College grade inflation

by Chris

Several eye-popping observations in this piece on college grade inflation from the NY Times. Here’s one of the money quotes:

They then attribute the rapid rise in grade inflation in the last couple of decades to a more “consumer-based approach” to education, which they say “has created both external and internal incentives for the faculty to grade more generously.” More generous grading can produce better instructor reviews, for example, and can help students be more competitive candidates for graduate schools and the job market.

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