As you "learn the ropes" of how markets work (supply/demand and all of that), perhaps you might be wondering how much time you think you'll need to earn the grade you desire in this course. And how that might affect your graduation prospects.

Fear not. As you'll read in the article referenced below, a recent economic study concludes that university graduation rates have steadily increased since the 1990s. Given that they were in secular decline before then, what might explain this turnaround? Answer: Grade inflation! Click on the link below and read the short summary and interview of one of the paper's authors.

https://www.aeaweb.org/research/college-completion-grade-inflation-us

You'll recall in our Week 1 class that optimal decisionmaking, be it at the household or societal level, is all about weighing costs and benefits. Your task? Reviewing the core arguments summarized in the short article, answer the following question referenced as well in the reading. Should university administrators use grade inflation as a tool to increase graduation rates?

As is often the case in these Discussion Boards, use your first paragraph to argue in the affirmative; your second, to argue in the negative; and your third, to conclude which of your arguments you find most convincing. Please note that the summary article itself touches only on a few aspects of this issue. So you're welcome to think more broadly about the benefits and costs of this scheme.