities courses suffer from grade-inflation more than science courses do?

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

Why's that? Are you claiming that humanities courses suffer from grade-inflation more than science courses do?

Did you read the article? That's exactly what they said.

[Little32]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

That's why I always appreciated my science coarses more than my humanities coarses.

And for me, those were my humanities courses. Math and science always came easy to me, I was generally setting the curve in those courses. It was the method of humanistic inquiry that really challenged me to think in ways that were different from what was familiar.

And, to be fair, my evidence is anecdotal too. However, grade inflation has long been a topic of discussion in the academy and conventional wisdom says that some of the elite institutions are the worst offenders (spawning a subsequent trickle down effect). Having taught at an insititution that is in that group, I can say that my experiences provide more anecdotal evidence that the problem does exist.

[baci]

Adding my 2 cents here -

FWIW, I attended both a public and private university back in the day. ( I majored in the sciences. ) What I can share is the workload was less at the public university and not nearly as challenging. I do not feel I received a solid education while at the public university. At the private university you had to hustle.

With less people in your courses you had much more of a demand on your performance on all levels. The professor was literally on top of you each and every time you were in his/her class. You definitely had to work harder to receive that A in comparison to the A at the public universiversity. It was quite intense.

I found that people studied harder and spent more time on their work at the private university for numerous reasons. (keeping scholarships, juggling part time jobs, intensity of the subject at hand)