Finals week marks the trials at the end of the year that determine a student’s true knowledge of the subjects they studied during the semester. While nerve-wracking, this time of year allows students one last chance to finish strong. Despite the opportunity, various students find themselves in a unique situation, receiving a grade one percentage shy of the next letter. Ending the semester with a mark a singular number from passing or receiving an “A,” proves a tough pill to swallow. With that said, a simple solution may stand to fix this issue, and students’ Grade Point Averages (GPA) simultaneously: Cobb County should implement a plus system to further encourage academic excellence.
The current structure of the grading system in Cobb County reflects the sentiment that percentages within a nine-point swing deserve the same mark come the end of the semester. Students who work diligently all semester or year and finish with a grade of a 79% and others who squeeze by with a 70% will receive the same mark on their transcripts. Classes weigh summative and formative assessments differently; however, one singular test holds the ability to determine whether a student receives an 80% or a 70% by the end of the year as a result of gradebook weighting. A student’s study habits, testing habits and overall knowledge completely differ when a student coasts at a 70%, or fluctuates from a 79-80%. A student’s transcript should not suffer because of a singular point they failed to receive on their report card.
“If I got a 79 in a class and the teacher didn’t bump it up, I would feel horrible. I’m basically right there, and a 79 is closer to an 80. Why would you put me at a C when it could just be a B? That’s not fair because I worked hard all year long, and then I fell one point short at the end of the year. That is crazy,” magnet sophomore Kennedy Aldrige said.
As far as GPA, an 80% earns 3.0 credits, and 89% also earn 3.0 credits in a student’s unweighted GPA. Implementing the plus system would allow a student who falls close to the next grade to receive additional credit instead of the current general system. The fluidity of the system shows that a grade of 85%-89% allows a student to finish with 3.5 credits instead of the basic 3.0 credits. Implementing this structure would further encourage a student if they knew that they worked with greater rigor, they could benefit GPA-wise, despite not receiving that elusive “A” mark. In addition, the plus system protects students that earn a 90% and above like the plus and minus system does. The plus system’s purpose rewards students without simultaneously hurting those “A” students.
In contrast, students argue that the plus system offers additional leniency for students not deserving of the extra aid. They suggest that schools should not reward the outcomes of grades on the edge, and instead, students should work harder to achieve the grades they desire. The argument does not reflect the full story. Student grades that need the plus system receive it without impacting the students who do not require the extra boost.
“I feel like teachers should bump it up. I did the work to get my grade to an 89% or 79%, so just add the extra point. I think [a plus system] would be good because of the extra GPA points. I would want my hard work to mean something. I definitely think that it is more merit-based than the structure now,” sophomore Malena Cobo said.
The plus system allows for students who failed to reach the mark they wanted by one or two points, reaping the benefits of their hard work. Unlike the plus and minus system that penalizes students for receiving low grades, the plus system only rewards students that worked diligently throughout the year without achieving the desired grade. Overall, student determination would improve due to the promising incentive at the end of the semester.
