A number of studies have documented a trend of higher grades awarded by postsecondary institutions in both the United States and Canada over the last two decades. Grade inflation in higher education is a potentially costly problem for a variety of reasons, but little empirical research about the causes of grade inflation has been conducted. This…

In the light of the uncertainty surrounding the new National Senior Certificate that was written in South African schools for the first time in 2008, this article aims to examine the new Grade 12 National Senior Certificate results quantitatively in the context of the Grade 11 application score for entry into higher education and the Grade 12…

A survey of undergraduate grade point averages from 1960 to 1974 at 50 institutions indicates a steady increase during that period. If the current concern about grade inflation is sustained, more institutions will probably explore methods to extend the distinctions that record the scholastic achievement of undergraduates. (LBH)