Kim Dalton Dalton-1
LA III CP
Mrs. Quinlan
12 December 1996
Flaws of the 4.0
In the Joplin R-VIII school district, the grade point average is based on a 4.0 scale. Most classes are worth a 4.0 but weighted classes worth a 5.0 are also offered for those who want a more challenging schedule. This system is very good because it allows students to receive more credit for harder classes. It does, however, have some drawbacks.
At some point in their high school years, most students will take a weighted class of some sort. If they receive a good grade in the class, it can bring up their GPA. What most students do not know is that taking non-weighted classes can and will hurt their grade point average if it is over a 4.0. I believe that awareness of the 4.0 GPA (grade point average) system is extremely important when making decisions about which classes to take and which classes not to take . Unfortunately, most students do not find out how the system works until they are halfway through high school.
Another problem with the 4.0 system is that it is very limiting to the individual who wants to keep a high GPA and still maintain some variety in their schedule. Individuals who earn the best grades in the most classes should receive the most merit. Students should be rewarded for taking extra classes not punished with a lower GPA.
Although the main purpose of this paper is to increase the awareness of the way GPA is calculated among students, I would also like to present a plan for a new grading system. In this new system, each class would be worth a specific number of points depending on the difficulty level of the class. At the end of the term, the student with the greatest number of points would have the highest GPA. Of course, many might object to the fact that it is not an internationally recognized grading system or that it would be impractical to arbitrarily change a long - established grading scale. A compromise, then, might be to have both a point system and a 4.0 scale. Class rank would be figured as always but, in the event of a tie, the student with the most points would rank 1st. In this system, even though 4.0 classes could bring down a student’s GPA, any points earned from taking extra classes would serve as a tie breaker.
Punishing students for trying to realize their full potential and rewarding other students for taking little initiative is not and never will be fair. I hope that some day there will be a GPA system that will account for all the variables. Until then, I urge all teachers, especially jr. high and high school counselors, to forewarn their students about the drawbacks of taking 4.0 classes or summer school to "get ahead."