In response to the letter "High GPAs should not be viewed as a problem" (March 31), the issue is not high GPAs, but rather inflated ones. The author suggests that "students are receiving better grades and becoming more academically enlightened," but the second part of his statement comes without evidence.

If a person takes a class with teacher X instead of teacher Y because he knows it is less work and an easier grade, one would argue that while he gets a higher grade, he is likely to be less academically enlightened. When applying to graduate schools and competitive jobs, applicants are compared to students with the same GPAs but from other schools, and all other things being equal, the student from the "harder" school will likely be picked.

As Penn State students, it is in our best interest to not be seen as an easy school; it devalues the As that others earn and likely makes it harder, on the whole, to get into your choice graduate school or to land a competitive job.

In the end, an inflated grade is kind of like a one-night stand; sure, you feel good about having another notch in your bedpost, but it insults the memories of your past loves.