Here we are. College students find themselves stressing over that crucial GPA. Who wouldn't want a 4.0? I have a radical idea, and I just need you to hear me out.

High school was pretty much a breeze for me. I struggled here and there in maybe a select couple mathematics courses. That problem was solved with the ability to switch out and change instructors. With every course comes the added element of an instructor, and how well they perform. My mom was a teacher, as well as some members of my family, so I have a little bit of knowledge behind what it takes to be a good teacher.

In today's system, we are left with some obvious problems. Many students find themselves defining themselves by a single letter grade, or what their GPA looks like. Letter grading has been the most convenient form of grading for the recent generations. A lot of people feel that is an accurate representation of how well a student is performing in a given course. On the other hand, that same system faces criticism for elevating those who have built-in intellectual advantages and discouraging those who tend to struggle.

Let me give you a scenario where the grading system is of a great disadvantage to those who have test anxiety and/or have areas of opportunity for test taking. Some courses (especially in college) are structured in a way which greatly favors tests and quizzes, but a great focus is also on homework and classwork assignments. You could be a hard worker and run the table with A's on your homework and classwork, and get a D or F on your test which knocks you down to a C or D. I, myself, have been inserted into this position especially this spring semester with my Business Law class. I'm in a very rare spot, that I'm normally not placed into. Hours of constant effort haven't translated to success on exams. I can only hope I will score enough to get the desired passing grade that I am wishing for, just like every other college student.

At the end of the day, many professors and teachers will struggle to get to know each and every student under the system. You will never know what is going on behind closed doors at home. Letter grades establish a clash between students who are willing to go out of their way and win, per say. The competitiveness between these student bodies establishes a clear precedent of pitting them against each other instead of shifting energy toward learning. Education should be centered around the idea of what you take from the material that you are presented, not a competition.

Here's the main complication that currently discourages change from happening: lack of ability to learn without the incumbent system. So many of us have grown so used to learning and growing in such a system that it would be incredibly difficult to overhaul. I understand that I am most likely in the minority writing this and getting you to listen to my point of view. I have just always felt that some schools focus much more heavily on subjects that will be rather irrelevant to real life situations.

Why don't we introduce a standards-based grading system, which identifies students by categories (not proficient, partially proficient, proficient, advanced). Advances of technology will make a transition to such a system much less complicated, but there is still work to be done in the fight to overhaul the current system. Standards do not discriminate in that all students in such a system would have their skills showcased to the same standard.

In the end, regardless of what happens, I know in my heart that through my duration of school I have tried my hardest. I don't need a letter grade to tell me how good or bad I am at a subject to define me. I know I'm going to be scoffed at for proposing such an idea, just like everyone else does when they are in the minority. The bottom line is that the system may favor students that excel in academic independent improvement, such as myself. I believe in handing a voice to those who aren't being heard, for which I speak in support. What methods can higher educational institutions implement to add depth to student success?