<p>Effectively, things haven’t changed that much.</p>
<p>Under the old scheme (avg=2.8) late term withdraws were included in the average at a low figure (1 or 0). Under the current scheme, withdraws are not considered when calculating the class average. Professors may assign averages above the 2.9-3.1 range, but that’s an exception. Professors who teach multiple sections of the same class during the same semester can, I believe, average across all sections.</p>
<p>Even under the old scheme there was not a fixed distribution, just an average. It is my understanding that under the current system there is still a target range for the average, but there may be some greater flexibility. The shape of the distribution is left up to the professor.</p>
<p>I don’t think that this hurts Marshall students. There wouldn’t be much value to GPAs above 3.0 if everyone had one. Restraint on grade inflation preserves the value of the certificate.</p>
<p>It can be a shock for some students though. Because of selective admission, students arrive unaccustomed to earning average grades. But it’s not University of Lake Wobegon. The business world is far less generous. What do you suppose the second best sales proposal or advertising campaign pitch gets?</p>