[tokenadult]

so that the grades could be meaningful to colleges, employers, etc.

Do you think that grades are that way now?

http://www.amazon.com/Wad-Ja-Get-Grading-Game-American-Educa...

Grades from some schools are completely disregarded (that is, not taking seriously as indications of learning). Lower grades can often be more highly regarded, if accompanied by other evidence of actual learning and achievement. There is substantial controversy about how much consideration of grades adds to standardized test scores as an estimate of which students are best prepared for university studies,

http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/pdf/rn10_...

but it is worth noticing that all of the most selective and sought-after universities in the United States continue to use criteria other than grades to select students, even after they look at where the grades come from before deciding what the grades mean.