Freshmen year of college, I was part of an experimental program that solved this exact problem. At the beginning of the semester we were given a large binder f

Freshmen year of college, I was part of an experimental program that solved this exact problem. At the beginning of the semester we were given a large binder filled with competencies we were expected to master. Every question on every test was labeled with a competency that the question assessed. Once you demonstrated knowledge of the competency you no longer needed to demonstrate it again. You marked it as complete in your binder, attached the graded test as evidence, and turned it in to your advisor. Advanced students could go into the final, answer only the questions that tested competencies they hadn't previously mastered, then turn in their final after just a few minutes of work. Students who struggled early in the semester could rally through the last few tests, ace all the questions, and demonstrate enough of the required competencies to end the semester with a decent grade. It was an intensely _weird_ way to be graded and required a massive amount of overhead and bookkeeping from both students and faculty. I'm not sure it was a good idea, but I did do much better that year than any of the later years. My freshmen 4.0 sustained my total GPA through some much more difficult times.