Over the course of the past three decades,the A has become the most common grade given out on Amerrcan college campuses.In 2015,42 percent of grades were top marks,compared to 31 percent in 1988.1.But another,related force-a policy often buried deep in course catalogs called"grade forgiveness"-is helping raise grade-point averages.Different schools'policies can work in slightly different ways,but in general,grade forgiveness allows students to retake a course in which they received a low grade,and the most recent grade or the highest grade is the only one that counts in calculating a student's overall GPA.（Both grades still appear on the student's transcript.）The use of this little-known practice has accelerated in recent years,as colleges continue to do their utmost to keep students in school（and paying tuition）and improve their graduation rates.According to a forthcoming survey by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers,a trade group,some 91 percent of undergraduate colleges and 80 percent of graduate and professional schools permit students to repeat courses to improve a grade.2.But now most colleges,save for many selective campuses,allow all undergraduates,and even graduate students,to get their low grades forgiven.3.Indeed,there seems to be demand for do-overs."Students are asking for it,"said Jack Miner,Ohio State University's registrar and executive director of enrollment services."We're attracting and retaining stronger students and there's more competition to get into majors and graduate schools,and a small change in their GPA can help."College officials tend to emphasize that the goal of grade forgiveness is less about the grade itself and more about encouraging students to retake courses critical to their degree program and graduation without incurring a big penalty."Ultimately,"Ohio State's Miner said,"we see students achieve more success because they retake a course and do better in subsequent courses or master the contenl that allows them to graduate on time."That said,there i.s a way in which grade forgiveness satisfies colleges'own needs as well.4.And anything that raises GPAs will likely make students-who,at the end of the day,are paying the bill-feel they've gotten a betler value for their tuition dollars.which i.s another big concern for colleges.Indeed.grade forgiveness is just another way that universities are responding to consumers'expectations for higher education.5.On this,students'and colleges'incentives seem to be aligned.
4选？
A.When this practice first started decades ago,it was usually limited to freshmen,to give them a seconcl chance io take a class in their first year if they struggled in their transition to college-level courses.
B.This lrend of grade inflation-the gradual increase in average GPAs over the past few decades-is often considered a product of a consumer era in higher education,in which students are treated like customers to be pleased.
C.This.trend of the dominance of the A began in the 1960s,abated somewhat in the'70s and came back strong in the'80s.The previous signs of academic disaster.
D and F,went by the wayside in the Vietnam era,when dropping out meant becoming eligible for the draft.
D.Since students and parents expect a college degree to lead to a job,it is in the best interest of a school to churn out graduates who are as qualified as possible-or at least appear to be.
E.One concern highlighted by this phenomenon is that lenient policies undermine the traditional work ethic by teaching students that performance doesn't really matter,because there's always another chance.
F.The rise of grade forgiveness scans as yet another instance of colleges treating students as customers to be satisfied-similar to campus amenities such as luxurious dorms,splendid recreational facilities,and cornucopian dining halls.
G.For public institutions,state appropriations are sometimes tied partly to their success on metrics such as graduation rates and student retention-so better grades can,by boosting figures like thos