Recently, there has been talk about possibly bringing back the dreaded “minus” to our grading scales. Even though many students think that minus grades could lower grade point averages, a plus and minus grading scale may make all of our lives a little better in the end.

The plus and minus grading scale will ultimately benefit students who find themselves in between letter grades, like an A and a B+. In this situation, some students graded as B+ may have a better understanding of the course material than other students with the same grade, yet these students may not have done well enough to earn an A.

The plus and minus grading scale could also create a more uniform grading scale between classes. Using our current grading system, some professors abandon the standard 10-point range in order to use plus grades as medium between letter grades. Other professors may choose a more lax grading scale by adopting the 10-point range and omitting minus grades. Therefore, there is an inconsistency in grading scales under our current system. This could be cleared up by using the plus and minus grading system with a 10-point range.

In the end, students must ask themselves if Loyola’s grading standards can adequately match up to other schools when recognizing that most universities have a grading scale that includes minuses. Instead of dreading the minus, students should embrace it and recognize it as another opportunity to challenge and better themselves.

Emily Drabek is a physics senior and the SGA College of Humanities and Natural Sciences president. She can be reached at [email protected].