| HomeschoolingResourceCenter.org Home | Search | About Us | Contact Us |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
News Item October 1, 2009 |
Grade Inflation and Educational Deflation
Statistics may abound to affirm that the American educational system is being “dumbed down,” but it appears that we don't want to admit it. Particularly at the college level. The Eagle Forum cites a website posted by Prof. Stuart Rojstaczer of Duke University that tracks the history of grade inflation in American higher education. Rojstaczer estimates from his research that the average grade point average (GPA) in the 1930s was 2.35 (where we get the C average). Fifteen years ago the average had risen to 3.09 (or a B average). Now the average is a B+. What this statistic does not show is the differences in the amount of work required to earn those grades. Time-use surveys from America's colleges indicate that students are no longer expected to spend two to three hours of outside work for every hour they spend in class. While class expectations vary from college to college, and from class-to-class, on the average full-time seniors at four-year colleges spend just 14 hours a week studying. At the same time, the average SAT score for all incoming college students has declined steadily over the past 30 years, even though GPAs have continued to rise. |
