Grades keep rising

In the past 10 years, we have had a series of rises: inflation, temperatures and GPAs.

You would think SAT scores would be on the list. However, SAT scores have fallen, the combination of the rise and fall giving way to a phenomenon known as grade inflation.

The College Board, which oversees the SAT, said in the last ten years that the number of A students who took the test grew from 28 to 38 percent.

Those A students scored 12 points less on the verbal portion of the SAT, down from 517 to 505, and three points less on the math portion down from 515 to 512.

What this really means is that universities are graduating seniors who are not quite as proficient as they think they are.

"We don't know why grades are rising," said Donald Stewart, president of the College Board. "The trend may reflect positive changes in education, but it may also reflect greater focus on personal qualities instead of academic achievement."

Seppy Basili, a representative of Kaplan Educational Centers, said grade inflation will stay, partly due to the popularity of advanced-placement classes, which allot more points for each grade than regular classes.

Are we just boosting self-esteem? Students are feeling more prepared for the work force, but prospective employers are having a tougher time discerning who's who. The yardstick has become ambiguous.