College Admissions

The Hill reports:

... article ...in "Forbes" cites data that should alarm us, “A 5-plus year nationwide study of the history of college grading finds that, in the early l960s, an A grade was awarded in colleges nationwide 15 percent of the time. But today, an A is the most common grade; the percentage of A grades has tripled, to 45 percent nationwide. Seventy-five percent of all grades awarded now are either A’s or B’s. The National Association of Colleges and Employers reported in 2013 that 66 percent of employers screen candidates by grade point average.’” The Forbes article continues: “The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation also has studied college grading. The foundation confirms the alarming findings cited above. It found that in l969, only 7 percent of students at two- and four-year colleges reported that their grade point average was A or higher. Yet in 2009, 41 percent of students reported as same. During the same period, the percentage of C grades given dropped from 25 to five percent.”

Yet one should look a bit closer.

1. The benchmark was 1969, when things had already started a steep slid with grade inflation

2. Also the students in 1969, better yet in 1959, were dramatically fewer than those now. Why? Because college admissions standards were higher and focused solely on performance, academic performance. I never recall any essays. All they were interested in were grades and SATs. No extra curricular, no sports, no social justice movements etc.

3. Also the Draft help males focus. Fail and off you went, by 1964 it was to South East Asia.

4. Today, I doubt I could get into college. I worked through High School, shoveling stuff for the NY Sanitation Dept, not a lot of social justice there, but it did teach how to mingle with some of the folks.

5. Today's admissions are also done by a "team" who seem to have no connection with the university. Back in the 60s faculty got a batch of applications and rated them. Today the team seems to be folks who have the right political bent yet have no academic involvement. For example the MIT Admissions Officers would most likely reject Feynman and Newton and Einstein. Really, just look how they identify themselves; favorite songs, musical artists etc. Who are these people? They are defining the future of MIT, really!

So if you think grade inflation is bad, look closer at admissions and what is considered important. BTW China is NOT like this. Perhaps DC could look at this as well.