Bending over backward

My school is kind of funny. They have made extra effort to put programs into place to help students succeed. There is an extra tutoring progam open to the entire first year class, as well as a separate tutoring program for minority students and students with disabilities. Yesterday they gave us the opportunity to take a practice exam under simulated exam conditions. We had a choice between taking a CivPro or Contracts exam. While I knew I should take the exam for Contracts, the class that I am weakest in, I took CivPro anyhow. It has a higher credit value, and I'd prefer to cement what I expect will be a good grade. Generally, I did quite a good job. I didn't run out of time, I hit the issues and used the proper analysis. I found a few holes in my understanding, but not major ones. I now know what needs fixing. I talked to some other folks, heard what their weaknesses were and that, sadly, was reassuring.

As much as I appreciate the ideas behind the achievement programs, there is a problem: the rigorous curve. By definition, we can't all do well. In fact, only a few of us are destined to do particularly well. Yesterday, when I arrived at school I saw all the same eager beaver faces that I usually see. These are the people who ask questions in class without waiting to be called on. They go to office hours. My guess is this is the top third of the section. I'm glad we're all taking charge of our education, but my inner devil duckie thinks that if the school is going to go to such lengths to make sure we all do well, they should eliminate the curve. If the degrees by which we are to be differentiated are to be so narrow, what is the point of the separation?