Marking Systems

Knox College has a marking system unlike any I have known before. 70% is a pass. 85% is considered the best mark possible. Any mark 85 or above has to be defended to the rest of the faculty and is pretty much considered publishable, needless to say an 85% is a very very rare thing. So the entire spectrum of the class is squished into a 15 % bell. Just about everything handed back receives between a 78% and an 83%. Grades really have no meaning any more as a result. It’s so discouraging because something you worked really really hard on is only getting about 2% more than your average level of work, which is only about 2% more than your “throw it together real quick” work. Why bother trying.