GRADE INFLATION: A REALITY CHECK FOR HONOR GRADUATES & EMPLOYERS

 

“Wow!  You’re going to graduate magna cum laude.”

PROLOGUE

We exclaimed when our daughter Dionne told us about her high grades. I am an academic honor-conscious father because of my early education background: a first honor graduate in elementary and a valedictorian in high school.

When I got to college, the pursuit of honors – summa, magna, or cum laude – was the “holy grail” for me like most fellow freshmen under full scholarship at Mindanao State University (MSU) a long time ago. Such a pursuit was known then on the university campus as a tough nut to crack and one must be tough as nails in pursuing Latin honors, especially in the Engineering department.

It is noteworthy that MSU conferred a summa cum laude on the first-ever Muslim student in 2013 – more than five decades after the university was created in 1961. That speaks volumes on the daunting pursuit of Latin honors as easier said than done during our time.

When I had gotten a girl (ahem) in my sophomore year, I made up my mind in dropping like a hot potato my “holy grail” quest for honor for this skin-deep reason -- I had to have a kick out of life in college – the flip side of the classic “delayed gratification” tenet.   After having called it quits from such elite pursuit, I was still looking though on the bright side of my college education, holding on to this safety net: a not-too-tough weighted average grade of 2.5 just enough to maintain my National State Scholarship until graduation – a fairly dignified feat in college. In the end, in my batch of engineering graduates, only two got Latin honors: a Magna and a cum laude.

After college, National Steel Corporation hired me together with more than two-dozen batches of Industrial Engineers headhunted by the company from various premier universities in Visayas and Mindanao. At that time, only four school names rang a bell in the corporate job-hunting market: UP, Ateneo, La Salle, and “Others” – the first three being known then as the Philippines’ ”Ivy League” schools.

A summa, magna, and a handful of cum laude graduates made up a slice of that batches dominated by University of San Carlos recruits. Amid the glitz of Latin honors, my fellow MSU graduate cracked a joke: “Would the company recognize my ‘Most Behaved Graduate’ award?” What happened next that year would leave me open-mouthed: the magna cum laude recruit topped the engineering board exam, and the summa cum laude, placed second. Standing up for their top Latin honors, their topping the board exams proved a clear case for the elite status they deserved.

DIME A DOZEN

Today, graduates with Latin honors are “dime a dozen.”

Don’t get me wrong. I am proud of my daughter Dionne’s academic achievements. I speak highly as well of all graduates with honors. I’ve held in high esteem those who earnestly sought after such Latin honors and ultimately came through with flying colors.

But I am also concerned about the implications of grade inflation for her and other honor graduates.

Grade inflation is the phenomenon of awarding higher grades than students deserve, which yield a higher average grade given to students which has given rise to “dime a dozen” Latin honors. It is a widespread problem that has been observed worldwide.

Randy David wrote in his Inquirer column that last year, UP Diliman conferred 147 summa cum laude, 652 magna cum laude, and 634 cum laude honors (38%) of its total 3,796 graduates with bachelor’s degrees in various disciplines. MSU-IIT conferred last year 52 summa cum laude, 689 magna cum laude, and 818 cum laude honors (or 80%) of its 1,937 graduates. Interestingly, in 2001, Harvard University awarded 91% of its total graduates with honors.

Grade inflation can have negative effects on both graduates and employers. Let me come up with a reality check on how grade inflation can impact prospects and expectations for both honor graduates and their future employers and offer some practical tips and advice on how to cope with it.

HOW GRADE INFLATION CAN HURT GRADUATES

Grade inflation can create a false sense of achievement and overconfidence among honor graduates. They may think that they have learned more, performed better, and acquired more skills and knowledge than they have. This can lead to disappointment, frustration, and underperformance in the workplace.

Grade inflation can also distort the signaling function of grades and credentials. Grades and credentials are supposed to indicate the level of achievements and competence of graduates to employers and other stakeholders. However, when grades are inflated, they lose their value and meaning. They become less reliable and informative as indicators of quality and ability.

An honor fresh graduate got her first job in a local bank. Being an honor graduate, she was looked highly upon by her superior for her knowledge and skill in her work performance. At the end of the day, sad to say, she fell short of her superior’s high expectations. It didn’t take long for her to hunt for another job.

HOW GRADE INFLATION CAN HURT EMPLOYERS

Grade inflation can pose challenges for employers who are looking for the best talent for their organizations. Employers rely on grades and credentials to screen, hire, and retain qualified employees. However, when grades are inflated, they make it harder for employers to identify and recruit the most suitable candidates for their positions.

For example, a survey by CareerBuilder found that 58% of employers have caught a lie on a resume, with embellished skill sets being the most common deception. This implies that some job applicants may use inflated grades or credentials to exaggerate their qualifications or hide their weaknesses.

Grade inflation can also affect the quality and diversity of the applicant pool. When grades are inflated, they reduce the variation and differentiation among graduates’ academic achievements. This can make it difficult for employers to distinguish between outstanding performers and average performers. It can also discourage some students from pursuing certain fields or careers where grades are lower or more competitive.

HOW STUDENTS CAN DEAL WITH GRADE INFLATION

Students can deal with grade inflation by focusing on learning rather than grades. They should seek feedback from their teachers and peers on how to improve their skills and knowledge. They should also challenge themselves by taking more rigorous courses or engaging in extracurricular activities that enhance their learning.

Students can also compare their performance with objective measures, such as standardized tests, portfolios, or external evaluations. This can help them gauge their true level of achievement and identify their strength and weaknesses.

They should also prepare and demonstrate their potential and value to employers through essays, interviews, or recommendations.

HOW EMPLOYERS CAN COPE WITH GRADE INFLATION

Employers can cope with grade inflation by diversifying their sources of information and evaluation. They should not rely solely on grades and honor credentials but also use other methods, such as aptitude tests, work samples, or references. They should also verify the accuracy and validity of the grades and honor credentials provided by applicants.

Employers can also align their expectations and requirements with the realities of the labor market. They should adjust their criteria and standards according to the availability and quality of the talent pool. They should also offer training opportunities and feedback to their employees to help them improve their skills and knowledge.

Employers can also foster a culture of learning and growth among their employees. They should set clear goals, provide incentives, and create mentorship programs for their employees. They should also encourage their employees to pursue continuous education and professional development.

EPILOGUE

Dionne, though having a weighted average grade of 1.46, didn’t get her Latin honor during her graduation. Aw. Here’s her sob story. One awful semester, she enrolled in Physical Education 2 and attended a class in Taekwondo. Wow, that’s an amazing moxie for girls in this age of bullies and misogynists. But, there’s the rub. Taekwondo is not the course description of her enrolled PE 2. What? You may scratch your head. Aftershock: consequently, she was dropped in her PE 2 and had to retake it the following semester – a costly bummer that robbed her of her Latin honor. That’s an off-key lesson for another day.

To jazz up this article’s tail end, her Mom kidded her: “You’re special; you’re one of the few 40 or so among the hundreds of graduates in your school that didn’t get the honors.”

Her mom’s telling it like it is. In the periodic table, those 40 or so without honors are called “rare earth elements.”

Content put together in collaboration with Microsoft Bing AI-powered co-pilot

Head collage photos courtesy of The Boston Globe & Ann Michaelsen

Video clips courtesy of YouTube