Bad Grades in Lab, But Good Grades in Lecture?

[freneticFil]

I'm getting a little worried because while I am usually capable of rolling As in the lecture components of science courses (organic chem included), my lab grades have been always lower:

Bio: A
Bio Lab: A-
Organic: A
Organic Lab: B+
Organic II: A
Organic II Lab: A-

I'm worried my lab grades will keep being lower than my usual lecture grades and drag my sGPA down. In addition, how bad would this look if I were to say do research in a chemistry laboratory (and possibly get publication or presentation), but have a sub-A lab grade?

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[altblue]

My transcript looks pretty similar... it's def odd that I had an A in Physics I and a much lower grade in Physics I Lab... but I'm not worried. Your labs should be relatively low in credits too, making them pull down your sGPA less.

I wouldn't worry about comparisons. Labs oftentimes have arbitrary grading standards, favor obsessive tendencies and are highly subjective, and I don't think people will look at those grades, your research lab and wonder what's up. Superficial characteristics like whether or not you used two columns in your typed lab report or not, or whether your hand-writing was pretty versus legible can all influence your grade, and I think people realize that. Your lab work and any letter from your PI, or even your sGPA period, probably mean more.

 

[DrRiker]

"bad"

 

[mk04447]

Those damn A-'s and B+'s. My recommendation would be chill out and keep up the good work, you're fine.

 

[altblue]

"bad"

I mean he shouldn't be worried but the grading in labs is usually more lenient

 

[freneticFil]

I mean he shouldn't be worried but the grading in labs is usually more lenient

It's just in bio lab there are a lot of quizzes worth like 5 points each, and there's always one stupid question on each quiz and the -1 just keeps adding up. Then our practical exam just drops everyone's grades cuz of the harsh grading scale. For organic lab, it was really only a notebook quiz that screwed me over because I didn't write every damn detail in my notebook...

 

[freneticFil]

Our labs are worth 2 credits, for the record.

 

[altblue]

Our labs are worth 2 credits, for the record.

It's just in bio lab there are a lot of quizzes worth like 5 points each, and there's always one stupid question on each quiz and the -1 just keeps adding up. Then our practical exam just drops everyone's grades cuz of the harsh grading scale. For organic lab, it was really only a notebook quiz that screwed me over because I didn't write every damn detail in my notebook...

Yup, that's awfully familiar. I think we went to the same undergrad.

My grades in labs didn't improve until I started figuring out what the instructors wanted or asked questions about ambiguous procedures. Office hours were immensely valuable for this, and I could recommend that for you.

 

[mosothoamosoeu]

Dude, your grades are not "bad." Relax. Seriously, relax.