Grade point average

From USAFA Folklore

Like a regular college, a cadet's Grade Point Average (GPA) is a score from 0.00 to 4.00, reflecting an average of grades from the cadet's academic classes. A cadet with a GPA of 3.00 or greater is put on the Dean's List; a cadet with a GPA of less than 2.00 is put on academic probation.

From 1955 to 1960, the grades were based on a percentage basis where 70% was passing and anything less was failing. Grades were changed from percentage basis to letter basis to eliminate grade gaming by cadets. Under the "pro-point" theory, cadets would figure how many proficiency points they had going into the final and they knew how well they had to do in the final in order to approve the course. For example, lets say that the cadet had an average of 80% going into the final and that the final was worth 50% of the grade. Therefore, he had 500 "pro points" (10 points over passing multiplied by 50). As a result, he could afford to get a 60% on the final and still pass. Will someone check my math here! Hector Negroni, 1961