[cmbuck]

This article completely neglects the influence of lower acceptance rates of upper tier institutions. Between 1960-1970 Harvard and Stanford's acceptance rates were 4-6x larger than they are today. It does not seem reasonable to me to assume that all of the additional applicants nowadays are low-achieving students. Assuming a roughly equal distribution of capability within the applicant pool, it makes total sense that average achievement (and thus, grades) would rise over time.

Yes there may be professors or programs that are artificially awarding higher grades than deserved. But the more likely case is that the admitted pool of students is just a higher caliber with stronger educational background than 50 years ago. If you agree that grades are a metric of academic mastery, then it makes sense average grades are improving, and are not necessarily an indication that somehow school has gotten easier than back in the "good 'ol days".

[btilly]

Nice theory, but the facts don't support it.

While elite institutions use such arguments to justify their grade inflation, grade inflation is actually seen across all kinds of educational institutions. The system overall is less selective than it used to be. And grade inflation is proceeding far too quickly in recent years to be explained by a changing student body.

See http://www.gradeinflation.com/ for data backing up what I claim.