Something to think about...

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>As I sit here, in on a Saturday night, trying to prepare for 3 tests, three homework assignments, and a project due this week, I have come to the conclusion about grades in engineering:
The common thought about engineering is that it is important to keep one's GPA above a 3.0, simply because most companies will hire anything above a 3.0, and salaries are based on how much above a 3.0 one has (while this isn't true of ALL companies, 3.0 is the general "magic number")
Now, think about these 3.0s: most engineering classes are curved, where somtimes as low as a 60% is an A. A chem class I recently took had a 73% being a B, and an 84% being an A. A 62% was a C, which should be a D-. Although i'm at a university known for making freshman courses "weeder" classes with low grades, I can only assume that other instituations have even worse grade inflation. </p>

<p>So, if one thinks about it, even though the "golden number" for engineers is a 3.0, most engineers, in fact, do not have 3.0s, but probably more of 2.0s. Makes you kind of wonder why more bridges don't fall down =P</p>

2

<p>Eh? If a school of engineering tends to curve most of its classes so that the average grade is a B the average GPA should be a 3.0 (ie more than half getting a 3.0+)</p>

3

<p>I think at my school the 3.5 GPA mark is probably the 75th-80th percentile. They keep it secret though, this is just speculation on my part.</p>

4

<p>True, but I was pointing out that while the expectation of engineers is a 3.0, many engineers who get a 3.0 do not actually have a 3.0, but instead, their grades have been curved so much. Its only due to this curve that most engineers have above a 3.0, which is funny, because the standards have already been lowered to a 3.0. So, the upper end of the spectrum has been lowered, while at the same time, the lower end has been moved up due to grade inflation/curve.
And most classes, atleast here, curve to a C.</p>

5

<p>Well, then what is the problem? :)</p>

6

<p>Nothing, I just found it funny to think about =P</p>

7

<p>i have never had a class that's an A is 60, 70 % I wish I had tho.</p>

<p>Curving is good. If we don't, there will be a significantly less amount of engineers graduating. Then you will end up seeing more art people becoming engineers. That would make more broken bridges.</p>