Traditional grading systems date back to the mid-19th century. This began with universities, such as Yale and Harvard, experimenting with different scales and percentages, resulting in the 100 point grading system we have now, paired with a parallel letter system assigned to number percentages. This system became the norm amongst educators in the 1940s.

Since then, there have been countless additional roles produced by this outdated structure, rewarding the students who succeed in this system. This includes academic roles such as valedictorian and salutatorian, which are achievements awarded to the two students with the highest grade point average in  their graduating class. These named roles do not factor in extracurricular involvement, volunteer work, employment, or any other notable achievements student’s can have in high school.

Besides being granted the privilege of speaking at graduation, valedictorian and salutatorian along with the high-ranking students-many scholarships and colleges focus on top ranking students with the highest number of AP classes, or the greatest GPA. While this benefits those students, constant competition for those who don’t fit that standard can leave them feeling underprepared and unmotivated for post-secondary life.

Schools pride themselves on diversity andtheir ability to claim “every student is different,” but still cling to a system that only rewards one type of student. The same student who is able to devote all of their time to studying in order to achieve good grades and high rank, typically isn’t the same student that devotes their time to clubs or volunteering. In the end,  only one of those students is rewarded for their dedication.

Competition also creates an unnecessary divide between teachers and students. Naturally, there is already a power dynamic between an educator and a student. Thisdynamic becomes even more uncomfortable, sometimes hostile, when a student is unhappy with a test score. This decreases a student’s focus and motivation, and can affect their grades, attendance, and mental health.

While uncommon, there are alternatives to the grading systems we prioritize today. Specifically, mastery-based grading is a system in which a student simply proves that they have mastered the material that they had been given a set amount of time to complete, and they get a score based on completion. This system reduces competition,in turn reduces stress.

Competition-based systems exist all around us. Social media interaction, job promotions, and social circles are all in our competitive nature. Competition is embedded into existence, so why does our education system exploit that?