Grade inflation has actually been a problem for a while now.
I recall at least 20 years ago a former Valedictorian of a Kentucky County HS went to college and flunked out. She sued her school for not preparing her. Probably with some truth.
I do remember she specifically complained about extra credit, which was commonly awarded at her school. She wasn’t terribly bright but put forth the work to get that inflating her grades.
College students who can’t or don’t do passing work in their courses now routinely think the opportunity to do “extra” (dumbed-down) work to get to the grade they want is due to them.
That is where standardized tests like SAT and ACT provide a better reference for student capability. GPA and honors are "nice", but the context of the school matters. Getting a 4.0 GPA at MIT vs a community college is a very different level of academic rigor and competition. The same applies to high schools. You have no idea of the rigor of the curriculum that generates a high flying GPA.