Stanford has a cooperative learning environment, so what is the role of grades in this culture?
One of Stanford’s distinguishing characteristics is the collaborative learning environment. Even within such an environment, however, you need benchmarks for measuring your performance, and knowing the degree to which you have mastered the course material. Grades are never publicly released; each student “owns” his or her grades. Although Stanford students work hard to learn and stretch themselves, they collaborate with one another to maximize their learning opportunities.
