Study Finds Median Grade Reports Lead to Inflation

In 1996, the Cornell University Faculty Senate voted to implement the “Truth in Grading” policy, which would involve publishing median grades online and on transcripts. More than 10 years later, the University will begin to include median grades on transcripts for the incoming class in 2008. These median grade reports have had unintended consequences. According to a study recently conducted by three Cornell professors, students are influenced to choose classes with relatively high median grades, which consequently leads to grade inflation.