Recently, there have been discussions about introducing a plus/minus grading scale at the University. Some students are upset about the possibility of changing the college-wide grading scale, but if implemented, a plus/minus system could benefit some students while stressing out others.
The current grading scale allows students to get a 90 percent and still obtain a 4.0 GPA. However, this makes the difference between and 89 and a 90 percent drastic. If a professor doesn’t round up grades, a student could have an 89.9 and still get a lowered GPA. With a plus/minus system, situations like this would affect one’s GPA a lot less.
This hurts some students who typically get straight A’s. The new grading scale would eliminate the possibility of getting a 4.0 with a percentage in the lower 90’s.
A lot of importance is placed upon a student’s GPA while planning for post-graduate degrees and scholarships. There is also a large amount of self-policing students do regarding their grades.
Even if some of the pressure to do well stems from competition, high-achieving students often have standards they never apply to their peers. As irrational as it sounds, I’ve cried over getting a C before, and I know many of my peers have as well. The possibility of anything affecting my GPA adds another layer of stress to school – and that stress adds up.
It’s understandable that the University wants to be on-par with other colleges with a plus/minus system. Yet, even among colleges who do use the system, there are still differences in what qualifies as a plus or minus grade. The University of Toledo considers 94-100 percent an A, and 90-93 percent an A minus. Meanwhile, The Ohio State University considers 93-100 percent an A, and 90-92.9 an A minus.
We shouldn’t prioritize certain students’ academic success, but a plus/minus system still seems like an easily misunderstood and stressful change for many of us. The University has resources to help students academically, but I fail to see how a plus/minus system would truly improve the education we are receiving.
Some students may strive to do better with the new system. On the bright side, maybe I’ll be forced to get over my fear of failure with a new grading scale.
I’ll admit that there isn’t much information about the University’s proposed plus/minus scale, so some of my concerns may be unfounded. Students with concerns can ask questions during the Oct. 30 USG meeting at 7:30 p.m. in BTSU 308.
