
To help make sense of the ongoing discourse around grading, we collected a few of the common arguments for and against grading. Alverno College, Bennington College, and Brown University are just three of many institutions that favor methods like a pass-fail grading system, self-assessment, and professor assessments instead of letter grades. Most schools rely on grades to assess student performance, though some colleges and universities have banished them entirely. Supporters argue that grades hold students accountable for their work, and provide a simple frame of reference for their standing in class. Of course, many educators and most universities still favor the traditional grading system. For many students, this pressure sparks anxiety and stress. Students often see grades as the major obstacle to getting into college, earning their degree, or landing their dream job. These critics argue that grading incentivizes students to pursue good marks at the expense of meaningful learning. grading system, bemoan the A-F grading scale because they feel it inhibits learning. Many educators, especially those involved with the U.S. Surprising as it may seem, some teachers don't think grades are a useful tool. grading system itself, dating back to the late 1800s.


The debate about whether grades help or hinder student learning is as old as the U.S. They delineate achievement and motivate students to study hard and perform well.
