Tulane University’s current grade point average is numerically wrong. As it stands, a D- is 0.667 points towards one’s GPA, and an A is 4.0 points. The problem lies in the scale itself. At Tulane, you can earn a D+, a C+, a B+, but not an A+.
That policy inherently pushes down the grading scale in a manner that disadvantages students. There are two remedies to this situation: adding additional GPA points for an A+, or altering point totals on the existing scale, which ends at an A grade.
If Tulane chooses the former, an A+ would be worth 4.333 points, proportional to the 3.333 points that are awarded for a B+, and 2.333 points awarded for a C+. The current system denies the highest achieving students the ability to separate themselves. A 99% in a class is a higher achievement than a 94, but the current GPA system fails to acknowledge that.
If keeping a 4.0 scale is the highest priority for Tulane, then the corresponding GPA points for each grade should be changed. Each scale within a letter grade should start on a whole number. An 82% is still in the B range and should be treated as such. Under this system, a D- would be 1.0, a C-, 2.0, a B-, 3.0 and an A-, 4.0.
Grades of B, C or D would be 1.333, 2.333, 3.333, grade points towards a student’s average. And D+, C+ or B+ would be either 1.667, 2.667 or 3.667. This would reflect that a B+, for example, is on the higher end of that 3-4 scale and should be treated as such.
Another issue with Tulane’s grading system is its threshold for the dean’s list. This honorarium recognizes high-achieving students who scored above a 3.7 GPA. Under the current system, a student could earn an A- in every class they take but miss the cutoff for dean’s list, as A-’s are currently 3.67 points.
As the GPA system stands today, if a student achieved an A+ in one course, an A- in three and a B+ in one, they would fall short of the dean’s list. If Tulane were to implement A+’s being worth 4.33 points, then this dean’s list cutoff would be more reasonable. If they wanted to keep the highest grade at 4.0 points, then bumping it down to 3.6 would make more sense.
Why does this matter? Well, for many students, Tulane is not the last stop on their educational journey. Be it a master’s degree associated with their major, law school or medical school, GPA is an important figure when applying to these institutions.
As to the argument that college is a place to expand one’s mind and not hyper-fixate on GPA points, implementing some of these proposed changes would likely lead to a student body that’s less stressed about the vast GPA differential from 93.0%, worth 4.0 points, to 86.9%, worth 3.0 points under our current system.
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