.5 away from B+? Ask professor to round it up?

[bigDee]

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I agree, you cannot justify asking the professor for a bump in the grade.

If there is a shady question that may have more than one answer to it, you should ask about it right then, not at the end of the semester.

As for the argument concerning measuring how much material has been learned by a .5% margin, this is a valid argument in hindsight because no grading system is perfect. A grading system cannot 100% correlate with the amount of material learned in the class. So if you look at it one way, you have actually learned .5% more than what your absolute grade is.

But what you haven't considered is this. Especially in coursers with multiple choice tests, a professor could argue that you probably guessed on a few questions that you didn't know the answer to, so you got them right anyway. Or even in a course where full support must be shown for every question on the test, there still is a possibility that anyone could have been able to cheat on one or two answers. Or there is also the possibility that your support for an answer is just a regurgitation of the same answer to an exact problem you saw in the text book or another source, when you really didn't understand the concept behind the question.

It is very likely that at least ONE of these scenarios happened so the professor could easily argue that you have learned .5% LESS than what your absolute grade is.

So if you try to argue that the system is imperfect, it can swing both ways.

The only time I would argue the professor to reconsider the grade is if a question on an exam is extremely shady and you have a good case against it. But like I said before, that should have been talked about immediately after the test and not at the end of the semester.

 

[tf2medic]

I agree, you cannot justify asking the professor for a bump in the grade.

If there is a shady question that may have more than one answer to it, you should ask about it right then, not at the end of the semester.

As for the argument concerning measuring how much material has been learned by a .5% margin, this is a valid argument in hindsight because no grading system is perfect. A grading system cannot 100% correlate with the amount of material learned in the class. So if you look at it one way, you have actually learned .5% more than what your absolute grade is.

But what you haven't considered is this. Especially in coursers with multiple choice tests, a professor could argue that you probably guessed on a few questions that you didn't know the answer to, so you got them right anyway. Or even in a course where full support must be shown for every question on the test, there still is a possibility that anyone could have been able to cheat on one or two answers. Or there is also the possibility that your support for an answer is just a regurgitation of the same answer to an exact problem you saw in the text book or another source, when you really didn't understand the concept behind the question.

It is very likely that at least ONE of these scenarios happened so the professor could easily argue that you have learned .5% LESS than what your absolute grade is.

So if you try to argue that the system is imperfect, it can swing both ways.

The only time I would argue the professor to reconsider the grade is if a question on an exam is extremely shady and you have a good case against it. But like I said before, that should have been talked about immediately after the test and not at the end of the semester.

this does not have to be true. my ochem professor only allowed you to come question points you missed on a test at the END of a semester. this was to prevent everyone from coming up and wasting his time asking more for points when it likely would not change their grade in the end. if your grade was borderline, then he allowed you to come at the end of semester and argue it since then it may actually make a difference. if he clearly just graded something wrong tho on your test, then he would fix it right then and there. it's just if it was questionable, he made you wait. in fact, if you did come and argue with him right after the test AND he proved that he correctly counted your answer wrong, he'd taken even more points off hahaha. it was a good system

 

[bigDee]

this does not have to be true. my ochem professor only allowed you to come question points you missed on a test at the END of a semester. this was to prevent everyone from coming up and wasting his time asking more for points when it likely would not change their grade in the end. if your grade was borderline, then he allowed you to come at the end of semester and argue it since then it may actually make a difference. if he clearly just graded something wrong tho on your test, then he would fix it right then and there. it's just if it was questionable, he made you wait. in fact, if you did come and argue with him right after the test AND he proved that he correctly counted your answer wrong, he'd taken even more points off hahaha. it was a good system

Interesting.

 

[MasonPrehealth]

The syllabus to my class lists the grade range to the tenth of a point. If you finished with an 89.9, you got a B. Period.

Now you can challenge my calculation of your grade in case an assignment was missing, or my formula was improper, but asking me for an extra point after I post your grade is just being petty.

Besides, in a lot of my exams I sometimes "curve" the grades, so in actuality, you could have earned a much lower grade than what you got. Seriously, if the average of an exam is 30%, you think everyone's going to fail the class? (Maybe.) At any rate, I would not be giving out free points if I curve the exams.

 

[Begaster]

Silly Dr. Cox imitation rants aside, you place an obscene amount of trust in the grading system. .5 of a percent is not a large enough of a margin to measure someones understanding of the material. Therefore, you have to give some amount of percent error to the overall grade, and the lean of the error becomes the professors subjective duty.

If you think you can measure someones understanding of what you've taught in class to 0.5%, then you are fooling yourself. The understanding of the material can only realistically be interpreted to about 10%-5%. It gets old dealing with professors who have such a deluded sense of how absolute the grading system is they won't give .5% to someone.

Exactly. It makes me giggle a fair bit when people believe there's actually a difference in between someone who earned an 89.5% and someone who earned a 90%. It's the same bloody mark. It's the difference of maybe one question on the final, which has more to do with luck than knowledge.

Guess what, the grading system is not perfect. In fact, it's subjective trash. One prof can give you a C+, while a second prof gives you an A for the same work. So what mark do you deserve? If you had taken the class with the latter prof, you'd be getting an A. If you take it with the former prof, you end up with a C+. Why should the prof you pick determine what mark you EARN for the same quality of work? Oh right, because EARNING a mark is one of those meaningless terms people toss around haphazardly. If there was some objective standard to testing and grading, you could argue for getting what you earned. But there isn't. Without said objective standard, the word "earn" is absolutely meaningless. If I go to ratemyprofessors and always pick classes with easy profs, does that mean the high grades I get are what I earned? If you don't, and go to classes with much tougher profs, does that mean the lower grades you got for the same amount of knowledge are what you earned? Silliness.

LOR worries? *laugh* Get them from your PIs, from your volunteer supervisors, from your job supervisors. Who gets a letter from a professor you barely know?

 

[Foghorn]

Ask the prof. if you can do sextra credit

 

[lord_jeebus]

You never know who you might be asking for a letter of rec someday. Maybe the prof will teach an upper-level class that you rock.

Don't make a bad impression for a low chance at an unearned and trivial GPA bump.

 

[AnesthesiaMD]

Most of my professors don't even use the % scale to assign grades. They just say you need x amount of points to get an A, BA, B, etc. Granted you can convert this to the % system, but when they look only at pts. earned, there is no "rounding" they have to deal with.

 

[Rotinaj]

I found out that my B grade in Biology class is only .54 away from B+ and can make a difference to my GPA. I would get a B+ if I would not misinterpret 2 test questions. Is it worth to ask my professor to reconsider my grade?

I didn't read the bashing you're probably recieving, but I'll give you my 2 cents: It can never hurt to politely ask, and next time work harder so you don't have to ask.

 

[bozz]

don't listen to the ppl who say to ask for a better grade. if you deserved it you'd get the A to begin with. if you are extremely close and the professor feels you deserve an A, they will bump it themselves. asking to be bumped up is begging for something you didn't deserve, makes you look like an idiot, and for sure makes you look pathetic.

the ppl who say to ask for the bump up are equally as pathetic. the argument "everything goes and you need to do everything possible to get good grades" does not apply and is selfish. you do everything possible to study and EARN the grade, not beg for it. the ppl who tell you to beg for a bump-up are the kinds of students who only study hard because they want good grades and not for the sake of learning. a B to B+ will be worth .01 of your GPA in the end and won't matter.

also, the argument that you'll never see the professor again is a stupid way to look at it. of course you'll see them again if your major is in their department. if not, then most schools have a premed committee that send one joint LOR on top of your seperate LORs you have gotten and so you'll likely run into the professor again through that committee, especially since it's a biology course for you.

it just really comes down to respect. if you respect yourself then leave it. if you have no soul and only care about grades then ask. i can't wait for all the flames i'm gonna get back by the ******* premeds. these are the premeds who make sure you know they are premed when you first meet them. they are the ones who only care about grades and nothing else. they are the ones who need to beg for grades because they're too stupid to get good ones on their own. the smart premeds are the ones who did not beg for better grades and who did not feel they need to tell everyone their premeds. the pathetic ones are the ones who feel they get respect by telling everyone they're premed. this is usually the classic bio major who when asked what their major is "I'm premed." premed isn't a major ******! if you say biology, premed is basically implied along with anyway! man, it's just sooo annoying. 3/4 "premeds" i meet are arrogant and stupid like this. at first i thought it was only at my school but then my friends from other schools all said the samething. it's cool tho cuz they get what they deserve in the end when most of those kids don't make it after the first year haha. i'm "pre-med" but when asked what my major is i only say biology. if they want to know more eventually i'll say "yea i want to apply to med school...crossing my fingers!"

i just went on a huge rant. so anyways, i'm saying don't be like the majority of "premeds" out there. the ppl on this thread who are telling you to ask because "grades are the only thing that matter" are that majority that you don't want to be. in conclusion, don't turn into a douchebag.

dude, who are you to tell me about morals and what the "right" thing to do is.. seriously..

 

[bozz]

1) True
2) no, i'm against it and i couldn't care less what grades other premeds get. it's about respect for yourself and the grading system. if you deserve it you'll either get the A already or the professor will bump you up on their own if they feel you do deserve but have fallen just short of the A
3) nope. i've tried once and it worked haha. i know very well that asking usually does work if the professor is real nice. the best professors are honestly the ones with the backbones to say no. i've had several Bs that I could have asked to be bumped up but never did after that first time. it's not worth the humiliation IMO. you look pathetic. i'll admit i looked pathetic when i asked once my freshman year, fortunately it was in the math dept. and won't comeback to bite me in the ass.

bozz is obviously someone who asks to be bumped up all the time. 🙂 he's one of the pathetic premeds. don't be like him.
the ONLY circumstance that i'd say it'd be okay to ask is if you have a perfect 4.0 and this one grade will take that away. if you ask and get the grade bumped up thus keeping your 4.0, then that should be your only time. if you find yourself needing to be bumped in another class again later in college, then just leave it and accept it. that's really the only circumstance i'd find it acceptable asking for a bump-up. even in that case tho, i know many ppl would still be against it.

nah, you're the pathetic one... you can't even stick to your own argument

"the only way you should ask for a grade-bump is if you have a 4.0"

that statement alone voids your whole argument
kthxbye

 

[bozz]

I fit neither of your descriptions and I still hold that this sort of unprincipled grade-grubbing behavior is wrong. Quix's money analogy is very fair.

Although I agree that grades are not perfectly reflective of academic ability, this is irrelevant. What matters is the fact that equally capable students will receive different evaluations of their performances (presuming they were also initially equal until someone received a grade bump).

I hardly live by some sort of Kantian categorical imperative but this is a matter of principle. In order for the "grade bump" to be fair, the student needs to convince the professor to give EVERYONE a grade bump, as opposed to it being some sort of personal favor.

Again, another situation in which a "grade bump" might be justified is if you can give good reason for deserving a better grade. For instance, professors are certainly fallible and often unfair.

But to ask for a grade bump, for no other reason than wanting something you don't deserve, that is grotesque.

dude, nobody (especially not the op) gives a crap what YOU think is grotesque... the OP asked a question b/c he was CONSIDERING asking the professor... he will do what's in HIS best interests.. not what suits your opinion

What are people even arguing about? you can't force your opinion on someone else.. the OP was considering doing it, he got confirmation, and he will carry out w/ it

 

[xanthomondo]

You do realize that there are an infinite amount of points between 89 and 90 right?

You've been taking way too many abstract math courses. How would you make your letter grades all inclusive? 89.50000000000000000000 = A and 89.4999999999999999 = B? You would still make an argument about another missing infinite points, though.

Those "missing infinite points" you speak of is just written off in rounding. Your score is rounded to the nearest whole number, and all whole numbers are accounted for in the grading scheme

 

[xanthomondo]

And to answer the OPs question, I think it's incredibly lame to beg for something you didn't deserve. You didn't make the score, it doesnt matter if you shoulda coulda woulda a million times after this, but you didn't this time.

If the professor bumps your grade up it is an insult to everyone in that class, especially those who earned the A without pleading for points back from the teacher.

I had this opportunity in high school: a teacher offered to wipe my slate clean with my poor previous performance (many homework zeros, the deal was that if I didn't miss anymore homework assignments all of the zero's would be erased) and I actually declined it. I would have been pissed as hell if I were a classmate of someone receiving that deal when I was working hard the entire time.

 

[Drogba]

I asked my professor if a 89.9 would get me an A in biology

He said yes, and gave me an A-

I ended up with exactly an 89.9

Madness.

That is an A minus. Since when did teachers start using Floor() instead of Round() in their excel spreadsheets

 

[Drogba]

*sigh*

"Good morning, Dr. Quix! How can we, your financial institution, help you today?"

"Can I have some free money? I have $15, but I would really like to have a $20. Is there any way you can give me $5?"

"Are you asking for a $5 loan?"

"No, I just want you to give me an additional $5. I think I've earned it."

"No. Go away, you silly person."

"Good morning, helpless hobo! How are you this fine day?"

"Give me monies or I'll touch you!"

:throws 5 dollars on the pavement and runs away:

You are mischaracterizing the pre-med quix

 

[tf2medic]

nah, you're the pathetic one... you can't even stick to your own argument

"the only way you should ask for a grade-bump is if you have a 4.0"

that statement alone voids your whole argument
kthxbye

saying "kthxbye" automatically makes you a ****ing *****.

i stand by what i said. the only exception i said would maybe be if you had a 4.0 and you lose that b/c of .1%? that's pretty stupid. in that case i could understand someone asking for a bump. but if they catch themselves needing to ask for a bump again in another class, then just leave it alone and don't beg for free points.

 

[Quix]

"Good morning, helpless hobo! How are you this fine day?"

"Give me monies or I'll touch you!"

:throws 5 dollars on the pavement and runs away:

You are mischaracterizing the pre-med quix

I like this. 😀

 

[Ahmed786]

And to answer the OPs question, I think it's incredibly lame to beg for something you didn't deserve. You didn't make the score, it doesnt matter if you shoulda coulda woulda a million times after this, but you didn't this time.

If the professor bumps your grade up it is an insult to everyone in that class, especially those who earned the A without pleading for points back from the teacher.

I had this opportunity in high school: a teacher offered to wipe my slate clean with my poor previous performance (many homework zeros, the deal was that if I didn't miss anymore homework assignments all of the zero's would be erased) and I actually declined it. I would have been pissed as hell if I were a classmate of someone receiving that deal when I was working hard the entire time.

Thats your loss then. Idealistically yes, the OP should not receive a higher grade but that is not how the world works. Can all of you tell me there has NEVER been a time in your life where you have used connections to your advantage before? Would u feel a whole lot better if that B+ instead of an A- kept you out of medical school but you did not ask for a grade raise?

 

[Orbo]

Thats your loss then. Idealistically yes, the OP should not receive a higher grade but that is not how the world works. Can all of you tell me there has NEVER been a time in your life where you have used connections to your advantage before? Would u feel a whole lot better if that B+ instead of an A- kept you out of medical school but you did not ask for a grade raise?

I have a high gpa (3.89) and never once asked for a grade bump.

 

[bozz]

I have a high gpa (3.89) and never once asked for a grade bump.

So be happy with it... why do you care what someone else does?

If someone with a 3.85 gets a grade bump and ends up with a 3.89 just like you, why does it affect you or your performance... unless you are insecure about your own abilities?

 

[smeagol]

dude, nobody (especially not the op) gives a crap what YOU think is grotesque... the OP asked a question b/c he was CONSIDERING asking the professor... he will do what's in HIS best interests.. not what suits your opinion

What are people even arguing about? you can't force your opinion on someone else.. the OP was considering doing it, he got confirmation, and he will carry out w/ it

If he didn't care what other people thought, he wouldn't have posted on SDN. He/she needs to understand this sort of behavior is unfair.

You seem to be under illusion that everyone's opinions and values are equally reasonable - that is just plain false.

If my brother was a serial killer and a rapist, I would definitely try and force my opinions with regard to these matters onto him. Something that has the property of being "an opinion" does not demean it, as implied by your tone. Clearly, his opinions on the acceptability of murder and rape are less rational than those held by all rational and impartial persons.

 

[smeagol]

So be happy with it... why do you care what someone else does?

If someone with a 3.85 gets a grade bump and ends up with a 3.89 just like you, why does it affect you or your performance... unless you are insecure about your own abilities?

I refuse to believe you have thoroughly thought this through and I hope you truly reflect on these matters.

In addition to the many problems already mentioned, there is a problem of drawing a line. Imagine someone, a person A, who routinely gets a grade bump such that his GPA has fluctuated from a 3.6 to a 3.75. Imagine also someone else, some person B, who has equal talent, but has worked harder to achieve a 3.75 GPA without a grade bump.

If a medical college has only one spot for these two applicants, they should pick person B because he/she has worked harder (assuming all other aspects being equal) However, the admissions staff will see no difference among these two applicants. Person B may not get picked, despite having put forth greater effort.

Now you might suggest that routinely asking professors for a grade bump is hard work in itself. But this is just comical at best.

 

[Orbo]

So be happy with it... why do you care what someone else does?

If someone with a 3.85 gets a grade bump and ends up with a 3.89 just like you, why does it affect you or your performance... unless you are insecure about your own abilities?

Just saying. I don't care what your GPA is, quite frankly. I just don't like it when people assume that those with high GPA gamed the system to get there.

 

[bozz]

I have personally never asked for a grade bump... but I know that my grade has been bumped from an 89 (3.0) to a 90 (4.0) because I knew the teacher/went to office hours.

That being said, from experience with people around me.. those who need it will ask for it. Those who already have high GPAs don't care AS much... but if they feel they "need" it due to other lacking areas, they will ask for one. I think that there is nothing wrong with doing everything in your power (legally) to get the grade that you want.

Again, my argument rests on the assumption that those who need a grade bump are very likely to ask for one. Those who don't "need" one are less likely to ask for one.

If a medical college has only one spot for these two applicants, they should pick person B because he/she has worked harder (assuming all other aspects being equal) However, the admissions staff will see no difference among these two applicants. Person B may not get picked, despite having put forth greater effort.

Now you might suggest that routinely asking professors for a grade bump is hard work in itself. But this is just comical at best.

lol.. first off, your situation is extremely unrealistic. I don't know of anyone who routinely gets a grade bump.. it just doesn't happen. 3.6 to a 3.75 is a PRETTY BIG difference buddy... you would need to be grade-bumped in atleast 5 classes to pull that off... not to mention that professors are more likely to say NO to any grade-bumping request. My point is that it doesn't hurt to try. Those who feel the need to ask but are just shy are simply losing out.

 

[Ahmed786]

I refuse to believe you have thoroughly thought this through and I hope you truly reflect on these matters.

In addition to the many problems already mentioned, there is a problem of drawing a line. Imagine someone, a person A, who routinely gets a grade bump such that his GPA has fluctuated from a 3.6 to a 3.75. Imagine also someone else, some person B, who has equal talent, but has worked harder to achieve a 3.75 GPA without a grade bump.

If a medical college has only one spot for these two applicants, they should pick person B because he/she has worked harder (assuming all other aspects being equal) However, the admissions staff will see no difference among these two applicants. Person B may not get picked, despite having put forth greater effort.

Now you might suggest that routinely asking professors for a grade bump is hard work in itself. But this is just comical at best.

Well you admitted it yourself... adcoms don't see any difference and the goal of a premed is to get into medical school. Also, it's not like Person A would ask for a grade bump in every single class he or she takes, it would only be for 1 or 2 classes during their entire time at college where they may be .5% away from a 3.7 instead of a 3.3. I find it comical how everyone is saying suck it up and accept the grade instead of saying life isin't fair suck it up and try to make the best of whatever situation you face (if that may be having a connection with a professor).

 

[bozz]

Well you admitted it yourself... adcoms don't see any difference and the goal of a premed is to get into medical school. Also, it's not like Person A would ask for a grade bump in every single class he or she takes, it would only be for 1 or 2 classes during their entire time at college where they may be .5% away from a 3.7 instead of a 3.3. I find it comical how everyone is saying suck it up and accept the grade instead of saying life isin't fair suck it up and try to make the best of whatever situation you face (if that may be having a connection with a professor).

👍

 

[shraf]

I found out that my B grade in Biology class is only .54 away from B+ and can make a difference to my GPA. I would get a B+ if I would not misinterpret 2 test questions. Is it worth to ask my professor to reconsider my grade?

are you kidding me? if, for instance, there was a grading mistake and you actually deserved to get those two questions correct then i'd say go for it but you just think the prof should bump your grade because you have no shame and are willing to annoy your way to a higher grade. This is absolutely disgusting and it really says something about who you are....you just wanted to have things handed to you without working for them and think that you are, for some reason, special and deserve preferential treatment. Well, NEWS FLASH, you're not special.

 

[notdeadyet]

If you think you can measure someones understanding of what you've taught in class to 0.5%, then you are fooling yourself. The understanding of the material can only realistically be interpreted to about 10%-5%. It gets old dealing with professors who have such a deluded sense of how absolute the grading system is they won't give .5% to someone.

Yet why do I have a hunch that if a professor ever gave you a B+ when you had over a 90%, using fuzzy arguments like interpretation of performance and whatnot, that you'd scream/cry? Folks want lenience to get rounded up, but no one would be okay with lenience to be rounded down, would they?

This isn't a pre-med thing, it's not a college thing, it's not a doctor thing, it's a life thing. If you're doing anything that gets quantified, there are scales. Asking for special dispensation just makes you look like you're inexperienced, spoiled, or a chump. Take the hit and use it for motivation.

Any professor or boss worth his/her salt should be willing to listen to your objection about an incorrect/misleading question. But don't expect people to change the rules just because you come whimpering. You might find a sap that'll listen, but for the most part, you should realistically expect this to fall on deaf ears.

 

[Picklesali]

Just saying. I don't care what your GPA is, quite frankly. I just don't like it when people assume that those with high GPA gamed the system to get there.

Amen!