Grades Around the World
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Author Topic: Grades Around the World  (Read 3236 times)
anvi
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« on: December 12, 2014, 08:56:54 AM »
« edited: December 12, 2014, 09:13:25 AM by anvi »

In the country where you're from or where you live now, what percentage of total points available in school gets you what grade?  Maybe more precisely, what percentages are the cutoffs for various letter grades?  Or if you use a different system, what is it?

In the U.S., as well as in China, 90% is usually an A-, 80% a B-, 70% a C-, 60% a D- and grades below 60 fail.  Interestingly, the high school I went to (in the 1980's in North Dakota) made 93% the cutoff for an A-, 85% the cutoff for a B-, and I don't precisely remember the rest.

I'm only now getting used to the fact that, in a lot of Canadian schools, 80% is an A-, 70% a B-, 55% a C-, 54-50% a D and below 50% fails.  The downshifted scale is apparently compensated for by the fact that only extremely good work receives anything above 85%.  But I'm still getting used to it.

When I went to university in Germany in the '90's, there was a numbers system used, where assignments which received some decimal values between 1-2 were A work, 2-3 B work and so on.  But I never got a sense in any of the classes I took what percentages corresponded to these.

How about where you live?
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True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)
Ernest
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« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2014, 09:06:19 AM »

The grading scale used when I was going through my 1-12 education was as follows:
A=95-100
B+=90-94
B=85-89
C+=80-84
C=75-79
D=70-74
E=60-69
F=0-59
Both E and F were failing grades, but E meant you could take the course in summer school to get it back up to a passing grade.  The district where I was schooled has since gone on to a more usual scaling scheme thanks to state mandates.
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dead0man
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« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2014, 09:14:39 AM »

Both in public school and college it was totally up to the teacher.  Never saw anything more....."easy" than:
A=>90
B=80-89
etc
F=<60

I did pass Spanish 2 with 59.5 rounded up to a 60 once because the teacher liked me (in spite of my sh**tty study habits).
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CrabCake
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« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2014, 10:44:58 AM »

For GCSE's (taken from the age of 13-16) it is in 10% bands:

90% - A*
80% - A
70% - B
60% - C
50% - D
40% - E
30% - F
20% - G

Below is ungraded.

A-Levels (16-18) have a similar system, but the F and G bands are eliminated and A*'s are only given to those who score 90% in their second year alone. (to the sad detriment of my chemistry grade)
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Franzl
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« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2014, 10:55:02 AM »

When I went to university in Germany in the '90's, there was a numbers system used, where assignments which received some decimal values between 1-2 were A work, 2-3 B work and so on.  But I never got a sense in any of the classes I took what percentages corresponded to these.

It varies a lot, depending on the subject and the average score. Although the thresholds tend to be significantly lower than in the US (although the exams, in my opinion, are also significantly more difficult, so it compensates for this.)

The minimum percentage for an A can be anywhere from 75% to 90%, whereas the passing mark can be anywhere from 35% to 50% normally. Although it's never clear in advance and is often adjusted based on actual results. (It works legally because the exam papers always say something like "Bei Erreichen der hälftigen Punktzahl haben Sie SICHER bestanden.) Which leaves room for adjustment.
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Hatman 🍁
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« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2014, 12:04:33 PM »



I'm only now getting used to the fact that, in a lot of Canadian schools, 80% is an A-, 70% a B-, 55% a C-, 54-50% a D and below 50% fails.  The downshifted scale is apparently compensated for by the fact that only extremely good work receives anything above 85%.  But I'm still getting used to it.



This is correct. 60% cut off seems arbitrary in my opinion.
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Foucaulf
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« Reply #6 on: December 12, 2014, 02:41:07 PM »

My high school didn't have plus-minus grades, and the A cutoff was exactly 86%. B was 73%, C was something in the sixties.

My econ classes at university are usually curved to a B average (whether the average is in the eighties or low fourties, like my micro midterm). My math classes my first two years applied a 10% shift downwards (80% = A- and all), and after that they were too informal to really grade consistently.

France's 20-point system is also worth a mention; perfect scores on math tests are feasible, but on anything paper-related "the professor gets a 19, and God gets 20". I would equate a 14 to an A-worthy performance at an American private school.
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MalaspinaGold
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« Reply #7 on: December 12, 2014, 03:01:31 PM »

don't forget rounding (A- goes down to 89.5, etc.)

Other than that my high school was fairly standardized, nothing too out of the ordinary.
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snowguy716
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« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2014, 03:10:55 PM »

In middle school it was
93-100: A-/A
85-92: B-/B/B+
75-84: C-/C/C+
65-74: D-/D/D+
<65:   F

High school and college followed the 10% deciles.
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Famous Mortimer
WillipsBrighton
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« Reply #9 on: December 12, 2014, 04:29:18 PM »

I seem to recall using the 93-100 = A system when I was in elementary school and then switching to factors of 10 in middle school and high school. I think maybe it has something to do with conditioning young children to accept arbitrary rules. I think cursive is the same way. They teach little kids to write weird and use this arbitrary grading system, then as soon as they've learned to accept it, they go "actually we're just going to use common sense now, write how it's easiest and use round numbers"
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Platypus
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« Reply #10 on: December 12, 2014, 05:43:29 PM »

This is going back a while, but as I remember it...

High School

AA 90-100
A 80
B 70
C 60
P 50
F 0

Uni

High Distinction 80
Distinction 70
Credit 60
Pass 50
Fail 0

But getting above 90 in either context was for genuinely exceptional work.
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Lurker
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« Reply #11 on: December 12, 2014, 06:39:36 PM »

Somewhat related to this: What percentage of grades are A's, B's, C's etc. on average at Colleges/Universities in the US and other countries? I.E., how many students receive an A as opposed to a B, etc. 
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Deus Naturae
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« Reply #12 on: December 12, 2014, 07:39:36 PM »
« Edited: December 12, 2014, 07:59:25 PM by Deus Naturae »

This was the scale used at my high school:

A - 90-100
B - 80-89
C - 75-79
D - 70-74
F - <70

It was a Jesuit school though so it may have been different at public high schools. In middle school I remember we used the scale that dead0man posted.
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ag
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« Reply #13 on: December 12, 2014, 08:52:37 PM »

I have either studied or taught (or both) in 4 countries.  US is obvious, so for the others.

In Mexico the grading system is, usually, 6 to 10, with anything below considered a failing grade. There is a general idea that this corresponds to the obvious percentages.

Spain is similar, but 5 is a passing grade (at least wherever I taught) and you do not even have to round much: you can, literally, assign a 7.2

In Russia the grading system is 1 to 5, with 1 and 2 being failing grades. There is no notion of any percentages involved. Rather, an ideal work is considered a 5, and then they subtract points for each mistake.

A few countries I know (though I have never had personal experience teaching or studying there) are on the French 20 point system. Generally, in that system 20 is impossible, 19 is reserved for Jesus in Christian theology if he has a good day, 18 has not been assigned since the 18th century, 14 is a genius, 12 would correspond to an American A.
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Boston Bread
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« Reply #14 on: December 12, 2014, 09:14:04 PM »

In Ontario high schools a fail is below 50 and there's no major consequence for how well you do in a course so long as you pass (except when it comes to being acceptance to postsecondary). A is over 80%, and an A average gets you on the honour roll (no real award associated with it though), and generally distinctions/awards are given for highest score in a class. We use R instead of F (makes people feel better?), but otherwise the lettering is the same. Nonetheless getting above 90 was not too difficult for those who are smart and try their best, at least at my school.

For my university faculty a fail is technically below 50 but it's de facto 60 since you can't move on to next year's class with a grade under 60 in the prereq. Having an average over 80% gets you some funding. Getting a >90% score is much more difficult than in high school, profs generally aim for an average in the low 70's unless the course isn't meant to be challenging.
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Hash
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« Reply #15 on: December 12, 2014, 09:28:44 PM »

It's been a while, but I never received actual letter grades on my report cards here in Ontario, but rather got percentages. So I actually had no idea of the associated letter grades until today, when I checked academic grading in Ontario. I had always assumed it was like in the US with anything below a 60% as a failing grade.

The American school I attended in Riyadh used the US grading scale, with an A being above a 90% and a F being below a 60%, and that's the system I'm most familiar white.

At uOttawa, an A is anything above 80% and the passing grade is D (50-54%). I needed a CGPA of 8.5, equivalent to 85%, to maintain my scholarship.
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Yelnoc
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« Reply #16 on: December 13, 2014, 08:21:06 PM »

It was...

A 90-100
B 80-89
C 74-79
D 70-73
F 0-69
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ShamDam
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« Reply #17 on: December 14, 2014, 02:51:54 PM »

This was the scale used at my high school:

A - 90-100
B - 80-89
C - 75-79
D - 70-74
F - <70

It was a Jesuit school though so it may have been different at public high schools. In middle school I remember we used the scale that dead0man posted.

I went to public middle/high school and that's how it was. Meanwhile, at my Jesuit university...

A - 93-100
A- - 90-92
B+ - 87-89
B - 83-86
B- - 80-82
C+ - 77-79
C - 73-76
C- - 70-72
D - 60-69
F - 0-59
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palandio
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« Reply #18 on: December 14, 2014, 03:45:53 PM »

German law students have do pass two state exams after university and training. The grade system is even more extrem than the Frech one:

14.00-18.00 is very good (achieved by less than 1%, sometimes only 0.1%).
11.50-13.99 is good (less than 5%, often only 2%).
 9.00-11.49 is entirely satisfying (ca. 10-15%, depending on the state).
These three grades count as predicate exams. They are often required to start a doctorate, to become state attorney or judge or to apply at a law firm with international reputation.

6.50-8.99 is satisfying.
4.00-6.49 is sufficient.

An average below 4.00 is a failing grade and failing grades are much more common than predicate exams...
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Fmr President & Senator Polnut
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« Reply #19 on: December 14, 2014, 06:06:41 PM »

This is going back a while, but as I remember it...

High School

AA 90-100
A 80
B 70
C 60
P 50
F 0

Uni

High Distinction 80
Distinction 70
Credit 60
Pass 50
Fail 0

But getting above 90 in either context was for genuinely exceptional work.

We didn't do grades in high school - just scores. For the final year exams, for the sake of grading, scaling and ranking - you're placed on bands from 1-6  (6 being the highest).

My undergrad had slightly different marking.

Uni (with brackets to compare with US marking - according to my 'grade translation' that was done when I was studying in the US).

High Distinction 85 (A+)
Distinction 75 (B+ - A)
Credit 65 (B- - B)
Pass 50 (D- - C+)
Pass conceded 45 (some subjects - they will give you a conditional pass)
Fail 0
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checkers
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« Reply #20 on: December 15, 2014, 04:09:34 AM »

Polnut's university grades were the same that I got in undergrad. Postgrad, 80% was First Class, but I can't recall the other grades.

I don't think I ever recall getting a grade as a percentage in high school - it was just A plus, A, A minus etc etc.
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