Grades facts & stats

Question 1

Since the 1960s, US college grades have risen at roughly what pace per decade, on a 4.0 GPA scale?

Accepted Answer

about 0.15 points per decade. The rise has been gradual but steady, adding up to a substantial shift in average GPAs over the decades.

Question 2

By 2008-2009, after Princeton's grading policy took hold, A-range grades fell below what threshold for the first time?

Accepted Answer

under 40% (39.7%). The policy meaningfully reduced the share of top grades, though Princeton later relaxed the guidelines.

Question 3

A 2021 study attributed rising US college completion rates since 1990 mainly to which factor, rather than better student preparation?

Accepted Answer

grade inflation. Researchers found rising grades, not stronger academic preparation, explained much of the improvement in graduation rates.

Question 4

What has trended downward for many US high schoolers even as their reported grades have risen since 2012?

Accepted Answer

average ACT scores. The gap between rising grades and falling standardized test scores is one of the clearest signs of grade inflation.

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