<p>Interesting; but giving 5 points for an A instead of 4 is inflating the grade. After reading all of the above responses to my original inquiry I am ready to draw a few conclusions:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>A lot of students work very hard to earn top marks</p></li>
<li><p>The general pattern of not computing PE and other classes + giving 5s for AP classes + the occassional change of grade and other strategic measures turn a lot of
3.5 -3.75 students into 3.8 - 4.0 students.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Now, I want to ask the hard question. There is a general sense often reported in the press that cheating is well on its way to becoming the norm in secondary and college educational settings. So, anyone care to comment on whether or not they have ever cheated on exams etc. in order to obtain a high grade? Or, care to comment on the general societal perception about increased cheating?</p>