grading / course grade distribution at College of W&M, UVA, VA tech, and UMDCP compared to other uni

[Anonymous]

We are looking at these universities for for our rising senior (stem or joint stem/history/philosophy/classics focus). Choice will likely be between the selective in-state schools and OOS selective / competative privates. Although we k know about grad school pathways from the competitive privates we went to, we dont have a good sense of how well local colleges place students into the best grad or med/law schools.

So part of that question relates to what is the grading like and the grade distribution for these local universities. Do they have 10% As 30% As? One presumes having a high undergrad GPA is one of the main factors to successful placement into competative grad programs (stem or prof doctorates) at ivys/research powerhouses.

So how do our local universities compare between each other and to peer OOS options in grade distributions and for grad school placement?

Are there any empirical / objective data sets or reports on these 2 topics that are released or reported by the schools?

[Anonymous]

I can’t answer your question directly (typical DCUM!!), but I will say that I direct admissions into a top doctoral program, and we have tons of applicants with near-perfect grades. We barely consider grades at all, unless someone’s are so low as to prompt discussion. We focus much more on GRE scores and previous research experience (and TOEFL scores in the case of international applicants). So I would consider which schools have research opportunities specifically for undergrads. The liberal arts colleges—both public and private—have traditionally had more opportunities, but the research comprehensive universities are adding more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at these universities for for our rising senior (stem or joint stem/history/philosophy/classics focus). Choice will likely be between the selective in-state schools and OOS selective / competative privates. Although we k know about grad school pathways from the competitive privates we went to, we dont have a good sense of how well local colleges place students into the best grad or med/law schools.

So part of that question relates to what is the grading like and the grade distribution for these local universities. Do they have 10% As 30% As? One presumes having a high undergrad GPA is one of the main factors to successful placement into competative grad programs (stem or prof doctorates) at ivys/research powerhouses.

So how do our local universities compare between each other and to peer OOS options in grade distributions and for grad school placement?

Are there any empirical / objective data sets or reports on these 2 topics that are released or reported by the schools?

Historically W&M was a significantly harder grader than UVA and similar schools. This is no longer the case as the average GPA of undergraduates is virtually identical between the two. I'll see if I can find the report with this data.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at these universities for for our rising senior (stem or joint stem/history/philosophy/classics focus). Choice will likely be between the selective in-state schools and OOS selective / competative privates. Although we k know about grad school pathways from the competitive privates we went to, we dont have a good sense of how well local colleges place students into the best grad or med/law schools.

So part of that question relates to what is the grading like and the grade distribution for these local universities. Do they have 10% As 30% As? One presumes having a high undergrad GPA is one of the main factors to successful placement into competative grad programs (stem or prof doctorates) at ivys/research powerhouses.

So how do our local universities compare between each other and to peer OOS options in grade distributions and for grad school placement?

Are there any empirical / objective data sets or reports on these 2 topics that are released or reported by the schools?

Historically W&M was a significantly harder grader than UVA and similar schools. This is no longer the case as the average GPA of undergraduates is virtually identical between the two. I'll see if I can find the report with this data.

Here you go: http://www.gradeinflation.com

Latest year of data on that site: W&M - 3.33, UVA - 3.32, VT - 3.15, UMD - 3.17

[Anonymous]

UMD’s +/- grading system is really tough on kids trying to maintain high GPA. I can’t tell you how many A- (3.7) my kids got for being just below 93 cutoff line.

[Anonymous]

UMD’s +/- grading system is really tough on kids trying to maintain high GPA. I can’t tell you how many A- (3.7) my kids got for being just below 93 cutoff line.

This is the grading system that most high school students are used to and the grading system used at all of the listed universities. It's not unusual at all.

I guess it's an adjustment if you're coming from a school with a grading system like MCPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

UMD’s +/- grading system is really tough on kids trying to maintain high GPA. I can’t tell you how many A- (3.7) my kids got for being just below 93 cutoff line.

This is the grading system that most high school students are used to and the grading system used at all of the listed universities. It's not unusual at all.

I guess it's an adjustment if you're coming from a school with a grading system like MCPS?

That maybe, it's just different (and find it more difficult) than when my older kid went there before grading system changed.

[Anonymous]

WM, UVa, and VTech use +/- system?

[Anonymous]

"UMD’s +/- grading system is really tough on kids trying to maintain high GPA. I can’t tell you how many A- (3.7) my kids got for being just below 93 cutoff line.

This is the grading system that most high school students are used to and the grading system used at all of the listed universities. It's not unusual at all.

I guess it's an adjustment if you're coming from a school with a grading system like MCPS?"

My guess is it has little to do with being unusual or MCPS or having a 93 cutoff after freshman year.

More likely, in classes with 30 or fewer students, the prof may not give any As if no one stands out or may only give As to those who work as though the class will be their life's work.

A 4.0 A for a med student would mean they would have to be better at Organic Chemistry than someone intending to be a Phd synthetic chemist.

That future synthetic chemist may have intentionally taken A-s or B+s in their other 3 or 4 classes in order to put more time into O Chem.

UMDCP tries to address this by allowing A+'s that are still worth only 4.0. Not all profs use the A+ but if you are looking at a UMD transcript with a handful of A+, 4.0s, you are really looking at an amazing student.