What is the seven point grading scale?

The seven point grading scale is the scale used by many colleges and college prep high schools to grade students' academic work. A grade is lowered for every seven points below a 100 until a student reaches a 69, at which point anything below a 69 is a failing grade.

Not all schools use the seven point grading scale, as the 10 point scale is growing in popularity with high schools. This grading scale makes it slightly easier to get better grades, as students don't receive a failing grade unless they receive a grade below 60 percent. Many districts avoid the grading scale until a student reaches upper elementary grades or middle school, simply giving students a pass or fail mark for each subject.