10.02 GPA — Can you say Grade Inflation!!!

Throughout higher ed circles, the topic of grade inflation is a popular one.  How can a student at one school graduate with a perfect 4.0 GPA while a student at another graduate with an imperfect 10.02.  That’s right, 10.02 and she got a “B” somewhere along the line.

While I’m sure the students worked very hard to achieve the unachievable, but really folks.

http://tbo.com/plant-city/gpa-of-1002-plant-city-student-sets-academic-standard-20140526/

I know, I know, it’s because of all the extra credit awarded to honors courses, but come on.  Is the 4.0 student from my day (we had only a handful in a graduating class of almost 1,000) less than half as smart as the 10.02 graduate today?

When I saw the score, curiosity overcame me and I found the highest GPA’ s for most of our local high schools. Would you believe there’s not a 4.0 in the lot.  Here’s a sampling:

• Alonso High School — 7.02
• Bloomingdale High — 7.56
• Brandon High — 6.82
• Chamberlain High — 7.19
• Gaither High School — 6.97
• Jefferson High School — 6.5384
• King High School — 6.12
• Leto High School — 7.24
• Plant High School — 7.0
• Plant City High — 10.02
• Robinson High — 6.3261
• Steinbrenner High — 7.04

It’s important that kids work hard in high school.  It prepares them for college.  Prepares them for the world.  Teaches them to think for themselves.  But does a 10.02 . . . or even a lowly 6.82 really do these kids any favors?

I think not.  We are demonstrating that its possible to be better than perfect. Better than 4.0.  We’re setting false expectations for the real world.

I know many will disagree, but I’ve got to ask if in today’s world, would my 3.4 high school average equate to 8.517 making me the second smartest kid in Hillsborough County.  Yeah, that must be true.

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