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<p>I don’t see lack of motivation as a sufficient explanation. I don’t have any quantitative data, but the qualitative data I have (reports from Oxford continuees) are that it is far easier to get high grades at the College of Arts and Sciences than it is at Oxford. As much as I love Oxford, the most honest report I can get is that grades result from artificial deflation rather than from rigor. That is, student aren’t given clear, almost-unrealistic standards, but rather many assessments (in and out of class) that are exceptionally vague. This invites significant bias from professors (who teach small classes and who have little or no research duties) and rewards students who have already completed the course content at high-quality high schools.</p>