The purpose of the investigation was to examine the longitudinal trends in graduate course grades, controlling for selected academic and personal characteristics of students. Stepwise multiple regression was used to analyze 138 separate courses. The study population consisted of 7,002 graduate students who had attempted 25 or more quarter hours as of the fall quarter 1975. While over 80 percent of the grades are A.s and B's, certain types of courses tended to record higher grades than others; lower grading practices were found in courses concerned with objective subject matter. Major field of study was not a consistent indicator of student performance as measured by final course grades; this is contrary to the relationship between these factors found in undergraduate grading. Most personal and academic characteristics were also not important variables, the major exception being grade-point average (GPA). No noticeable trend toward raising or lowering of grades was found. The reason that GPAs are rising while course grades have not shown the same increase may be that graduate students are exercising greater freedom in choosing degree programs, majors, and courses that are close to their interests, and they often do better in these courses. (Author/MSE)