I never really thought about it, but how come there are grades for A,B,C,D and F but no E? After a quick Google search, it turns out the answer is fairly straightforward: A,B,C and D are the only real grades. F isn’t a grade but rather it just stands for FAIL. Mystery solved.
I’ve heard the debates about grades, in general. Are they an accurate representation of the student’s progress? Or are they just an antiquated measurement that should be done away with? By the way, did you know that grading was invented by a teacher, back in the days when teachers were paid per student? By standardizing grades, he could ‘teach’ a lot more students and make a lot more money. Interesting.

Also turns out that the history of grading students in the US has been ever-changing. Mental Floss does a good job of outlining the many ways it has changed over the years. But forget the history…what’s the future? What, if any, are the discussions going on in your college or university?