Anonymous
11/04/2025 10:06
Subject: Williams revisits Oral Exams to combat Grade Inflation
This is an ineffective form of examination when your professors are committed to grade inflation.
Anonymous
11/04/2025 02:43
Subject: Williams revisits Oral Exams to combat Grade Inflation
The return of oral exams is also a key tool in the arsenal of assessment in the age of AI. I’ve recently heard an MIT prof talking about how he is using it. DD who is a freshman at Pomona also already had oral exams in some (non-language) classes this fall.
Anonymous
11/04/2025 02:28
Subject: Williams revisits Oral Exams to combat Grade Inflation
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Seems to favor extroverts over writers.
It’s just biased examination with less ability to actually regulate potential bias.
or go back to blue books & have orals. im an introvert who's gregarious mama made me learn to fake it and im so so grateful to her!!
Anonymous
11/04/2025 01:43
Subject: Williams revisits Oral Exams to combat Grade Inflation
I don’t see the purpose.
Anonymous
11/04/2025 01:19
Subject: Williams revisits Oral Exams to combat Grade Inflation
DD’ is an IR major at W&M and has had a couple oral finals. She really liked them and scored higher than on most written finals. She has ADHD and writes very well, but can get overwhelmed and have trouble organizing her thoughts and starting to write essay exams.
Oral exams have been in small classes where ther has been a lot of discussion as part of the class and she knew the professor well.
I think any LAC grad should have had to take a combo of oral exams, written exams and final papers/projects. They require different skill sets and let kids showcase strengths, while requiring them to work on weak areas.
Of course, I also think they should bring back blue books for written exams.
Oral exams have been in small classes where ther has been a lot of discussion as part of the class and she knew the professor well.
I think any LAC grad should have had to take a combo of oral exams, written exams and final papers/projects. They require different skill sets and let kids showcase strengths, while requiring them to work on weak areas.
Of course, I also think they should bring back blue books for written exams.
Anonymous
11/03/2025 23:05
Subject: Williams revisits Oral Exams to combat Grade Inflation
Swarthmore honors does orals
It’s hard
More lacs should do it
It’s hard
More lacs should do it
Anonymous
11/03/2025 22:51
Subject: Williams revisits Oral Exams to combat Grade Inflation
Anonymous wrote:Seems to favor extroverts over writers.
It’s just biased examination with less ability to actually regulate potential bias.
Anonymous
11/03/2025 22:32
Subject: Williams revisits Oral Exams to combat Grade Inflation
Seems to favor extroverts over writers.
Anonymous
11/03/2025 22:29
Subject: Williams revisits Oral Exams to combat Grade Inflation
Seems like this will produce the same issues. Profs are still pressured to give good grades.
Anonymous
11/03/2025 22:18
Subject: Williams revisits Oral Exams to combat Grade Inflation
What's William's average GPA? 60% gets A?
Anonymous
11/03/2025 22:10
Subject: Williams revisits Oral Exams to combat Grade Inflation
Amazing institution with a strong intellectual mission: https://today.williams.edu/magazine/socratic-style/