Grade inflation

Guests: Clancy Rowley, William Deresiewicz, Arthur Levine

Studies have shown that grade inflation is rampant at universities and colleges across the country. At Harvard, for example, the average grade is an A-. Princeton University has been trying to combat the problem for a decade but just ended their “grade deflation” policy after finding that it had limited success and getting complaints from the students who said it that it was hurting their job prospects. Today we look at grade inflation – is it really a problem and if so what can be done about it? Marty talks with CLANCY ROWLEY, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Princeton University and chair of the committee that reviewed Princeton’s grading policies, WILLIAM DERESIEWICZ, author of Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of The American Elite & the Way to a Meaningful Life and ARTHUR LEVINE, President of The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation.