½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï

Above Average

Why am I not thrilled to learn that for two years running, the average GPA of incoming students is a towering 3.9? [Eliot Circular, December 2010]

I thought ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï scorned such trivial statistics; it’s why we show U.S. News & World Report the door when they seek to rank us.

Aren’t we a collection of unusual intellects, all too often unrecognized by our humdrum high schools? Aren’t we a community of undiscovered talents, frequently so deeply immersed in our pursuits that we don’t always manage to polish the teacher’s apple and earn the shiny grades?

It’s a relief to know there’s room in this hallowed demographic for reed-cutting oboists and Chick-Fil-A managers. But would the ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of today have bothered to admit an Albert Einstein, with his notorious school record? Please tell me we have not become a college of unquestioning scholars, fearful of challenging rules lest they disturb our Teflon transcripts.

Imperfect and proud of it,

Lisa Daniela Kirshenbaum ’84

San Francisco, California

Editor's Note: The towering GPA of this year’s freshlings is a product of two trends, one positive, one less so. First, ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï is an increasingly selective college that attracts outstanding students. Second, many high schools have succumbed to grade inflation, so GPAs can be misleading. However, if you spend a little time on campus you will soon realize that students today are just as brilliant, iconoclastic, unconventional, inventive, and imperfect as ever.