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From: Peter Berdeklis <peter@atmosp.physics.utoronto.ca>
Subject: Re: Grading 
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Date: Mon, 31 Mar 1997 17:29:59 GMT
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On Sun, 30 Mar 1997, Brian M. Scott wrote:
> On Sat, 29 Mar 1997 17:11:23 -0500, TRM <Diogenes@kear.tdsnet.com>
> wrote:
> >  When
> >you say "with the present typical assessment," do you have a different
> >system in mind?
> 
> Comprehensive exams at the end of a reasonably long course of study.
> (I don't say that it is - or isn't - practical.  It *is* an
> alternative, and one that isn't a complete unknown.)

My supervisor went through exactly this sort of comprehensive exam to
complete his B.Sc. (equivalent) 35 yrs ago in Switzerland.  He did all his
courses, and was then locked in a room with several physicists who asked 
him questions about any aspect of physics they desired.  I believe they 
have a similar system in the U.K.

Not unheard of at all, and a reasonable system even for high school 
graduation I think.

---------------
Peter Berdeklis
Dept. of Physics, Univ. of Toronto

