It’s finally here: the day you get the grade for the project you worked so hard on. Here it comes. It’s a…B minus? This confusion occurs frequently in schools, with students unsure of how their letter grades are calculated. In some courses, a letter grade is a representation of a numerical score, but other curricula are not so easily converted to quantitative assessment. The A to F scale is an inaccurate system that must be reevaluated.

Letter grades do not show how points are lost on assignments. Math problems are easy to deduct points from because they can only be right or wrong, but how can teachers standardize essay grading? One teacher may find a student’s style creative, while another may think that it is confusing. These two teachers may give one essay two different grades. There is no reliable way to quantify style and effort. In those areas a grader may as well give a “smiley” or “frowny” face to rate the student’s work.

Students often feel that a poor grade ruins their academic records. To combat this, many colleges, such as Reed College and New College of Florida, have decided to opt-out of mandatory A to F grading in favor of an assessment-based system. Their students receive extensive written critiques each term. This system provides feedback to students and creates a written record throughout their academic careers. Even if schools simply pair the A to F system with written assessments, the assessments would give students an open-ended approach to school.

Students may wonder how written evaluations affect their acceptance to college. Far from hurting their chances of being accepted, written evaluations may improve students’ prospects. Written critiques not only show good work ethics, but would also note exemplary behavior and achievements. The fact that these critiques are seen by admissions officers would discourage students from getting comfortable with poor work habits and bad behavior in class.

In the end, it is up to teachers to enact grading reform. Educators can take steps now to ensure their students receive fairer evaluations. Although it would mean a more work for teachers, the benefits for students are clear. Hopefully educators will see that alternative evaluations are the logical solution and hop on the bandwagon.