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Does grade inflation affect the credibility of grades? Evidence from US law school admissions

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  • Winai Wongsurawat

Abstract

While the nature and causes of university grade inflation have been extensively studied, little empirical research on the consequence of this phenomenon is currently available. The present study uses data for 48 US law schools to analyze admission decisions in 1995, 2000, and 2007, a period during which university grade inflation appears to have been prevalent. Controlling for a number of admissions characteristics, the analysis suggests that higher rates of grade inflation were associated with greater increases in emphasis on standardized test scores between 1995 and 2000. On the contrary, although grade inflation continued between 2000 and 2007, law schools appeared to have reduced the importance of both grades and test scores as admissions factors. The implication of such behavior on minority representation in these institutions is also discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Winai Wongsurawat, 2009. "Does grade inflation affect the credibility of grades? Evidence from US law school admissions," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(4), pages 523-534.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:edecon:v:17:y:2009:i:4:p:523-534
    DOI: 10.1080/09645290802470061
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    Cited by:

    1. Ehlers, Tim & Schwager, Robert, 2012. "Honest Grading, Grade Inflation and Reputation," VfS Annual Conference 2012 (Goettingen): New Approaches and Challenges for the Labor Market of the 21st Century 62051, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    2. Pearce, John A., 2017. "How employers can stanch the hemorrhaging of collegiate GPA credibility," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 35-43.
    3. Paul Kingsley & Taly Sharon, 2014. "Business and Academic Interests in the Maintenance of Standards in Online Higher Education," SAGE Open, , vol. 4(4), pages 21582440145, December.
    4. repec:got:cegedp:143 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Ehlers, Tim & Schwager, Robert, 2012. "Honest grading, grade inflation and reputation," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 143, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.

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