What is

Weighted grades

Weighted grades are used in college, university and even high school courses by educators in order to determine how tests, assignments, projects and other factors should count towards the final grade. For example, a teacher may choose to make the results of an exam worth 50 percent of a student’s total class grade, while assignments account for 25 percent and participation marks are worth another 25 percent.

Weighted grades refer to the different levels of importance a professor may assign to certain classwork. Weighted grades are seen to be a fair and equitable method for determining a student’s final mark, especially when the student is aware of how a particular class or course is being weighted. However, critics of weighted grades argue that knowledge of the course mark breakdowns may disincentivize students from trying to excel at aspects of coursework that count less towards their final mark.