Grade Inflation in a Nutshell
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Comparison of the declining real-world value of a 3.9 GPA over time due to grade inflation
Overview
This is a two-panel comparison meme using the widely recognized Buff Doge vs. Crying Cheems template to comment on grade inflation. The left panel, labeled '3.9 GPA BEFORE', features a muscular, confident Buff Doge paired with the text 'I can get a job anywhere, or go to any college or grad school where I want to!', representing how a 3.9 GPA was previously a rare, highly valuable credential that opened significant academic and professional opportunities. The right panel, labeled '3.9 GPA TODAY', features a small, crying, dejected Cheems Shiba Inu paired with the text 'I applied for 1,000 jobs — and I got rejected by all of them.', illustrating that grade inflation has made a 3.9 GPA far more common, so it no longer guarantees success in job or higher education applications.
Origin notes
This meme was originally shared on the Reddit r/Meme subreddit, as specified in the provided source metadata. It repurposes the extremely popular Buff Doge vs. Cheems meme template, which originated on social media platforms as a standard format for comparing past vs. present states of things, to make a relatable commentary on the declining value of high academic GPAs due to widespread grade inflation.