The letter grading system is believed to have originated at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. In 1897, the school adopted an A-to-E system: The A was equivalent to 95% to 100% (Excellent), B ...

Because of this, students are understandably cautious about the classes they take — a single grade in a difficult or unfamiliar subject ... applicant’s interests and skill sets. Moreover, this system ...

Critics of the letter grading system say that "students have become ... professor of education at the University of Massachusetts, wrote for The New York Times. "Regardless of their inclination ...