Grade Inflation in Turkish Higher Education: Insights from Faculty at Public and Private Universities

This qualitative case study explores the perspectives of faculty members on the complex dynamics surrounding grading practices in Turkish higher education, with a special focus on public and private universities. The findings of the study reveal that the prevalence of bell curve grading, especially in private universities, is perceived to benefit underperforming students. Additionally, non-academic factors affecting grading highlight the subjective nature of the grading practice, suggesting that grades alone might not accurately reflect students' true performance. Parental expectations and university administration demands, particularly in private universities, were acknowledged to influence the tendency of the faculty to adjust the grades upward. A subjective approach to grading might be a reaction of faculty to a consumerist mindset in higher education in which maintaining student satisfaction is prioritized and transactional relation becomes more pronounced . At both types of universities, faculty expressed a tendency among students to feel entitled to higher grades regardless of their actual academic performance. This shift in student attitudes has transformed the perception of faculty and contributed to grade inflation.