Behind the Letter Grades

If you ask a student about the rationale behind going to school or college all year and taking exams, they will say, more often than not, that it is about knowing which one studied and learned a thing or two against those who wasted their time. So, we know grading and positions are a thing in academic institutions, but how were they incorporated into the system as a yardstick to measure genius, hard work, and other factors related to individual positions?

This post is dedicated to explaining it all to the students. We will explore the origin of letter grades, the comparison between GPA and letter grading system, and how the grading systems in the US and the UK compare to one another. We will also share some facts about grading systems in the US. So, let’s get started!

What Do The Letter Grades Stand For?

We all know that letter grades have been deeply embedded in the current academic system. They were first introduced in the late 19th Century and then improved over the years to meet the demands of the modern era. These days, letter grades are the most common and relied-upon scale to measure the aptitude of a student or an aspirant trying to get admission into a higher course.

For starters, A means that a student has met all the requirements of a course or “passed” the test with flying colors. Whereas B indicates that a student has met most of the requirements but not quite as accurately as the one who was awarded an A. 

Letter Grades Scale Today

This was the more rudimentary form of the letter grading scale which has been modified since. Today, schools, colleges, and universities dole out letter grades based on the percentage band. In this system, A represents 90-100% while B represents 80-89%, and so on. 

Keep in mind that the system is far from perfect but it has been widely used in the US, giving parents and educators some idea of how a student is or has performed in school.

Here is a table to show you the complete extent of letter grade scales concerning percentage:

Grade Point Average (GPA) Vs. Letter Grade Scale

Letter grade scale has its practicality but there is another way, a numerical way, to show the performance of a student – GPA. GPA or Grade Point Average often used at higher academic levels to determine the academic acumen of a student or a scholar. The typical GPA scale ranges between 0 and 4, allowing the educators to assign scores accordingly. The grading in this system goes like this: A= 4.0, A-=3.7, B+= 3.3, B=3.0, and the scale goes on to the lowest number – 0.

Educators use GPAs for different things such as determining whether a student would make the final cut for admission to higher education, graduate college, or pass the semester. If you are worried about your performance, you can get quality essays for sale here!

How To Calculate GPA

As covered in the previous section, the GPA is an average of all the grades acquired by a student in a college or university. Since many find it to be confusing, let us break it down using letter grades.

First of all, set the value for each letter grade that you have earned. For instance, A is worth 4 points, B has 3 points, and the scale goes on. Then, sum the total points of all the courses that you have taken and then divide that number by the credits you have earned. This will give you the GPA for the semester. 

One thing that all students must keep in mind is that college is more about just running behind in grades and points. You need to learn things and ideas and then master them by applying them in real-life scenarios. GPA is important but what is more important is to learn and get a thirst for life-long learning.

GPA Requirements For University Admissions

The universities in the US use GPA to determine the candidature of aspirants. In many cases, it needs to be 4.0 or closer to it to be even considered for admission. Simply put, you improve your odds of getting selected if you have a perfect GPA.

However, that’s not all as many universities offer admissions to individuals who show great promise in extracurricular activities, such as sports, athletics, debates, writing, and so on. Again, you will be the safest in getting admission if you meet the GPA criteria in open merit. 

Still confused about the GPA scale and letter grade scale? Consult our table above to know all about it!

Comparison Between The US & The UK Grading Systems

Perhaps the list of top academic institutions around the world would start with colleges and universities in the US and the UK. The two nations have been the final destination for young scholars who want to pursue higher education in a competitive environment. Before moving to either one of the countries, it pays to know the differences between their grading systems.

In the UK, universities often employ the number system where a 1 – 100 points scale serves as the ultimate yardstick, and 70 being the lowest possible grade to pass.

In terms of differences between the grading systems of the two nations, the most striking one is the weightage of the grades. In the UK, all assignments and tasks are considered equal, no matter their scope, complexity, and heavy lifting. However, in the US, teachers differentiate between assignments based on the factors discussed in the previous statement.

Another major contrast between the grading systems is the weightage of final exams. In the UK, it is at least 50% or more at the end of the semester. Whereas the US keeps no more than 30-40% for the conclusion of the semester.

Ultimately, the difference lies in how the grades or performance of the students are reported. In the UK, students are awarded a number between 1 to 100. Contrary to this, the US relies on letter grading or percentages. Comparing the two systems can give the students a universal value!

Popular Grading Scales Used In Various Academic Institutions

If you think that there are only these two grading systems in the world, you are mistaken. Based on the needs, schools and colleges often experiment with different systems to come up with the most suitable one. Let us explore some of the most popular grading systems across the globe.

Standards-Based Grading (SBG)

This system is more concerned with how a student has gone around learning and applying key factors of the training and learning in the classroom rather than passing a single or a couple of exams. 

Since it is much different from the letter grades or points system, teachers provide ample opportunities to the students so that they can demonstrate their grip on key concepts. These include essay writing, presentations, projects, and more.

In the process, teachers keep a close eye on all the students, commending the sharper ones and helping the lagging ones. Since SBG does not have clear boundaries, it is not well-received by students and parents. Even teachers need to do extra work to make this system work compared to other grading systems.

Rank-Based Grading (RBG)

The RBG system is another experimental thing in schools and colleges. In this system, all the students are judged based on a subjective standard. For instance, if the top 10% of the students in a class get an A grade, then all the students falling under this category will receive an A.

The advocates of this system state that this system offers a more relative view of the whole class and how much the students have learned collectively. Also, it abolishes grade fluctuation and even leads to fierce competition among peers. The critics of this grading system believe that this system relies more on subjectivity than other systems. In the end, it is up to the administration to use a grading system and students do not have a say in that.

Six-Point System

If the name is any indication, this system divides all the students of a class into six distinct categories, each with a corresponding number, from 1 to 6. Let us take a look at what each number represents:

• The zero shows that the answer was completely wrong or left unattempted.
• 1 shows that the student attempted the question but made an error in the answer.
• 2 shows that the answer was correct, albeit with some minor issues.
• 3 shows that the answer was correct, but there was a major mistake in it.
• 4 shows that the answer was almost perfect but with a small error.
• 5 shows that the answer was correct with no error or inconsistency at all.
• 6 shows that not only the answer was correct but it also had originality and creativity showing that the student went the extra mile.

Facts About The US Grading System

Let us explore some of the amazing facts about the US education grading system:

• The grading system runs from A through F, with A being the highest grade letter and F being the lowest.
• The passing percentage is around 70% but it can vary depending on the school district and administration.
• Schools and colleges make a distinction between assignments based on the time and effort that students need to put in.
• Exams are worth not more than 30% whereas the bulk of scores come from assignments, presentations, and other class activities.
• Schools report both grades and percentages on transcripts. This makes it easier for students to convert them into other grading systems used around the world.

Absence of “E” Grades

There is an anomaly in the letter grade system as no school in the US grants E to a student. This is not out of superstition but a common practice for encouraging students to do more. If they pass with an E, it has no practical value.

Prestigious Honor Roll

Those students who do exceptionally well in schools and colleges are awarded honor rolls. It looks great on a resume and shows the recruiters and members of the college admissions committee that the recipient takes academics seriously.

Implementation of First Grading Scales

The first formal grading system in the US was designed and implemented by Ezra Stiles. At the time, he was the president of Yale and one of the top educationists in the country. 

His system was based on four grades.

• Optimi
• Second Optimi
• Inferiores
• Perjores

The grading was based on how a student has faired in oral and written examinations as well as his rigidity in-class participation and attendance.

Best Letter Grade Scale?

After going through the details of different grading systems around the US and the UK, one thing is certain: there is not a single flawless method to grade students in schools and colleges. However, letter grade scales and percentages are widely used and show a rudimentary scale of what students are capable of and how they carry themselves in examinations.

In our opinion, the most complete grading system might be the combination of the two, borrowing the good elements and replacing bad ones with objectivity. Let us see what the future holds for institutional learning!

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