AN UNDERGRADUATE STANDARD.

It is often the case that an under-graduate entering an advanced course in the group "For Undergraduates and Graduates," finds a number of its members of the latter class. The under-graduate's work, because of his outside interests and narrower knowledge of the subject, naturally does not attain the standard set by the graduate, and the instructor is unwilling to check the progress of the more advanced students for the sake of the slower men. The result is that the undergraduate finds the work beyond him and can not in this case maintain as comparatively high a standard as in his other courses.

To the candidate for a degree with distinction or the contestant for a scholarship, marks are of the utmost importance. The condition outlined above bears unfairly upon such men, for they obviously will not take courses which are apt to jeopardize their chances of success. The final effect is to limit the undergraduate in his choice of electives.

The same condition has been encountered in the past, and in a few cases has been dealt with by marking upon two scales, one for graduates and one for undergraduates. The essence of this system lies in grading upon a standard of progress instead of absolute attainment. Such an arrangement seems just and adequate, and its general adoption would add to the attraction of the degree with distinction by allowing a freer choice of courses through a more uniform standard for honor grades.