The traditional system of letter grades discourages college-bound students from taking difficult courses. Many colleges look closely at an applicant's grade point average (GPA). When a student's GPA is computed, a grade from an easy course carries as much weight as a grade from a difficult course. Since a student can achieve a higher grade with less effort in an easy course, there is a temptation to avoid more challenging classes which could adversely affect a student's GPA. Another drawback to traditional letter grades is their lack of accuracy in reflecting a student's performance. When only five grades are used, the range of performance within each grade is necessarily large. The alternative to this system is a weighted grading system using point values instead of letter grades. Under such a system, more points would be achievable in a difficult class than in an easy class. To implement such a change would not be easy, but it is worth a try. (DC)