Class grading

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abc22

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In the same vein as the post that launched a thousand ****s, how are classes graded at the different schools? Pass/fail? Excellent/satisfactory/unsatisfactory? Letter grades? If so, are there bell curves? I just want to know if I'm going to end up being pitted against classmates again in an academic Hunger Games-ish manner ugh.
 
DVMDream said:
I don't think there is a facepalm big enough for this thread.
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Why? I'm just asking a legitimate question. I think curving is a terrible practice and want to know what each school's grading style is. I DON'T want to compete with classmates for a grade since that creates a hostile environment.
 
:laugh:

Why don't you just try your best and stop complaining? Those people are supposed to be your colleagues and not your enemies.
 
permanent-facepalm-facepalm-fail-pigeon-demotivational-poster-1260284257.jpg
 
Fwiw, at Penn there are letter grades. No curving. Theoretically if everyone got A's it would be ok.
We are ranked though, so competitive types can exist. I don't think it is a big deal here.
 
PetPony said:
Why don't you just try your best and stop complaining? Those people are supposed to be your colleagues and not your enemies.
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Quoted for truth.

We're on percentages at AVC. There is no curving or adjustment. Whatever you're given, that's your mark regardless of what other people did. We do get a ranking based on final averages at the end of the semester, but they aren't published, you have to ask for it.
 
PetPony said:
:laugh:

Why don't you just try your best and stop complaining? Those people are supposed to be your colleagues and not your enemies.
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Yes, I know. I do not want to have to compete with them, but rather collaborate and work pleasantly together. Did I complain? How could I complain about something I have yet to experience?
 
abc22 said:
Yes, I know. I do not want to have to compete with them, but rather collaborate and work pleasantly together. Did I complain? How could I complain about something I have yet to experience?
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abc22 said:
In the same vein as the post that launched a thousand ****s, how are classes graded at the different schools? Pass/fail? Excellent/satisfactory/unsatisfactory? Letter grades? If so, are there bell curves? I just want to know if I'm going to end up being pitted against classmates again in an academic Hunger Games-ish manner ugh.
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This sounds an awful lot like complaining, especially with the ugh at the end.

The point now is that everyone is on a level playing field. You are in vet school to become a veterinarian, grades happen to be a part of the process. Yes, there is always the gunner or two, but you need to stop worrying about OTHER people and start worrying about yourself. YOU need to do well in vet school despite what everyone else is doing and YOU are the one responsible for that. Ultimately if you do not do well in vet school you can't chalk it up to the "gunner vet students on drugs" like you did with the pre-meds you are blaming for messing things up in undergrad for you. Vet school is not a competition, these are your future colleagues, you should be attempting to work WITH them instead of worrying about if you are going to have to COMPETE with them. Stop worrying about other people and start worrying about YOU. You need to stop comparing yourself to other people around you, it isn't going to do you any favors.
 
DVMDream said:
This sounds an awful lot like complaining, especially with the ugh at the end.

The point now is that everyone is on a level playing field. You are in vet school to become a veterinarian, grades happen to be a part of the process. Yes, there is always the gunner or two, but you need to stop worrying about OTHER people and start worrying about yourself. YOU need to do well in vet school despite what everyone else is doing and YOU are the one responsible for that. Ultimately if you do not do well in vet school you can't chalk it up to the "gunner vet students on drugs" like you did with the pre-meds you are blaming for messing things up in undergrad for you. Vet school is not a competition, these are your future colleagues, you should be attempting to work WITH them instead of worrying about if you are going to have to COMPETE with them. Stop worrying about other people and start worrying about YOU. You need to stop comparing yourself to other people around you, it isn't going to do you any favors.
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Sorry for that. The 'ugh' was in relation to my disgust with the system, not in anticipation of competing/recollection of the past. I guess the attitude of comparing is just ingrained in me after living through that. I just don't want to have more 90% grades magically transform into grades of B-. I'm just used to constantly fretting over my grade/rank in comparison to others. So I just want to make sure that I find a good school match for me where I can avoid this stress. Thanks for all of the info!
 
And to be honest, you might want to get used to the fact that there are serious gunners and competitors in veterinary school. I manage to distance myself from them enough to not let it bother me, or try and be tolerant that everyone has different goals. Some people want to Ace every single class, some people just want their degree and are fine with passing. Whatever other people do, is up to them, and usually it won't affect your immediate grades in classes, but it will affect your class rank. Do class ranks even matter? Depends what your future goals are. Bottom line, stop worrying about it or it will drive you crazy and get you nowhere.
I have to agree on the complaining thing. And maybe you aren't a complainer and aren't trying to insinuate that your problems are because of other people. But if that's the case, maybe think about how you word things from now on, because it's exactly how you come across. Just some constructive criticism.
 
I think that a better question might have been "how competitive are vet students", rather than "how do vet schools grade".

I've only been a vet student for two months, but this is a completely accurate summary of my experience so far:
http://ourlifeinvetschool.tumblr.com/post/27061653045/how-undergrads-think-vet-school-is-when-they-apply

I think that part of the reason people respond so poorly to your posts is that competition is kind of frowned upon in vet school. The objective isn't to be better than your classmates, it's to make sure that you and your classmates are all the best that you can possibly be. Today's vet students are tomorrow's veterinarians, and we're going to be colleagues for the rest of our careers. By working together and helping each other, we make sure that everyone wins.
It's true that in some situations (eg if you're going to be seeking a residency), grades can make a difference. It's also true that there are gunners out there who are super grade-conscious. I understand your anxiety, especially since you came from a really competitive undergrad environment. But if you enter vet school with the idea that you're competing against your classmates, or that grades are the most important thing in life, you're going to make yourself crazy. Quite frankly, you're also going to make your classmates crazy.

At the end of the day, grades are just numbers. They don't really indicate what kind of doctor you'll be, and that's what really matters.

It's not you against them, or you against the curriculum, or you against the professors. It's all of us, together, working with the faculty and with the curriculum to become the amazing doctors.
 
OwlandPussycat said:
At the end of the day, grades are just numbers. They don't really indicate what kind of doctor you'll be, and that's what really matters.
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There is an extremely book-smart student in our class, probably at the top, that I would not let touch my pet with a ten foot pole.

FWIW, if you are worried about what your grades say on paper, don't come to a UK school. A 70% and higher here is equivalent to an A in the states, but at the end of the day, your transcript will say 70%. No curve though.
 
Packen said:
There is an extremely book-smart student in our class, probably at the top, that I would not let touch my pet with a ten foot pole.

FWIW, if you are worried about what your grades say on paper, don't come to a UK school. A 70% and higher here is equivalent to an A in the states, but at the end of the day, your transcript will say 70%. No curve though.
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Still trying to get used to this. They don't hand out 90% and above around here much at all...

Which reminds me, really need to try to pull my grade up just a little bit... Not much, but just enough to make me feel a little more comfortable.
 
I had a pretty nice smart-ass remark written up, but I decided to be bluntly honest instead: if you are so concerned about how others do, how grades are calculated/if the process is fair and if these evil gunners are going to have a leg up over you for the rest of your life- stop. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. Vet school is not for you. It's already tempting to compare yourself to others in vet school, and it makes you feel crappy to come up short. I'd say most people can overcome that feeling and continue on their path to a DVM degree, but if you know you're already sensitive about grades and others getting better grades than you, it's honestly not worth damaging yourself emotionally.
 
abc22 said:
Sorry for that. The 'ugh' was in relation to my disgust with the system, not in anticipation of competing/recollection of the past. I guess the attitude of comparing is just ingrained in me after living through that. I just don't want to have more 90% grades magically transform into grades of B-. I'm just used to constantly fretting over my grade/rank in comparison to others. So I just want to make sure that I find a good school match for me where I can avoid this stress. Thanks for all of the info!
Click to expand...

So in your last thread you were whinging about how everyone in your undergrad class is SO SMART and it pushes your grade down and makes you look bad.

Your class in vet school will be filled by the top 5% of your undergrad class. They will be smarter. You will be the even smaller, less smart fish in an even bigger, smarter pond. (Lots of people feel this way). However, if you are already struggling SO MUCH with the thought of your other classmates being smarter than you, or of getting a B-, you need to sort this stuff out now or your going to have a bad time.


FWIW, they don't fail competent people out of vet school, just lazy people. Even if they do curve. And C=DVM, so I would take all the B-'s you get!!! Unless your applying for residencey, NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR GRADES.
 
Jesus Christ.

Did any of you READ my posts? Was it a proclamation of how I can't WAIT to compete with my classmates and brew up a comparison storm of epic proportions? I clearly explained what I meant to say so that it wouldn't get manipulated into something rude and conniving, yet you people somehow found out how to accomplish that anyway. I don't CARE about how competitive veterinary students are; that WAS NOT my question.

Four people answered my question. The rest of you were just berating me because of your interpretation of my words. I don't know why everyone here takes my comments so personally when I never even directed them at anybody on this forum or in the veterinary field. How does my commenting on how ridiculous a certain course equivalency is morph into my dismissing the entire community college system as a whole?

If you have some sort of inferiority complex then so be it, but don't direct your bitterness at me. Who are you to tell me what to do about my dream? I'll also offer you some advice: you should check your posts for spelling and grammatical errors before you direct such inflammatory remarks towards me.

Maybe I should reconsider my decision to go to veterinary school, especially if most of them are filled with negative, rude, and condescending dweebs like some of you. Does it make you feel better to argue with and belittle people who are coming on here to get your experienced insight on a couple of topics? I come on here because I assumed that you were all mature and knowledgeable, and willing to help some noobs out, but I notice that many remarks towards newer members are just plain disrespectful. Most of the comments involve taunting me about how I don't know anything or how I'm in for a rude awakening.

Precisely. You are correct. I do not know. That is why I asked.

I don't know HOW MANY times I have written that I'm sorry, or that I hope that no one takes offence, or that I didn't mean to sound rude in my posts. Apparently, anything that I say gets ignored except for the one comment that enrages everyone to join in on a virtual stoning. Maybe you just enjoy hearing the sound of your own typing?! The really pathetic thing is that some of you are ANCIENT or have children. What are you doing on an internet forum filled with a bunch of neurotic undergrads?!

I pray that I will not have the displeasure of having classmates such as some of you. I don't need to be judged and deprecated for four years of my life.

I hope that you continue to have fun wading in a cesspool of your own douche. 👍
 
Lol!

Look, no one in this thread was particularly rude to you. A few people facepalmed because when you combine this thread with your last thread on grades, you come off very poorly as a crazy gunner type, who blames everyone else for his middle of the road grades. People can only comment on their own schools system, which may or may not be helpful to you. What most people were trying to tell you was that in vet school, you don't worry about grades, you just do the best you can to be the best you can. Surely that should tell you that there isnt some crazy bell curve thats going to fail you even if you get a 90?!

But yeah, your last post... hilarious. I espcially loved this bit:

The really pathetic thing is that some of you are ANCIENT or have children. What are you doing on an internet forum filled with a bunch of neurotic undergrads?!
Click to expand...
:laugh:
 
abc22 said:
The really pathetic thing is that some of you are ANCIENT or have children. What are you doing on an internet forum filled with a bunch of neurotic undergrads?!
Click to expand...


Welp... looks like my true bullying personality came through again 🙄

Oh the good ole' "I'll make fun of people's grammar when I have nothing else to say" tactic. That's always a great one. You clearly have problems.

:laugh: And what the hell does having children have to do with anything? You clearly have no idea how to tolerate anyone outside of your little box of life. Some people did this thing called "overcoming adversity" to achieve their life goals, not just whine their way into them.

We're here to help you neurotic undergrads. Because I don't see you asking other neurotic undergrads... good luck with your attitude in vet school, and in life. 👍
 
I'm sorry you had a poor experience at your undergrad. It obviously has had an effect on how you view the learning process as a whole. I think the take-away from this thread is that in vet school (and in life) there will always be the gunners looking to suck away from your academic experience, but you have the opportunity to not let it get to you. Most people don't let it effect them as much as what seems to have happened to you.

The vibe I get from working in a large veterinary hospital seems to be what people have described vet school is like - there are a few "gunners" that are focused on their caseload/profit margins, and there are groups of doctors bouncing ideas off one another and helping with transferring cases to each other during days off. The gunners are often left overwhelmed on a busy ER day, while they have a larger income.

I feel like you, not anyone else, is in charge of which group you belong to.
 
abc22 said:
I don't know HOW MANY times I have written that I'm sorry, or that I hope that no one takes offence, or that I didn't mean to sound rude in my posts. Apparently, anything that I say gets ignored except for the one comment that enrages everyone to join in on a virtual stoning. Maybe you just enjoy hearing the sound of your own typing?! The really pathetic thing is that some of you are ANCIENT or have children. What are you doing on an internet forum filled with a bunch of neurotic undergrads?!
Click to expand...

Well I personally did not take offense to anything you have written so far, even went ahead and answered your question based on the grading system here in the UK. BUT I do take offense - EXTREME offense to that comment above.

For you to belittle people on this forum that have, for one reason or another, not been able to got directly to vet school (or med school or ANY grad school program) out of undergrad is just awful. I for one, would NEVER want to be a classmate with someone who is so ignorant to look down upon people who have decided to go back to school and earn a specific education. How dare you 😡

People come to this forum to ask questions about applying and becoming a vet student. Those of us who enjoy the community even remain afterwards. Whether you are an undergrad applicant or a non-traditional applicant - everyone is going through the same stresses of trying to get into vet school. What is wrong with accepting all to a site that helps discuss those issues? What type of person would look down on being accepting to all??? Do you even know how difficult it can be for a so called "ancient" person to make the choice to go to vet school? Again, how dare you pass judgement.
 
abc22 said:
I just want to know if I'm going to end up being pitted against classmates again in an academic Hunger Games-ish manner ugh.
Click to expand...

Common sense says that if you want to avoid being berated, you leave sentences like this out of your original post. It would have been fine of you stopped before that. It's not rocket science.
 
abc22 said:
The really pathetic thing is that some of you are ANCIENT or have children. What are you doing on an internet forum filled with a bunch of neurotic undergrads?!
Click to expand...


I'm really, really restraining myself here. Those of us who are older often stay in order to give advice to undergraduates, high school students, and current students. "Ancient"? How old are you, 12? In addition, like Packen said, looking down upon people for age of application (or family status, or anything) on this forum is atrocious. I can't imagine dealing with you as a colleague if this is your response to people arguing with you.

Your comments are not taken personally because members feel they are directed at them. They are taken in such a way because you act like everyone in this world is out to get you, and nothing is your fault. That attitude will not help you in life. Some people here may have more tact than others (I will admit I lack it at times) but the basic message is that you need to stop blaming the world.

You say things like you don't want to compete with classmates for a grade? I don't even know what to say to that. LIFE IS ABOUT COMPETITION. Will it get ugly? Yes, especially in professional school. But whining and trying to avoid it is not the answer - working hard and not letting other people affect you is the answer. Your posts have this constant tone of "it's not me, it's them", you make sweeping blanket statements about people in your former school, etc.

I understand you want a friendly environment. Of course, we all do. But what you need to understand is that you cannot run from competition. YOU CANNOT RUN FROM COMPETITION. You need to not let it affect you as much as it is. Easier said than done, I know. But you seriously need to accept that fact that, like it or not, academics are competitive.

Whether or not the environment is ugly depends not on the grading style, but on social interactions. Be friendly to your classmates. Work on lowering your stress. Go to social events. Organize study groups. THAT is how you create a friendly school environment. Not by avoiding letter grades.
 
abc22 said:
The really pathetic thing is that some of you are ANCIENT or have children. What are you doing on an internet forum filled with a bunch of neurotic undergrads?!

I pray that I will not have the displeasure of having classmates such as some of you. I don't need to be judged and deprecated for four years of my life.

I hope that you continue to have fun wading in a cesspool of your own douche. 👍
Click to expand...

You are:

1. An ignorant little prick.

2. Have absolutely no idea who is present on this forum.

I would say I qualify for you as 'ancient' being that I'm in the 35+ crowd; but I in no way feel myself to be 'ancient' given that I'm still able to perform activities I was able to within my 20s and teen years. Also, I feel that my age provides me with nothing but lessons learned and a base to say that 'yep, been there done that' shouldn't do that again. As for the rest of this group, there is a marvelous mix of mature undergrads, graduate students, non-trads, current professional students, and folks in the workplace thinking about perhaps joining what is a marvelous profession.

Now, I don't have children, but where do you get off believing that's pathetic? Have you ever thought about the maturity and strength needed to attend school while having children to think about as well? No, wait you haven't. You're too worried about a social life. Pray that social life doesn't someday make you one of the pathetic ones.

Now, given that I'm ancient enough to have already obtained a graduate degree in neuroscience, I should let you know that you're actually the first individual I have come across in the couple of years I've been here whom I would consider to be as you say neurotic. Perhaps you should check out the definition...

Finally, I am so very happy that I didn't apply again this year. I will allow me to avoid having you as a fellow classmate. The last thing I would need while trying to drag sorry ancient butt through school is having a child that believes that their future should be handed to them upon a silver platter and feels that they should in no way shape or form be held accountable for anything that may be less than stellar in their lives whine every single minute that life isn't fair and that everyone is out to get him.

Get bent.
 
abc22 said:
Jesus Christ.

Did any of you READ my posts? Was it a proclamation of how I can't WAIT to compete with my classmates and brew up a comparison storm of epic proportions? I clearly explained what I meant to say so that it wouldn't get manipulated into something rude and conniving, yet you people somehow found out how to accomplish that anyway. I don't CARE about how competitive veterinary students are; that WAS NOT my question.

Four people answered my question. The rest of you were just berating me because of your interpretation of my words. I don't know why everyone here takes my comments so personally when I never even directed them at anybody on this forum or in the veterinary field. How does my commenting on how ridiculous a certain course equivalency is morph into my dismissing the entire community college system as a whole?

If you have some sort of inferiority complex then so be it, but don't direct your bitterness at me. Who are you to tell me what to do about my dream? I'll also offer you some advice: you should check your posts for spelling and grammatical errors before you direct such inflammatory remarks towards me.

Maybe I should reconsider my decision to go to veterinary school, especially if most of them are filled with negative, rude, and condescending dweebs like some of you. Does it make you feel better to argue with and belittle people who are coming on here to get your experienced insight on a couple of topics? I come on here because I assumed that you were all mature and knowledgeable, and willing to help some noobs out, but I notice that many remarks towards newer members are just plain disrespectful. Most of the comments involve taunting me about how I don't know anything or how I'm in for a rude awakening.

Precisely. You are correct. I do not know. That is why I asked.

I don't know HOW MANY times I have written that I'm sorry, or that I hope that no one takes offence, or that I didn't mean to sound rude in my posts. Apparently, anything that I say gets ignored except for the one comment that enrages everyone to join in on a virtual stoning. Maybe you just enjoy hearing the sound of your own typing?! The really pathetic thing is that some of you are ANCIENT or have children. What are you doing on an internet forum filled with a bunch of neurotic undergrads?!

I pray that I will not have the displeasure of having classmates such as some of you. I don't need to be judged and deprecated for four years of my life.

I hope that you continue to have fun wading in a cesspool of your own douche. 👍
Click to expand...
You do realize that if you do get into vet school, several of your classmates will be non-trad students that may be older than you? And several of your classmates will have children?
 
Ok, so before this thread goes any further (on EITHER side), I would implore users to become familiar with the SDN Terms of Service.

Personal attacks, whether you feel they are justified or not are infraction-worthy. Usually, I am very happy with the way the Vet Forums get along amongst each other. Recently, we have become a little tense here. New members are certainly welcome here and we really value the opinions of longer term members, too. I would hate to diminish the value of our forums. So please, be civil to each other. There is no need to call anyone names, even if you disagree with them. Consider it an opportunity to practice being professional with those you may not like. If that doesn't work for you, I ask that you use your ignore option. Please. I like our community.
 
dyachei said:
Ok, so before this thread goes any further (on EITHER side), I would implore users to become familiar with the SDN Terms of Service.

Personal attacks, whether you feel they are justified or not are infraction-worthy. Usually, I am very happy with the way the Vet Forums get along amongst each other. Recently, we have become a little tense here. New members are certainly welcome here and we really value the opinions of longer term members, too. I would hate to diminish the value of our forums. So please, be civil to each other. There is no need to call anyone names, even if you disagree with them. Consider it an opportunity to practice being professional with those you may not like. If that doesn't work for you, I ask that you use your ignore option. Please. I like our community.
Click to expand...


I think it would be best for everyone if we just let this thread sink into the abyss and die.
 
I believe the original comment was something to do with hitting someone with a large trout. :laugh:
 
WhtsThFrequency said:
dead-fish.jpg
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this reminds me of one of the fraternity fundraisers at our undergrad.... one of the events in this field day like thing was called "Mackerel Slap." It consisted of a fraternity member wearing a pair of panty hose over his head, in each foot of the panty hose would be an egg. The guy would get on all fours (and wrap the panty hose legs around his head so that the eggs didn't drag the ground) and then a girl would get on his back holding a dead fish. There was one such team for each sorority and the goal was to use your fish to crack the other eggs, last one with at least one intact egg won. These people who say greek life doesn't prepare you for the real world are clearly wrong...
 
Foxhunter said:
this reminds me of one of the fraternity fundraisers at our undergrad.... one of the events in this field day like thing was called "Mackerel Slap." It consisted of a fraternity member wearing a pair of panty hose over his head, in each foot of the panty hose would be an egg. The guy would get on all fours (and wrap the panty hose legs around his head so that the eggs didn't drag the ground) and then a girl would get on his back holding a dead fish. There was one such team for each sorority and the goal was to use your fish to crack the other eggs, last one with at least one intact egg won. These people who say greek life doesn't prepare you for the real world are clearly wrong...
Click to expand...

:eyebrow::lame:😏
 
Foxhunter said:
this reminds me of one of the fraternity fundraisers at our undergrad.... one of the events in this field day like thing was called "Mackerel Slap." It consisted of a fraternity member wearing a pair of panty hose over his head, in each foot of the panty hose would be an egg. The guy would get on all fours (and wrap the panty hose legs around his head so that the eggs didn't drag the ground) and then a girl would get on his back holding a dead fish. There was one such team for each sorority and the goal was to use your fish to crack the other eggs, last one with at least one intact egg won. These people who say greek life doesn't prepare you for the real world are clearly wrong...
Click to expand...

HAHAH Greek Life. <3


Um so I'm gonna go out on a limb here and answer this post honestly:

vet school grading SUCKS. Not only are you pegged with more classes covering more material faster than anything else you've ever been exposed to before, EVER (think summer school but x10 and also on crack), but 99% of your classes are A-F OH AND ALSO the grading scale has been adjusted so you're not even IN the A range until a 94.

Which is why A's promptly cease to matter and everyone is scrambling to make a C, which in any rational human being's world is a comfortable B- average.

Plus also, remember that one time when you had a solid 3.5 in high school and you got to undergrad and for the first year you were like "HAHA what, suddenly I'm a 3.0 student I suck at this!" Well take that moment, and then surround yourself with the students who were straight-A kids in high school and undergrad, because suddenly the class averages for all of your exams are gonna be in the 80's (obscene, VMR C/O 2016! Obscene!) and you're struggling to keep up.

-whew-

Thanks guys, I needed to get that off my chest. =)
 
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