system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Why have "B's" become the new "F's" in university?

It just seems that most students in the universities in Canada believe that unless you get an 'A' you have failed. Any thoughts as to why this has come to pass?
gpt
Grades used to indicate the student's rank in the class--grading on the curve is all avout that. Under this system, a C meant that the student is average compared to other students in the class. Starting around the 70's, there was a shift in assessment philosophy to one where the grade reflects the student's work/competence without comparison to who else takes the class. This shift was slow and patchy; every time someone complaints of grade inflation, they are implicitly assuming that grading on a curve should be standard. But the new philosophy is clearly winning.

So what do grades mean now? Usually it boils down to this: a B means you did what was required with sufficient but lackluster competence. C means that you couldn't do what was required, but you show progress towards competence.  To get an A, you have to do what's required with clear competence. No need to be "outstanding" (though many college catalogues still use that term), since you aren't being compared to other students.

So the students do interpret the grades correctly--anything but an A is deficient on their part.