The grading scale of an institution of higher learning decides the passing or failing mark of every student. The college grading scale is the way professors evaluate the quality of your academic performance. It defines the percentage, and quality students need to accomplish to get a passing mark.
Understanding and knowing the grading scale allows students to perform better in exams, projects, and assignments.
It can be a tricky topic since there is no universal grading scale. The grading scale is not specific to any college, and there are variations in how it works across the country.
This article will help you answer the question: What is the College Grading Scale in 2022?
What is a College Grading Scale?
The college grading scale is a way of measuring academic achievement.
It is a mechanism used by colleges to determine a student’s grade in a course.
We look at a student’s transcript and see all of their grades, honors, and awards in a perfect world.
Instead of grading each course on a numerical scale, colleges use letters or numbers to denote how well students performed in the class.
This grading scale can be confusing for students and parents alike.
There are many different types of grading scales, but most fall into one of two categories: letter scales and number scales.
Current College Grading Scale 2022
The grading scale is a way to show how much you know about a subject. Obviously, the more you know, the higher the grade. This means that grades are relative to the course.
It is crucial to get good grades on the unit tests and assignments before taking an exam. Such ensures that the grade is high enough, although some colleges will not let you skip an exam for any reason.
The grading scale used by colleges and universities for the course and exam is a complicated formula that ranges from A to D, with 4.0 the highest possible grade.
It is not much help when it comes to comparing the quality of different colleges. However, it can be a valuable metric for alumni relations and other public relations efforts.
It means the student understands the course material and has shown a high level of achievement.
Why College Grading Scale Changes With Time
College grading scale changes over time. When the system began at the turn of the 20th century, a “C” was an average grade, and a “D” was almost as low as you could go. Today, a “C” is a substantial accomplishment, while a “D” rarely gets you anything more than a lowly C-minus.
The grading scale reflected what students could do in specific subject areas in their early years.
But over time, as educational standards changed and new evaluation methods came into force, so too has the grading scale.
The old system of U.S. College grading relies on A through F grades and single-digit letter grades.
The system worked for students who were still in high school and were just starting out in their academic careers.
But now that the majority of college students are in their senior year, they need a system that better reflects their needs as they start to set themselves apart from their peers both inside and outside the classroom.
Many schools are now moving toward a 4.0 scale where the top grade is an “A.”The next highest grade will be an “A-” (sometimes written as A-minus). The third-highest score is an “A” with distinction, while the fourth-highest grade goes to an “A-” with distinction.
College Grading Scale for Common Institutions
Many colleges and universities use a standard set of criteria when assessing academic transcripts, but they are not consistent. Some schools use different systems to grade your transcript than others.
Colleges and universities use three main methods of evaluating transcripts:
(1) Coursework, which is the number of credits earned;
(2) Grades, which appear on the transcript as points based on letter grades; and
(3) Standardized tests.
The most common grade used by institutions when evaluating transfer students is the quality point system. The formula varies from school to school, but it depends on your GPA.
For instance, if you have a 2.5 GPA at college and transfer to a 4-year school that uses this system, you will need a 2.5 to 2.9 GPA to maintain your exact position or get promoted.
If you had a 3.0 GPA at your community college and transfer to another school that uses this grading scale, you will need a 3.0 to 3.4 GPA to maintain your exact position or get promoted.
What Determines a Course Grade?
It all depends on the type of class and the way they graded it as follows:
1. Pass/no pass: A student can earn a passing grade for a class if they complete all of the assignments.
2. Credit/no credit: Students are allowed to take classes for which they do not receive grades, and then they can apply those credits toward future classes at another school.
3. Credit/no credit with incomplete: If a student receives a lower grade than “C” and wants to withdraw from the class, they can do so but has to complete any work left unfinished to receive a passing grade.
4. Credit/no credit with incomplete and approved withdrawal: If a student receives an “F” and wants to withdraw from the class without completing any work, they can do so but has to complete any work left unfinished to receive a passing grade.
1. GPA
Briefly, GPA stands for grade point average. We calculate GPA by taking the total number of A’s, B’s, and C’s in a person’s classwork and dividing that by the total number of credits taken.
Here’s how the scale works:
- Overall GPA: The overall GPA reflects your cumulative grade point average, which comes by multiplying the total number of credits you’ve taken and divided that by the total number of credits required for your major.
For example, if a student took 10 credits in classes with a 2.0 GPA, then their GPA would be 2.0/10 = .25. A student who took 10 credits with a 3.5 GPA would have a 3.5/10 = 1.25 GPA.
- Major GPA: Because different majors have different requirements, each major is assigned its own GPA. The program director or department head decides whether students in their program need to maintain a C- or higher to graduate from the school.
If they do, they assign a C- or higher as their GPA for that major, which is then added to the overall university GPA.
- Minor GPA: Some schools allow students to be minors in more than one field, which means they have separate credit requirements for all those fields.
2. Letter Grading System
In the United States, educational institutions use the basic academic grading system that applies letters and numbers. The current grade scale:
1. A (4.0)
It means excellent. It is a grade that meets all course requirements. As such, it implies that this student completed the work well and no deficiency exists.
2. B (3.7)
Be stands for very good. Even better, it meets all course requirements; however, some work remains undone.
3. C (3.0)
C stands for adequate. C grade meets all course requirements. It means that the students completed the work except for one requirement that is unidentified or incomplete. There is evidence of possible deficiencies in one or more areas of study.
4. D (2.3)
D is poor if you find that on your transcript. D grade that needs improvements. It is below average.
5. F (1.0)
F grade that does not meet all course requirements. It needs a full explanation of why the student received an F. F is a fail.
Tips for Maximizing Your Score
- Don’t take no as an answer: A refusal can be a result of a misunderstanding or just inefficiency on the part of the administrator, so ask again if necessary.
If you are leaving something out, make sure you leave out everything that shouldn’t be included in the grade — this includes incomplete work and “forgetting” to turn in an assignment.
- Set realistic goals for yourself: It is a challenge to raise your aspirations without setting yourself up for failure. Instead of shooting for the stars, set goals for yourself that are more reasonable and attainable. For example, instead of trying to do 10 hours of work each week, try setting a goal of 6-8 hours per week.
- Know when to ask for help: If you’re having trouble with something, don’t hesitate to ask if you can get help from an academic support system like tutors or peer mentors. You may need someone else’s opinion or expertise on an assignment; otherwise, you’ll probably keep working until there’s no time left, and it will take longer than it should.
- Be organized: Make sure that all your assignments are turned in on time and in their proper place. Plan your time of engagement all the time so that you do not miss out on deadlines.
- Work hard: Always put in 100 percent effort and no excuses. When you aim higher, you will likely score better grades.
Joseph is a freelance journalist and a part-time writer with a particular interest in the gig economy. He writes about schooling, college life, and changing trends in education. When not writing, Joseph is hiking or playing chess.