Much has been written over the years about grade inflation in higher education. There used to be something called the "Gentlemen's Cs" at exclusive private schools—an observation obviously dating back to the days when women attended separate schools. Harvard professor Harvey Mansfield has complained about the decline of academic standards at his university. Harvard, the story goes, is tough to get into, but a piece of cake afterwards. But Dr. Mansfield is not alone. Many professors have remarked that the "C" is disappearing, with the expected references to Garrison Keillor's fictional Lake Wobegon, where all the children are above average.
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