The fairness of Grading system

KIMEP University grades are inflated and students are fine with that. 

“I like our educational and grading system. It is more convenient than in other universities of Kazakhstan” said Dilara Bektybayeva, a third-year student majoring in Marketing. 

The fact is that there is a huge difference in the grading system between KIMEP and other Kazakhstani universities. At KIMEP there are the letter grading system, the higher one is A+, which would be 4.33 in points of grade point average, starting from 90-100; A is 4.0 points, which is the range 85-89; A- is 3.67 points, which is 80-84 in numerical marks. 

To compare the systems  it was taken the grading system of Kazakh- British Technical University (KBTU). The university has “A” – 95-100 as 4.0 and “A-” as 90-94 as 3.67, 85-89 is already a “B+” there, which shows the difference in strictness of the grading system.  

The lowest passing grade at KIMEP is 50, so below 50 fails, in KBTU grading system it is the same below 50. 

Outside of Kazakhstan, there are several grading systems, which is vital to know when competing for master’s programs. According to Aida Makhanova, a junior majoring in economics at Yonsei University in South Korea, the grading system follows a letter-based scale with a maximum grade point average of 4.3.

Korean universities also have two types of grading: Absolute and relative. However, absolute grading is more common in classes, although it could be followed by a curve set by the average points of students taking the course (but still, in the syllabus, professors put the grading as Absolute).

So, the system in South Korea is pretty similar to KIMEP, however, their B+ is 80-84, while at KIMEP it is A-. Also, their fail starts below 53, while at KIMEP it is below 50. 

“I like the system as it fosters healthy competition among students to perform their best,” said Makhanova. She said it can also help uplift the grade for the hard courses in sciences, and the absolute grading for courses is always fair. According to her, the relative grading, however, can sometimes add unnecessary stress and pressure as the students’ performance is measured by the performance of other students. But overall, she said she is used to this system and appreciates it.

Meanwhile, the grading picture in Europe is different. At Bocconi University of Milan the highest GPA is 4.0 in 1-30 marks scale. The range of 27-30 is 4.0, the range of 21-26.99 is 3.0 and 18-20.99 is 2.0 on GPA, below this  would be a fail. 

“In order to pass the exam, you need to dial 18/30,” said Dana Skorokhodova, an economy and social science student at Bocconi University of Milan. “The exam can be written an infinite number of times if the student fails it. There are no sanctions for this.” 

These different scales require future admission officers to know the differences and convert grades so they  can be equally compared.

“If the admissions officer at the German university understands it, then they will make accommodation,” said Dr. Nadeem Naqvi, a professor of economics at KIMEP. “Otherwise they will treat Kazakhstani and Korean student as the same.” 

This means that some admission offices will know that some regions have inflated grades and can adjust their evaluation to note the higher grades and make a fair comparison between students from different regions. 

The US grading system starts with “A” at 93 and up, according to chargepress.com, while at KIMEP it starts at 85. However, the education workload is different. Even if KIMEP says that the system is American, it is adapted to Kazakhstani students. 

“I think KIMEP should keep the grading system how it is, since students here are different and educational programs are not the same with the USA,” said Medina Farit, a second-year student majoring in psychology.
A high GPA can provide students with significant privileges. One of the main ones is the priority registration for courses. For students with a GPA of 4.00 and above, registration opens earlier than the rest. 

In addition, a high GPA is required to participate in the Regular Exchange and Exchange Erasmus + Scholarship programs. For the regular exchange program, the minimum GPA is 3.00, and for the Erasmus program — 3.70. The third advantage is a diploma. At KIMEP, the degree category will depend on the student’s GPA. For example, a diploma with honors is issued upon reaching a certain GPA.

Sources: KIMEP from kimep.kz

South Korea from Aida Makhanova, Yonsei University in South Korea

USA from wikipedia and chargerpress.com

Italy from Dana Skorokhodova from Bocconi University of Milan