Why Colleges Shower Their Students With A's By Brent Staples Summary

In his essay “Why Colleges Shower Their Students with A’s”, Brent Staples argues that many colleges have less vigorous grading rubrics than in years past because of the increase in student-consumers. Consequently, this “new” grading policy has led to an increase in A’s that are awarded to students. A few factors have led to this unfair distribution. Firstly, students who earn high grades in poorly attended classes assure that these classes will remain viable in the future. Secondly, high grades guarantee the presence of student consumers at a college {REWORD}. Additionally, the tenure status or salary of a professor may be affect if (s)he does not give out high grades to students, leading to disapproving evaluations.

On March 8, 1998 an article entitled “Why Colleges Shower Their Students With A’s” written by Brent Staples was published in The New York Times. In his article, Staples discusses his belief that colleges are now rewarding more A’s than ever before and why he believes this is occurring all across the nation. Staples argues that more and more college students are given A’s as a way to encourage high attendance in classes and good evaluations for professors as well as decrease the number of students lost to other universities. While his title catches the attention of readers and his article may look reliable on the outside, a closer look reveals Staples is not capable of proving his argument that students are showered with A’s

In the twenty-first century, there is heavy competition between colleges. Unfortunately, the ideal theory of the free market economy does not exist in the real world, because no one actually values quality. Most consumers never care about quality nor do they have the time to inform themselves; they only care about convenience. In other words, they will likely prefer inferior products. As a result, colleges have been competing in a downwards spiral of education quality. In his essay, “Why Colleges Shower Their Students with A’s,” Brent Staples criticizes colleges for inflating grades through comparing and contrasting, exemplifying, analyzing cause and effect, and making an argument.

In the article A’s for Everyone, Alicia Shepard recognized a pattern in which her students placed too much emphasis on the letter grades received as opposed to the actual understanding and retention of the curriculum being taught. To understand this phenomenon, Shepard drew upon both the historical catalyst which led to it and her personal experience as a college professor. The systematic indoctrination of the importance of letter grades originated during the Vietnam War when "Men who got low grades could be drafted," (p. 3, par. 4). This having occurred, the pressure to obtain a higher grade became less about gaining knowledge and more about regurgitating information to receive an A. Subsequently, future generations stressed to their offspring

In “Why Colleges Shower Their Students with A’s”, Staples argues that teacher inflate grades so that their course will not be canceled. Furthermore, teachers will inflate grades so that they can keep their jobs. Additionally, students are trying to find ways to get

“In some cases, campuswide averages have crept up from a C just 10 years to B-plus today” (411). In Brent Staples essay “Why Colleges Shower Their Students with A’s” he makes many issues and arguments on the subject. Many college level institutions are faced with demanding consumers and competition from other universities over grade issues. The colleges have simply started just handing out more and more A’s to their students to better their satisfaction. This action taken by the colleges is having many repercussions on grade inflation and making the value of degrees meaningless worldwide. With this alarming statistic about the campus wide averages and the universities resorting to giving the consumers what they want is creating a terrible

While many believe that the grading system has a concrete standing in the success of education, other’s believe that it actually can inhibit or at least lessen the effectiveness of learning. In “A Young Person’s Guide to the Grading System,” Jerry Farber states that for the longest time, many have dismissed the fact that grades could be harmful to the learning process. He argues that grades lack the ability to bring about self-discipline within the students learning the content. While the educational system has rendered changes throughout the years, the grading system maintains its virginity and has been fairly untouched. He insists that many educators are in strong belief that grades are the only way to ensure that learning is to take place within the classroom. Most of society would dictate that the system has been fairly effective in getting individuals through their schooling. But as Farber points out, students tend to focus more upon the grades they are receiving and less upon the content itself. Throughout his writing, Faber uses many forms of rhetoric to persuade the reader to believe the fact that the grading system is corrupted and should be changed, and offers a solution which is referred to as the Credit System. With this being said, it can be stated that Farber effectively conveys his argument through his appeal to a younger

This sort of situation can be defined as ‘Grade Deflation’ which means that higher grades are harder or more difficult to receive because a very small amount can be given out or to protect an institution. Grade deflation should be reduced or even eliminated because it can improve education and positively affect a student’s future. Elizabeth Wissner-Gross tells us about grade deflation and why and how it should be terminated in her article “Invitation to a Dialogue: Stop deflating Grades” published on the New York Times. The Author argues against high schools and colleges that are manipulating numbers in order to protect their institutions from being accused of grade inflation. Some administrators believe that too many A’s can, in some ways, affect their institution’s image negatively. The author, while

    Grade inflation, the belief that students are receiving grades that they haven’t worked for and therefore don’t deserve. But what’s so wrong about grade inflation? When learning about this subject we also open the doors to learning about the multitude of other problems plaguing our educational system that could use our attention much more than grade inflation does. Through grade inflation we’re able to understand problems often forgotten about and looked over.

Grade inflation is the increase in grade point averages without an associated increase in student ability. This increase, however so slight, has had a profound effect on college education across the board. It undermines the only scale to which aptitude is readily tested, devalues a degrees worth, and while it shields students from failure in the classroom, it does not prepare them to deal with it later in life. Sadly, grade inflation occurs at almost every level of learning.

Students are in what he calls the “consumer era,” according to Rojstaczer’s website. With students paying so much for college and its subsequential debt, professors are under more pressure to give higher grades.

The grade a student receives depicts the knowledge one has on a particular subject. In the United States, grades are based on; numerous tests, homework 's, projects, and participation. This academic curriculum students grades are based on gives them, a lot of leg room to improve their grades. On the other hand, students turn in minimal work, hoping to be given an A. Therefore, the average grade in the United States, has gone up due to the lack of effort students are putting into their work, which is called a grade inflation. Nonetheless, many assumptions have been created on whether or not, it is the students fault or the educators fault for grade inflations. The accusation of whether or not faculty members are dumbing-down the courses to

Grades have served to dehumanize students. Instead of being seen as full, complete beings they are reduce to A students, C students, and students failing the class. This judgment is not only made by their teachers but by society as a whole. Parents often set standards for what their kids grades need to be and punish them if they don’t reach the mark. Friends and classmates compare the results of tests and report cards, making learning into a competition where some are “better” than others. Additionally, and perhaps the most disturbingly, for some students, grades become a reflection of their own worth.

Grade inflation has been a widespread issue that has been affecting many institutions. It may be in a way where the instructor raises a students grade by one letter, or by raising a failing grade to a passing grade. Many colleges and universities to this day use the typical letter grading system which is A,B,C,D,F. Some universities, on the other hand feel that this grading system is under estimating students intelligence and abilities. Also, many universities are suffering from the problem of grades that are expanding. Professors and teachers who over evaluate the quality of the student’s work or assignment and consequently assign a grade higher than what the student deserves mainly cause the problem. Causes that might cause grade inflation is portrayed through personal motives, target of getting an ‘A’ grade and avoiding an ‘F’ and students being in competition with their classmates.

Educational Performance in high school and beyond in America are measured numerically. This idea is predicated on the idea the higher grades are a result of better performances by the student. According to former duke professor Christopher Healy and Stuart Rojstaczer, collegiate students are starting to obtain higher grades than in previous years. Many see this as a fortuitous sign of the great generation to come from American college students and their intellectual superiority to the older generations. Unfortunately this isn’t the truth. Although grades are a representation of an individual’s potential which defines a student; grades are just numbers. Success as a professional and the level to which one is consider a fit for employment is defined by these said numbers. To understand the benefits or consequences of grade inflation, one must start by understanding what exactly grade inflation is.