'A' faciendum

The 'A' must be made

Apparently, approximately 3/5--a distinct majority--of my students believe that they 'make' their grades, e.g. "I made an 'A' on that exam."

Out of construction paper? Thin air? It must be some sort of miraculous process; would that I knew the secret of grade making. And yet somehow they are all 'making' lousy grades...

It must be a Southern thing, although it doesn't appear to be universal down here.