Grading Methodology

In USA Universities follow the method where in there is continues assessment and assigning grades for every course taken. Apart from studies, anything that you do during your class hours will influence your grades. You class attendance and your participation in it, written assignments and essays, studio work or laboratory reports, test and examination scores are used in giving your final scores. In other words, it is important for students to do reading and course work by attending your classes regularly.

Grading System:

There are many different systems of giving grades depending upon the nature of work and philosophy of the faculty or institution that is doing your assessment.

These grades are divided into A, B, C, D, E, F and I categories. ‘A’ is considered as the highest and the first grade. Grades from ‘A’ to ‘D’ is considered as pass while ‘F’ is considered as fail and ‘I’ is given when a student left the course in the middle with the permission of their teachers.

The most common grading system is assigning score of your performance in either the numerical or alphabetical letter. Your performance scores is based on examination or the reports, projects and papers submitted to your academic institution. In case of numerical system your scores are given in the range between 0 to 4 numbers; where 1 to 4 represents your outstanding performance. On other hand in alphabetical system your scores are given in the range of A-F; where A represents your outstanding performance and F represent your failure. Grade A-D is considered as pass. If the student discontinue the course in between with the permission then he is given Grade I which stands for Incomplete; but if student leave the course without permission will given Grade F which stands for Failure.

In some under-graduate schools or institutions do not follow any of the above grading systems. They prefer to prepare detailed comments of the students regarding their school work, capabilities and progress. In case the subsequent course or employer requires the score report, these institutions translate the reports into a grade scale.

Some advanced academic works like thesis and dissertations are graded as “Pass or Fail”. These are sometimes amplified by adding terms like ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Honors’. This works well when there is absolutely essential requirement to award a degree either met or not.

Grading System And GPA:

Let us have a look on the how to calculate GPA. GPA Scale is relationship between grading methodology and Grade Point Average or GPA Scale.

Following is the most common understanding about Alphabetic Grading System in USA:

• Marks form 100-90 = A Grade i.e. Excellent
• Marks from 89-79 = B Grade i.e. Good
• Marks from 78-68 =C Grade i.e. Average
• Marks from 67-57 = D Grade i.e. Below Average
• Below 57 =F or Fail.

Each grade described above has allocated numeric points; however the points are not similar for each grade. These numeric points are related to the Numeric Grading System.

Following is the relation between Alphabetic Grading System with that of Numeric Grading System (or points for each Grade):

• Grade A = Points 4
• Grade B =Points 3
• Grade C= Points 2
• Grade D = Points 1
• Grade E = Points 0

These two systems i.e. Alphabetic Grade system and the Numeric system are together said as Grade Point Average commonly known as GPA. The grades are normally given by the professor who teaches the respective subject and give scores according to the performance of the students.