College Grade Inflation

Sullivan120
Wed, 26 Dec 2012 22:50:19 +0000

I am a sophomore at Boston College double majoring in history and political science and minoring in Italian. I tested out of a lot of the introductory courses for both of my majors and my minor, so since the spring semester of my freshman year my schedule has mainly consisted of upper level classes. For each of these first three semesters I have nervously worried over my final grades, feeling I could have done better on my exams or more thoroughly revised my essays. And yet, my current GPA is a 3.8.

However, in my constant crusade to keep myself from being too content with seeming success, I have latched onto the issue of grade inflation. Have any other college students on this forum been able to identify grade inflation as contributing to your own high grades at BC or at other universities? Do other students at BC find the grading and/or the course work itself easy?

Personally, I think my classes are challenging; I’m just concerned that I have better grades than I deserve. Even though I do, in fact, put in a lot of effort should I get an A when my work truly warrants a B? Of course, I suppose a central question is if any of you think it’s reasonable to begin with that I’m worried I’m getting higher marks than I should, especially when it’s a practice employed by professors at many colleges and universities throughout the country. Is anyone else as uncomfortable with grade inflation as I evidently am?

Looking over this post my questions seem kind of frivolous, paranoid, and prickish given how I’m fretting over whether I merit a 3.8 when I’m sure most you will say I should just enjoy the 3.8. Regardless, sorry I rambled.