A casual conversation with a fellow professor and friend, Paul Bruski, at the SECAC conference last week elicited questions about the lack of scholarships, awards, deans’ lists, and presidents’ list for students who have Bs; especially high GPA Bs. We discussed how in general, students feel offended and discouraged when they are awarded a B as a grade on a project or a class. What happened, we wondered, with the letter B? Where does the perception that B is a bad grade come from?
I used to get my share of Bs. Yes, of course As made me feel me more accomplished and overall much better. But, a B was not an affront to me either. My story with grades is complicated though. Suffice it to say that ups and downs were part of trajectory and when I went to graduate school, I had higher standards than ever before. So, I worked.
B is a beautiful letter. Aesthetically, I think it is much more beautifully designed than the A. The A is combination of triangles while the B has an interesting relationship of curves coming to a center grounded by a vertical stem. These curves create bowls that can take various forms: they can be wide, tall, extended, thick and condensed, small over large bowl, or viceversa. In its lower case form, there is this beautiful ascender than can be played up or down, italic, or inclined, short or long, condensed or extended. Of course the A is beautiful and it enjoys being the first letter of both the alphabet and the vowels. That does not make the B less than or second plate or second class. And it feels like in general our students look at the B as a second class citizen.
Thinking that the B is a lesser than is part of a larger discussion about grade inflation. While not the focus of this essay, it is worth mentioning that Dr. Adam Tyner, director of the Fordam Institute reported in a recent article that in 2021, the ACT had recorded the highest GPA going back a decade. In short, we have higher grades and lower performance among the students. He goes on discussing how to curb grade inflation and offers some strategies.
However, simpler methods can be implemented. For example, why don’t we have scholarships for GPAs that are above 3.0? Many colleges do not have the A, A-, B+, B, or B- but the GPAs that are between 3.49 to 3.0 certainly deserve something. Deans’ or presidents’ lists or letters of recognition can be sent to those students. Not everyone will or should have As. We can agree on that B are not bad grades and students should be encouraged not just because Bs are good but also because they would not feel invisible.
In high school, back home the test we took was called the College Board, which I guess it is not the SAT? I remember I was not part of the 3,000 points and above group. All of my high school friends who were the ones who had 3,000 and above, were photographed for the papers and it stung I was not part of it. But that day, my school‘s principal came to my desk to look at me in the eyes. She leaned over and congratulated me. That alone made my day. So, does it matter if B grades are praised? Absofreakinglutely!
To make sure we develop a great vocabulary of strong words that start with B, I have put together this incomplete list:
bedazzling
bestowed
besothing
benevolent
bewitching
blissful
blistering
blossoming
brilliantly
brilliant
beaming
bustling
blasting
blazing
bright
brightness
brainy
breathtaking
bravo
brave
bombastic
bodacious
booming
boom
boomed
brimming
brimmed
beautiful
beautifully
Let’s use some B words this week to normalize the letter B!
Love,
Alma