Brookings measures the jar

An e-mail correspondent alerts us to the latest research that gives a clue to that jarhead nickname;

The GCT [General Classification Test] dates back to World War II, when it was developed to help classify incoming servicemen. Designed to have a mean score of 100, with a standard deviation of 20, 120 was used as the bar for entry into Marine Officer Candidate School (OCS).

.... The Marine Corps... still administers the GCT to officers at The Basic School (TBS) because it strongly predicts their success there.
TBS is a six-month course that all Marine officers attend after completing two prior requirements: Obtaining a four-year college degree and attending Officer Candidate School.

Back in 1980, 85% of the Marine officer candidates scored 120 or better. Today only 59% do. 4.9% scored 150 or better then, now it's 0.7%.  What gives?

The requirement that you have earned a college degree, that's what. With degrees being given out almost for free today, more people qualify to take the Marine Corps test. The Brookings' scholars, Michael Klein and Matthew Cancian, stress;

The junior officers of today will become the generals of tomorrow; if the military does not receive the intelligent young leaders today that it used to receive in the past, it will not have high quality generals in the future.

Which will probably be just fine with some.