University of Virginia Library

Average Argument

The compiler of your statistics
on GPA's seems to be a fraternity
man. At any rate, your article
contains one false statement and
several misleading comparisons.

The false statement is, "For the
third successive year, the All
Fraternity Men's Average topped
the All Men's Average." Only the
Fraternity Member Average tops
the All Men's Average. That is, the
average fraternity man, member or
pledge, did worse than the average
University student.

You give no averages for
independents alone, but since the
All Fraternity Average is below the
All Men's Average, the All
Independent Average must be
higher still. The same applies to
your first-year statistics. There is no
hiding the fact that fraternity
pledges do worse, on the average,
than all first-year men, but a
straight comparison of the
Fraternity Pledge Average with the
First Year Independent Average
would be even more embarrassing
to the fraternities.

Next semester, I suggest you
make three straightforward
comparisons that would give a
complete and unbiased picture: 1)
All Fraternity Average vs. All
Independent Average, 2) All
Fraternity Member vs. All
Upperclass Independent Average,
and 3) All Fraternity Pledge
Average vs. All First-year
Independent Average.

Mark Kidwell
College 3

Every year the Registrar's office
releases for general publication the
averages we printed. The
breakdown is theirs, not ours. -ed.