Chem professor grading structure - easy A?

[sena]

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Exams (3 @ 100pts) 300 points
Final Exam (1 @ 200pts) 200 points
Quizzes (12 @ 10 pts, lowest dropped) 110 points
Homework 100 points
Pre Tests (12 @ 8 points) 96 points
Lab Reports 200 points
TOTAL POINTS 1006 points

89% A-
85 B+
78 B
75 C+
71 C
68 C-
and so on.....

She grades on a curve, the pretests are allowed to be taken as many times as you would like, until you get full points, Homework is online, and you have to try to get below 85% (Sapling Online).

With the way this is set up, does it look as if there is room to bomb an exam without it having a detrimental impact on a final grade? (Given the student does well on the other aspects of the grading)

 

[group_theory]

Moving to the premedical forums. Since the majority of this user's posts have been in pre-osteopathic forum in the past, that is where this post will go.

 

[MedPR]

Exams (3 @ 100pts) 300 points
Final Exam (1 @ 200pts) 200 points
Quizzes (12 @ 10 pts, lowest dropped) 110 points
Homework 100 points
Pre Tests (12 @ 8 points) 96 points
Lab Reports 200 points
TOTAL POINTS 1006 points

89% A-
85 B+
78 B
75 C+
71 C
68 C-
and so on.....

She grades on a curve, the pretests are allowed to be taken as many times as you would like, until you get full points, Homework is online, and you have to try to get below 85% (Sapling Online).

With the way this is set up, does it look as if there is room to bomb an exam without it having a detrimental impact on a final grade? (Given the student does well on the other aspects of the grading)

There's never room to bomb an exam. You never know what might happen.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[bijoux22]

There's never room to bomb an exam. You never know what might happen.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

dude. seriously, 10k posts. dont you have anything better to do?

 

[MedPR]

dude. seriously, 10k posts. dont you have anything better to do?

Nope:beer:

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[bijoux22]

🤣 at least your honest?

Nope:beer:

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[sena]

There's never room to bomb an exam. You never know what might happen.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

That in no way answers the question I asked. I suck at figuring out how things are weighted, so I'm wondering how much of the overall grade does it look like it would affect? Or is this something that looks like a benefit for the student, but in reality it is not.

 

[MedPR]

does it look as if there is room to bomb an exam without it having a detrimental impact on a final grade?

There's never room to bomb an exam. You never know what might happen.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

That in no way answers the question I asked.

You sure about that?

Edit: you can lose about 100 points and still get an A. If you get a 50 on one test you only have 50 points to spare.. but if the class is curved as you say, there will only be a handful of A's given out and most of you will get C's.

🤣 at least your honest?

What about my honest?

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[MedicalMBA]

Exams (3 @ 100pts) 300 points
Final Exam (1 @ 200pts) 200 points
Quizzes (12 @ 10 pts, lowest dropped) 110 points
Homework 100 points
Pre Tests (12 @ 8 points) 96 points
Lab Reports 200 points
TOTAL POINTS 1006 points

89% A-
85 B+
78 B
75 C+
71 C
68 C-
and so on.....

She grades on a curve, the pretests are allowed to be taken as many times as you would like, until you get full points, Homework is online, and you have to try to get below 85% (Sapling Online).

With the way this is set up, does it look as if there is room to bomb an exam without it having a detrimental impact on a final grade? (Given the student does well on the other aspects of the grading)

I mean...based on my calculations if you get around 850 out of those 1,006 points you'll get an 85 (84.49). I don't know what else you really want from us. From my experience, all my chem classes had this same curve with 90-100 being an A. The reason for this curve is that the class is usually very difficult (Orgo) and test averages end up being in the B- range and are curved to be so that way. SO if the class average ends up being around an 80 there will be no additional curve. I don't think it necessarily means an easy A...Get 100s on homework quizzes and pre-tests and that will give you more margin for error on the real meat of the course: the labs and exams.

I don;t know what else you were looking for but goodluck! Don't take any course lightly.

 

[timmaycakes]

Exams (3 @ 100pts) 300 points
Final Exam (1 @ 200pts) 200 points
Quizzes (12 @ 10 pts, lowest dropped) 110 points
Homework 100 points
Pre Tests (12 @ 8 points) 96 points
Lab Reports 200 points
TOTAL POINTS 1006 points

89% A-
85 B+
78 B
75 C+
71 C
68 C-
and so on.....

She grades on a curve, the pretests are allowed to be taken as many times as you would like, until you get full points, Homework is online, and you have to try to get below 85% (Sapling Online).

With the way this is set up, does it look as if there is room to bomb an exam without it having a detrimental impact on a final grade? (Given the student does well on the other aspects of the grading)

It's hard to calculate the impact of bombing one class because we don't know the following:

1) What do you mean by bomb? 50%? 70% ?
2) Each teacher curves differently..some add points onto everyone's score, some force a bell curve so you are competing with your classmates

I speculate that if you "bomb" one test you should be still on track for for an A...if you manage to perfect everything else. But as MedPR says...anything can happen 😀

 

[sena]

It's hard to calculate the impact of bombing one class because we don't know the following:

1) What do you mean by bomb? 50%? 70% ?
2) Each teacher curves differently..some add points onto everyone's score, some force a bell curve so you are competing with your classmates

I speculate that if you "bomb" one test you should be still on track for for an A...if you manage to perfect everything else. But as MedPR says...anything can happen 😀

Bombed to me 65% (13/20). (Neurotic Premed Bomb)

It is graded on a curve, but I don't think it's a bell curve. She said that grades can go higher than a given score, but not lower. So I'm confused how to figure out how I actually did. I know that there was at least a 100% by someone, but class average is 75%. I am just not familiar with this "curving".

 

[Moosepig]

Yes, this class is easier than a lot of chem classes (My chem class is 600 points, 100 for each of three tests and 300 for the final) so having those fluff points will be helpful. You still need to put in work though.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

How exactly are we supposed to know? Are the averages on the tests 40s that balance out to basically 70%s for the class or whatever.
So yes, the scale seems lighter and easier compared to other chem but that doesn't mean it will be easy. No professor at any university wants to give out more than 30-40% A's. So it probably will balance out in the end.

 

[TriagePreMed]

My O.Chem class is similarly structured but with 85%+ being an A. What the problem is? Every test is brutal with no curve and the class average around a 50%. I wouldn't get over confident.

 

[FCMike11]

Exams (3 @ 100pts) 300 points
Final Exam (1 @ 200pts) 200 points
Quizzes (12 @ 10 pts, lowest dropped) 110 points
Homework 100 points
Pre Tests (12 @ 8 points) 96 points
Lab Reports 200 points
TOTAL POINTS 1006 points

89% A-
85 B+
78 B
75 C+
71 C
68 C-
and so on.....

She grades on a curve, the pretests are allowed to be taken as many times as you would like, until you get full points, Homework is online, and you have to try to get below 85% (Sapling Online).

With the way this is set up, does it look as if there is room to bomb an exam without it having a detrimental impact on a final grade? (Given the student does well on the other aspects of the grading)

My chem class is similiar, 3 tests, 1 final (final can be counted X2 and replace your lowest test grade). Lab is 25% of your grade (should be a 95 in there for sure). We have online homework as well (OWL) if you do all of the required homework by test day you get 5 extra points on your test.

That being said im at a community college atm (not a fluff class), my professor is a PHD chemist who used to work in industry and teaches us at a much higher level than I expected....but if it helps my MCAT out im good with it. I made the highest grade in our class for the first exam, which I made a 91..no other A's. It is still super tough and I was really sweating this test.

We will see how it goes, he mentioned his main goals are to prepare us for orgo at university level and in general to help us master chemistry.

 

[TriagePreMed]

My chem class is similiar, 3 tests, 1 final (final can be counted X2 and replace your lowest test grade). Lab is 25% of your grade (should be a 95 in there for sure). We have online homework as well (OWL) if you do all of the required homework by test day you get 5 extra points on your test.

That being said im at a community college atm (not a fluff class), my professor is a PHD chemist who used to work in industry and teaches us at a much higher level than I expected....but if it helps my MCAT out im good with it. I made the highest grade in our class for the first exam, which I made a 91..no other A's. It is still super tough and I was really sweating this test.

We will see how it goes, he mentioned his main goals are to prepare us for orgo at university level and in general to help us master chemistry.

Isn't it funny how those people that have never been to a CC automatically assume that CC is fluff but the reality is much different many times?

 

[FCMike11]

Isn't it funny how those people that have never been to a CC automatically assume that CC is fluff but the reality is much different many times?

Typical assumption, but at my CC we have many quality instructors, and i've had friends transfer out of this gen chem sequence to the university 20 miles up the road and most agree the caliber is higher here (of course this instance just comparing this chem teacher to 2 or 3 at the uni).

I work full time weekends and this CC is 3 miles from my house and very convenient in regards to cost, location etc. But i've already sent transcripts and enrolled to attend the university next fall for my Orgo/physics sequence....despite X3 the cost and ill have to drive 40 miles X4 a week for school.