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[KNUH No.269_Information] Are Different Grading Standards Across Universities Fair in the Job Market?
작성자 : 영자신문
작성일 : 2026-06-18 16:21:25
조회 : 757
Are Different Grading Standards Across Universities Fair in the Job Market?
National universities limit A grades to the top 35%, while some private universities allow up to 45%
Students continue to call for broader A-grade ratios
Concerns have been raised that differences in grading standards among universities may create fairness issues in the job market. Although GPA remains an important factor in the hiring process, differences in grading systems across universities can lead to different outcomes even among students with similar academic performance.
According to Article 4 of Kangwon National University’s academic grading guidelines, A+ to A0 grades are awarded to the top 35% of students, while A+ to B0 grades are limited to the top 75%. Grades of C+ and below are assigned to the bottom 25%. These standards were revised in March from the previous policy, which capped A+ to A0 grades at 30%, A+ to B0 grades at 70%, and grades of C+ or below at 30%.
Despite expectations that the revised policy would ease student dissatisfaction, many students continue to argue that the proportion of A grades should be expanded further. A nursing student at Kangwon National University, identified only by the surname Kim, said, “The current grading system has limitations in accurately reflecting individual effort and achievement,” adding that “the university should consider expanding the A-grade ratio to a level comparable to that of other institutions.”
In fact, several universities in the Seoul metropolitan area apply relatively broader grading scales. Kyung Hee University allows A+ to A0 grades for up to 45% of students and A+ to B0 grades for up to 90%. Sungkyunkwan University and Hanyang University permit A-range grades for approximately 35-40% of students under certain relative grading systems. Ewha Womans University also allows A-range grades for up to 40% of students.
Universities maintain different grading policies because each institution operates under distinct educational goals, academic characteristics, and teaching methods. Jang Myung-ju, an official from the Chuncheon Academic Support Division at Kangwon National University, explained, “Universities autonomously establish grading standards by considering factors such as whether courses are theory-based or practice-oriented, class size, and lecture format.” Jang added that “differences in grading criteria among universities reflect varying educational environments and course characteristics rather than institutional imbalance.”
Meanwhile, national universities tend to maintain relatively similar grading standards compared to private universities in Seoul. In most national universities, A+ to A0 grades are generally awarded to the top 30-35% of students, while A+ to B0 grades are awarded to the top 70-75%. Grades of C+ or below are typically assigned to the bottom 25-30%. This standardized structure reflects Ministry of Education guidelines and policies aimed at preventing grade inflation.
Grade inflation refers to a phenomenon in which the proportion of A-range grades increases as students’ average GPAs rise, thereby weakening the ability of grades to distinguish academic performance. While expanding A-grade ratios may reduce academic pressure on students, critics argue that doing so could also undermine the evaluative function of grades. As a result, universities remain cautious about significantly expanding A-grade ratios.
A student from the College of Humanities at Kangwon National University, identified only by the surname Lee, commented, “Grade inflation during the COVID-19 pandemic widened GPA gaps among universities,” adding that “given that GPA is still widely used as a criterion in employment, our university should also review the possibility of expanding the A-grade ratio.”
Jang stated that the university plans to continue reviewing the appropriateness of the current system in response to changes in course characteristics and teaching methods. “We will strive to reflect students’ academic abilities and competencies more effectively by appropriately combining relative and absolute evaluation systems,” Jang said.
Jang Subin
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