<p>What's the deal with the new +/- grading system? It seems like it will make it harder to have a high GPA. Anyone know the reasoning behind the change?</p>
<p>I’m not sure why it was implemented, as now a 94 is a 4.0, but there is no 4.33 to balance the 3.36 that you get for a low ~90 ish type range. So it’s even harder to keep a 4.0 now.</p>
<p>I think they started this system because the other UT branches already used the +/- system.</p>
<p>It really sucks. I feel kind of sorry for med students who are aiming for that perfect or close to perfect gpa.</p>
<p>Its not even just med students, its really anyone shooting for a graduate degree from a top university. I’m planning on going to law school and this +/- isn’t going to help me either. Not to mention, I still want to internally transfer into mccombs.</p>
<p>you guys are looking on the downside, which I also think is worse than the upside. A B- will count as a 2.67 (which sucks really bad) but a B+ counts as 3.33 (which sorta evens it out). But I would still prefer the old style grading system over this new one.</p>
<p>TMT90</p>
<p>As I understand it, when you apply to law schools you send your transcript to LSDAS or whatever that central place is called and they calculate your GPA according to some standardized procedure. Even though UT doesn’t count an A as a 4.33, LSDAS does. In that way, the new system could possibly help you out. </p>
<p>For anyone else interested, the following is from an email sent to me by my advisor about the new system. </p>
<p>Frequently Asked Questions</p>
<p>Will the plus/minus system be grandfathered?
No. Come Fall of 2009, all students (current and incoming) will be under the new grading system.</p>
<p>Will my GPA be Affected*?
No. Effects on GPA will likely even out, and the effect on top students is as likely to be positive. In any case, given that most of our peer institutions use plus/minus grading, this change would increase the equity of comparisons for students from different universities.</p>
<p>Will the Plus/Minus System be Optional for Professors?
No. Starting Fall 2009, the University is moving to having only one grading scale. Professors can assign which ever grade in our grading scale they feel is most representative of the academic performance of the student.</p>
<p>Why is the University Switching*?</p>
<pre><code>1. Plus/minus grading allows for more accurate representation of students’ performance.
-
Plus/minus grading makes it easier to assign grades in borderline cases -
Plus/minus grading may be used to reduce grade inflation. -
All 11 of our peer institutions (the group of large public universities that UT Austin uses for comparison purposes) use some form of plus/minus grading. -
The new system will help with transfer student discrepancies. -
The more grade options we have means that students are awarded grades appropriate to their performance in a course.
</code></pre>
<p>Here is some info on the UT website as well.</p>
<p>[Office</a> of the General Faculty and Faculty Council](<a href=“Spotlight & Events | Faculty Council”>Spotlight & Events | Faculty Council)</p>
<p>If an A+ appears on the transcript, it will be calculated as a 4.33. Otherwise, the highest grade a student can receive is 4.0 regardless of the plus minus system.</p>
<p>Thanks kkwa, I left the + off of the A+. I would edit if I could but it is too late.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I don’t think there are provisions for A+ under the policy to be implemented this upcoming fall even as a symbolic distinction.</p>
<p>[Office</a> of the Executive Vice President and Provost](<a href=“http://www.utexas.edu/provost/planning/plus-minus/]Office”>http://www.utexas.edu/provost/planning/plus-minus/)</p>
<p>It’s probably not going to make you guys feel any better, but both Student Government and Senate voted against the new grading scheme, but Faculty council wanted it, so we got it.</p>
<p>Can’t the whole student body appeal against it once again and they might change it back lol just food for thought.</p>
<p>Fiyero, so what you’re saying is, my UT gpa may be one thing, but LSDAS may change that gpa according to whatever their scale is?</p>
<p>Yep. UT GPA only includes courses taken at UT.</p>
<p>LSDAS is a standardized GPA scale and includes all coursework taken at the college level.</p>
<p>that’s great that they calculate gpa using all college coursework. I am also thinking about law school if Finance or Accounting doesn’t appeal much to me. Or I might just major in a business field before going into law school.</p>
<p>Sorry, but I’m really confused. I thought that colleges operate under the 4.0 scale… So if we change to this system, we now have to get a 4.33 for the highest score?</p>
<p>No. The law school admissions council will give you a 4.33 in your GPA for law school admission IF your transcript says “A+.” If it doesn’t, you are stuck with a 4.0.</p>