A Brief, Relatable History of Grading Systems

Let’s take a quick trip through time to see how grading evolved—because honestly, it’s been a bit of a mess.

The Wild West of Early Grading (1785–1880s)
Back in the day, schools basically made up their own rules. At Yale in 1785, students were ranked as “optimi” (top tier), “second optimi” (second-best), “inferiore” (meh), or “pejores” (yikes). Meanwhile, William & Mary kept it simple: you were either No. 1 (class superstar) or No. 2 (just… fine). Harvard, ever the overachiever, used a 1–200 scale for most subjects (except math, where 1–100 apparently sufficed). By 1883, Harvard swapped numbers for “Classes” (I to V), with Class V meaning you’d faceplanted.

The takeaway? Schools graded like they were throwing darts blindfolded—no consistency, lots of opinions, and plenty of confusion.

Letter Grades Save the Day (Sort Of)
In 1887, Mount Holyoke College decided to tidy things up with A–E letter grades. But here’s the kicker: an E meant you’d failed—and failing meant scoring below 75% (ouch). Later, they swapped E for F to soften the blow (still a fail, but at least it’s not the last letter). This system caught on, and by the 1900s, schools nationwide adopted A–F scales.

But hold up—even today, an “A” in one school might be a “B+” elsewhere. Some use +/- tweaks; others don’t. We’ve standardized… but not really.

The Grading Debate: Letters vs. Feedback
Letter grades are quick, clean, and work well for subjects with clear right/wrong answers (like math). But for essays or creative projects? They’re about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. A grade won’t tell you why your thesis flopped or how to fix it.

Some schools, like Saint Ann’s in NYC or Sanborn High School, ditch grades entirely. Teachers write detailed feedback instead, focusing on growth over scores. Sounds dreamy, right? But imagine doing that for hundreds of students—it’s a time sink. Most schools stick with letters because, well, they’re fast and parents “get” them.

Where We’re Headed
The truth? Grades aren’t going anywhere—but the conversation is shifting. Many teachers now blend letter grades with personal feedback, aiming to motivate learning, not just rankings. It’s a work in progress, but hey, at least we’re not calling students “pejores” anymore.

So next time you stress over a B+, remember: grading’s always been a little arbitrary. What matters is what you learn—not the letter attached to it. 🌟