Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Examining the Phenomenon of Grade Inflation

\r\n\r\nA new study appearing the Journal of Economic Perspectives examines grade inflation, a little quirk of  college politics that pits majors...

Nikhil Swaminathan
By Nikhil SwaminathanDec 24, 2009
Nikhil Swaminathan
See Full Bio
A new study appearing the Journal of Economic Perspectives examines grade inflation, a little quirk of college politics that pits majors against one another and can serve as a badge of honor for students from schools known to be tough relative to kids at more coddling schools.Per my college experience, as a chemical engineering major at Cornell, grade inflation was totally foreign. I was routinely annoyed by peers in softer majors with more subjective grading and friends at other schools (cough, Stanford, cough, cough, Harvard) whose curves were set to Bs or B+s, whereas mine were typically set to B-/C+.According to a piece on the Miller-McCune website, the new study finds that for the most part, the trend of raising mean grades wasn't born out--or, at least at the University of Michigan, wasn't happening noticeably fast. Further, if it is taking place, the authors say, it's a victimless crime and makes students/customers happy. There are two notable exceptions, where profs graded harshly (outside of science, math, and engineering classes): in required courses, where departments are weeding out potential majors from posers, and extremely popular classes with objective (read: multiple choice) tests.That explains why my 700-person Introduction to Wine class was deceptively tough.Photo by Flickr user jakevol2
educationcollegegrade inflation

The Latest

A photo of a woman with her fingers in her ears and a photo of a man crying
Health

Man says his girlfriend instantly rejected him after he opened up emotionally

Hand squeezing orange/depressed woman
Health

Study shows simply eating an orange lowers depression, changes diets and improves people's moods

Woman comes up with creative hack to combat obnoxious (and dangerous) LED car headlights
Ideas

Woman comes up with creative hack to combat obnoxious (and dangerous) LED car headlights

More For You

14 images of badass women who destroyed stereotypes and inspired future generations

Throughout history, women have stood up and fought to break down barriers imposed on them from stereotypes and societal expectations. The trailblazers in these photos made history and redefined what a woman could be. In doing so, they paved the way for future generations to stand up and continue to fight for equality.

Why mass shootings spawn conspiracy theories

While conspiracy theories are not limited to any topic, there is one type of event that seems particularly likely to spark them: mass shootings, typically defined as attacks in which a shooter kills at least four other people.

When one person kills many others in a single incident, particularly when it seems random, people naturally seek out answers for why the tragedy happened. After all, if a mass shooting is random, anyone can be a target.

Pointing to some nefarious plan by a powerful group – such as the government – can be more comforting than the idea that the attack was the result of a disturbed or mentally ill individual who obtained a firearm legally.

Keep ReadingShow less

11 hilarious posts describe the everyday struggles of being a woman

Between the bras, makeup, periods, catcalling, sexism, impossible-to-attain beauty standards, and heels, most men wouldn't survive being a woman for a day without having a complete mental breakdown. So here's a slideshow of some of the funniest Tumblr posts about the everyday struggles that women face that men would never understand.

All photos courtesy of Tumblr.

Keep ReadingShow less

Satanists put up a billboard in Florida promoting state's abortion law loophole

This article originally appeared on 12.30.20.



In some states, women are put through humiliating and dangerous pre-abortion medical consultations and waiting periods before being allowed to undergo the procedure. In four states, women are even forced to bury or cremate the fetal remains after the procedure.

These government-mandated roadblocks and punitive shaming serve no purpose but to make it more difficult, emotionally damaging, and expensive for women to have an abortion.

Keep ReadingShow less

Awesome chart shows you how far you can drive on empty.

There are two types of people in this world – those who panic and fill up their cars with gas when the needle hits 25% or so, and people like me who wait until the gas light comes on, then check the odometer so you can drive the entire 30 miles to absolute empty before coasting into a gas station on fumes.

I mean…it's not empty until it's empty, right?

Keep ReadingShow less

19 countries photoshopped one man to fit their idea of the perfect body

If you ask people what they think the “perfect" body looks like, you're sure to get a range of answers, depending on where the person is from. Last year, Superdrug Online Doctor created a project, “Perceptions of Perfection" that showed what people in 18 countries think the “perfect" woman looks like. The project was a viral hit.

They've recently released the male version.

This time, they asked graphic designers—11 women and eight men—in 19 countries to photoshop the same image to highlight the male beauty standards for their country.

Keep ReadingShow less

Trying To Guess Which Twin Smokes Is The Perfect Way To Help You Quit

It's not revolutionary news that smoking wreaks havoc on your body in different ways. More often than not, however, the focus of anti-smoking campaigns is on your internal health, citing emphysema, heart disease, and lung cancer, to name just a few consequences.

While the superficial effects may not be as lethal, appealing to people's sense of vanity can have a powerful effect as this clever gallery below shows. Twins, only one of whom smokes, sit side by side, showing the profound damage smoking can cause to your face, hair, and teeth.

Keep ReadingShow less

A viral Twitter thread about body autonomy is a reminder of the ‘fear’ and ‘shame’ women still are forced to confront.

Body autonomy means a person has the right to whatever they want with their own body.

We live in a world where people are constantly telling women what they can or can't do with their bodies. Women get it form all sides — Washington, their churches, family members, and even doctors.

Keep ReadingShow less
© Copyright 2025