Do some professors like giving out low grades?

[drdan83]

This is something I've dealt with more than once. There is always that professor that makes a class needlessly hard and enjoys giving C's, D's, and F's even when you try to work with them to get a better grade. I've got this one professor who will not tell you what is on a test, will not give you a formula sheet, and will not do an in-class review before the test. In fact, the class before the test was on new material. And he has the nerve to say "I am rooting for you guys and I hope you all do well."

What's up with this? Don't they know about AMCAS? Don't they know that I will never be interested in repeating the course?

If I was a professor and most students failed my class, I would think something was wrong with how I was teaching the class. Why are some professors like this and why are there others who will be flexible and work with you to get the best grade you can get? It's professors like this who keep kids out of med school.

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[1TB4RKSB4CK]

That's why I use RMP.com

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

BTW, I love your avatar bro!

 

[CodeBlu]

This is something I've dealt with more than once. There is always that professor that makes a class needlessly hard and enjoys giving C's, D's, and F's even when you try to work with them to get a better grade. I've got this one professor who will not tell you what is on a test, will not give you a formula sheet, and will not do an in-class review before the test. In fact, the class before the test was on new material. And he has the nerve to say "I am rooting for you guys and I hope you all do well."

What's up with this? Don't they know about AMCAS? Don't they know that I will never be interested in repeating the course?

If I was a professor and most students failed my class, I would think something was wrong with how I was teaching the class. Why are some professors like this and why are there others who will be flexible and work with you to get the best grade you can get? It's professors like this who keep kids out of med school.

One word. Tenure.

Nuff said.

 

[Abscissa]

I understand your frustration. My school (and all of its professors) practice grade deflation. With so many schools now inflating grades, especially for premeds, this doesn't look good. Granted, my school does not have many premeds so GPA isn't as much an issue as a rigorous curriculum. Professors in my experience are a lot less interested in whether a student gets an A. If most people are not experiencing difficulty and getting As, then the tests can afford to be harder.

It's about testing the students' limits and ensuring that they are able to apply skills learned in class to complicated problems that require a higher level of thought. So, even if we get formula sheets, they are worthless since the tests require a lot more than just plug-and-chug. Most of our professors would much rather give an F--so the student is forced to repeat the class--than give a D or D+ because such scores indicate there is more that the student needs to learn. Does this hurt me in terms of AMCAS? Sure as hell it does. However, I'm confident in my skills and abilities so once I graduate, I'll do an SMP or whatever else if I need to.

Moral of the story...If it's just one professor like this you have to deal with, take it as a learning experience. A dose of failure can help premeds mature a lot. Besides, rest assured knowing that some MD applicants have it far worse than you.

Edit: I go to an engineering school.

 

[drdan83]

BTW, I love your avatar bro!

lol, thanks man. It has a hidden meaning. It's not some cheesy "I love SDN avatar."

Anyway, I'm not saying that a professor should make a class easy. What I'm saying is they know that we are paying money for the class and that we all have different plans. Some people just want to graduate, and some people, like us, want to go to med school.

This one professor purposefully made the class harder after the second week when we could no longer drop it without a W. He even said that he was going to make our exam "challenging" because it was good for us.

So get this, no review, no formula sheet, no hints, and he goes out of his way to make it harder than it should be.

He's the only professor that teaches that class so RMP would do you no good.

On the other hand, I had a sweet professor who would always ask us if the exam would conflict with any other exams and if we needed additional review. I got an A in that class for my efforts.

 

[Barcu]

Just because you paid for the class, worked hard, and want to go to med school doesn't mean you deserve a good grade in the class.

It's the challenging classes that teach you the most, actually prepare you for harder med school classes, and gives you the satisfaction of earning a good grade.

Professors really don't owe you a good grade. It's not the professors fault if you don't get into med school.

I don't want to be to accuse you of this OP, but I've come across a lot of entitled students at my University. Not everyone can get good grades and get into med school. In fact, most who try don't.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Just because you paid for the class, worked hard, and want to go to med school doesn't mean you deserve a good grade in the class.

It's the challenging classes that teach you the most, actually prepare you for harder med school classes, and gives you the satisfaction of earning a good grade.

Professors really don't owe you a good grade. It's not the professors fault if you don't get into med school.

I don't want to be to accuse you of this OP, but I've come across a lot of entitled students at my University. Not everyone can get good grades and get into med school. In fact, most who try don't.

I don't think any of your points dismiss the fact that there are some truly awful teachers who will purposefully try to screw with their students. I mean when 50% of your class drops and the majority of the remaining students get C's that obviously implies the teacher is doing something wrong, or you're taking an engineering class.

 

[paul411]

Before you sign up for a class, you should make sure the class isn't ridiculously hard. This can be achieved in several ways:

• Rate My Professors
• myEDU, very useful if you're willing to dish out some $$$
• Official grade distributions published by your university (not always available)
• Asking people who already took the class what they thought

The above methods will also allow you to find "good" professors who are helpful, good at teaching, cool, etc.

 

[Frazier]

On the first day of Ochem2, a student asked the professor "do you curve?"

The professor announced (with noticeable glee) that he does not curve and expects over half the class to drop/fail the course.

I felt that his prediction was a little harsh...I mean every student in this class already survived Ochem1 with at least a C. Additionally, about 60% of the class were the holy "honor" students. Nevertheless, his claim was actualized.

 

[kpcrew]

I dunno man, a lot of teachers nowadays seem to be way too easy on grading. I'd rather have all teachers grade harshly because I want to be treated by a doctor who tries hard and knows what he is doing, not someone who was babied through college before entering medical school.

Most of my classes took the average as the lowest b- and went from there. I've found this to be reasonable and helps separate the wheat from the chaff. It feels good to actually earn that A but then again, a lot of intelligent people have had to take post-bacc classes to raise their gpa.

 

[paul411]

I dunno man, a lot of teachers nowadays seem to be way too easy on grading. I'd rather have all teachers grade harshly because I want to be treated by a doctor who tries hard and knows what he is doing, not someone who was babied through college before entering medical school.

I don't think the rigor of undergrad even matters that much (in relation to doctor quality). Sounds to me like medical school and the USMLE are rigorous enough at least a decent level of quality.

 

[Barcu]

I don't think any of your points dismiss the fact that there are some truly awful teachers who will purposefully try to screw with their students. I mean when 50% of your class drops and the majority of the remaining students get C's that obviously implies the teacher is doing something wrong, or you're taking an engineering class.

I don't think there are professors that try to "screw" their students. They have higher expectations, and the students who can't keep up insist that they are being "screwed."

There are professors that are willing to give bad grades and those who are not. I think having high standards and enforcing those standards can be done without any sort of malicious intent.

There are people getting "A"s in those classes. If no one is getting an "A," then maybe you have a point, but I don't think any professor could get away with that. If it is possible to get an "A," and you do not, then that's on you.

If it really concerns you that much, go try and find the easier professors. But don't complain about professors. You just sound entitled when you do.

 

[drdan83]

Just because you paid for the class, worked hard, and want to go to med school doesn't mean you deserve a good grade in the class.

It's the challenging classes that teach you the most, actually prepare you for harder med school classes, and gives you the satisfaction of earning a good grade.

Professors really don't owe you a good grade. It's not the professors fault if you don't get into med school.

I don't want to be to accuse you of this OP, but I've come across a lot of entitled students at my University. Not everyone can get good grades and get into med school. In fact, most who try don't.

I think you are missing the point. Yes, I am not entitled to an A because I paid for the course and I showed up. But...I am entitled to every single opportunity available to get that A. My post is about professors who do not give you those opportunities.

And if you are insinuating that the people who don't get into med school are stupid, then you are mistaken again.

 

[drdan83]

Before you sign up for a class, you should make sure the class isn't ridiculously hard. This can be achieved in several ways:

• Rate My Professors
• myEDU, very useful if you're willing to dish out some $$$
• Official grade distributions published by your university (not always available)
• Asking people who already took the class what they thought

The above methods will also allow you to find "good" professors who are helpful, good at teaching, cool, etc.

That doesn't work when only one professor teaches that class. I don't know about you but we only have one professor who teaches genetics, one who teaches cell biology, one who teaches cost accounting, etc. etc.

If you need the class, you are taking it with them regardless of any external sources of info.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I don't think there are professors that try to "screw" their students. They have higher expectations, and the students who can't keep up insist that they are being "screwed."
Lucky.

There are professors that are willing to give bad grades and those who are not. I think having high standards and enforcing those standards can be done without any sort of malicious intent.
Professors are also supposed to ideally teach the subject.

There are people getting "A"s in those classes. If no one is getting an "A," then maybe you have a point, but I don't think any professor could get away with that. If it is possible to get an "A," and you do not, then that's on you.
This is a very black and white analysis.

If it really concerns you that much, go try and find the easier professors. But don't complain about professors. You just sound entitled when you do.

You sure say a lot about entitlement. Wonder what that means...

 

[n3xa]

As a former graduate student TA I have found that those who actually came to office hours and asked questions about how to improve/understand were the ones that were getting A's already. Despite the fact that I always had an open door policy and encouraged my students to seek out other TAs if I wasn't doing a good enough job explaining things, more often than not I would only see a student come into my office to haggle for grades after the fact.

Also, find the people who are doing well and ask them how they prepare for the class. Hopefully people aren't that cutthroat at your school that they won't get all weird and dodgy about it, but ymmv.



Good luck to you.

 

[drdan83]

For the record, I wasn't talking about intro courses. I am specifically talking about intermediate or upper-level coursework.

 

[paul411]

That doesn't work when only one professor teaches that class. I don't know about you but we only have one professor who teaches genetics, one who teaches cell biology, one who teaches cost accounting, etc. etc.

If you need the class, you are taking it with them regardless of any external sources of info.

Oh, I went to a large state university so I guess my experience was slightly different, I had a choice of professors for most of my classes. But I understand what you mean; I had to take a few upper level classes from professors I didn't prefer. When I was stuck with difficult profs, I just tried to get good at playing their game the best I could. That's all you can do really.

 

[Blarry]

I dunno man, a lot of teachers nowadays seem to be way too easy on grading. I'd rather have all teachers grade harshly because I want to be treated by a doctor who tries hard and knows what he is doing, not someone who was babied through college before entering medical school.

Most of my classes took the average as the lowest b- and went from there. I've found this to be reasonable and helps separate the wheat from the chaff. It feels good to actually earn that A but then again, a lot of intelligent people have had to take post-bacc classes to raise their gpa.

lol the lowest b- is the curve i would not call that harsh grading at all.

 

[n3xa]

For the record, I wasn't talking about intro courses. I am specifically talking about intermediate or upper-level coursework.

From someone who willingly re-did my physics series as an undergraduate student to take the "harder" physical chemistry class taught by a man who believed that women were inferior beings and shouldn't be chemists, I feel your pain and frustration. I really do.

That said, I still managed to get a relatively decent response from said professor when I went to his office hours, scratched up homework in hand, and asked him for tips on how to master sadistical mechanics.

You need to find something that works for you and figure out why you're not getting the grades you want.

http://drnjbmd.wordpress.com/2011/07/08/its-just-school/

 

[kpcrew]

lol the lowest b- is the curve i would not call that harsh grading at all.

which is why i said it was reasonable in the very next sentence, rather than harsh grading. it does guarantee that about half the class gets a c+ and below.

 

[BushidoBrown]

Haha formula sheets

 

[V5RED]

My analytical chemistry professor was a psychopath. Here are some of his gems.

He told us that most of us would fail out of chemistry.

He told us that if we could not memorize the periodic table including all masses, that we were too stupid to be chemists. I then asked him if he meant knowing random elements like element 42. He said yes then incorrectly identified it as "Missourian". When I corrected him, he lied and claimed that was its original name.

He would give us study guides for his quizzes(we had daily quizzes on entire chapters instead of tests) that were deceitful in that the items he told us to study were not the items he tested us on. He would often include multiple long math problems on these quizzes and give nowhere near enough time to complete them.

The items he did test us on often came from slides he rapidly clicked through. This information was not in the textbook, and the slides were not posted. Sometimes the information was only available on his slides due to it being wrong, but it would still be tested.

I had to use a camera and literally photograph the slides to have the right material to study.

Even if he was not a psychopath who enjoyed failing students, he is too old to teach. He is in his 80's and can barely communicate or understand questions. He is like an evil zombie sent to ruin GPA's.

I got an A in that class out of spite so that when I petitioned to have him fired I would not sound like a whiner.

Sadly, even though most of the class did ****ty due to his incompetence and wanted him out, most of them did nothing when I asked them to at least write a complaint for me.

Double sadly is that tenure makes him bulletproof and he is the only Analytical Chemistry professor at my school. Since Analytical is required for at least 2 majors, this screws a bunch of kids.

 

[kpcrew]

wow that sounds awful. my analytical chem teacher was the best professor i had throughout college. everyone has a teacher like that at least once, so i guess he was yours ^^
I've found that some professors with really baller research can be the worst to learn from but others that don't even have labs anymore can be some of the best teachers.

 

[Barcu]

I think you are missing the point. Yes, I am not entitled to an A because I paid for the course and I showed up. But...I am entitled to every single opportunity available to get that A. My post is about professors who do not give you those opportunities.

And if you are insinuating that the people who don't get into med school are stupid, then you are mistaken again.

And I am saying that students routinely skip over those opportunities or don't recognize them. Look, I don't go to your school, so I can't comment specifically on your case. However, I have heard many, many, many people complain about professors, and it is usually just a cop out for doing poorly in the class. I have a hard time believing that there aren't opportunities out there. If that is the case at your school, then I'm sorry for saying all this. But again, based on my own experience, it is hard to imagine that you've done everything possible and can't do well.

And I was not insinuating that people who don't get into med school are stupid. It's a game, and you gotta learn how to play it. Find the easy teachers if you want to play it that way. If you can't, learn how to get an "A" even in the difficult classes. I'm sure it's possible. Or, just do the best you can and move on. Not getting an "A" in one science class won't kill ya.

You sure say a lot about entitlement. Wonder what that means...

I know that teachers are supposed to teach you. Funny how it worked out for me. The hardest teachers taught me the most.

As a former graduate student TA I have found that those who actually came to office hours and asked questions about how to improve/understand were the ones that were getting A's already. Despite the fact that I always had an open door policy and encouraged my students to seek out other TAs if I wasn't doing a good enough job explaining things, more often than not I would only see a student come into my office to haggle for grades after the fact.

Also, find the people who are doing well and ask them how they prepare for the class. Hopefully people aren't that cutthroat at your school that they won't get all weird and dodgy about it, but ymmv.



Good luck to you.

This is part of what I was getting at...

 

[drdan83]

A little more about this professor. He is one of the nicest people you will meet. He uses a TA who can't speak English. She has the thickest Chinese accent I have encountered so far.

He lets her either teach the class one day or review the homework the other--this was not made aware to students who were registering for the course. Both of them also have a print out sheet with all of our pictures on it and they purposefully call on you do do an example problem even if you don't know what's going on. It's embarrassing and it wastes time but it is apparently an effective tool to both of them.

Also the professor pointed out that he chose an advanced textbook for this course. He even said the book is "advanced." I don't think he is sadistic (even though he looks like mini me from Austin Powers 2) but I am offended that he is not interested in working or getting feedback from the students. Nobody wins when you give C or lower grades.

 

[n3xa]

A little more about this professor. He is one of the nicest people you will meet. He uses a TA who can't speak English. She has the thickest Chinese accent I have encountered so far.

He lets her either teach the class one day or review the homework the other--this was not made aware to students who were registering for the course. Both of them also have a print out sheet with all of our pictures on it and they purposefully call on you do do an example problem even if you don't know what's going on. It's embarrassing and it wastes time but it is apparently an effective tool to both of them.

Also the professor pointed out that he chose an advanced textbook for this course. He even said the book is "advanced." I don't think he is sadistic (even though he looks like mini me from Austin Powers 2) but I am offended that he is not interested in working or getting feedback from the students. Nobody wins when you give C or lower grades.

Going up to the board and slogging through problems in front of your peers is a common activity in graduate school (well, in organic chemistry at least) and is not meant to embarrass you in the slightest. I've also gone to science research interviews where I have been asked to how to work out a problem (re: molecule) on the whiteboard.

They want to see your approach and whether or not you can let go of your undergrad fear of being wrong in public. The superstars in graduate school were the ones that had no problems admitting to not knowing something and continued to tackle the problem head-on.

 

[drdan83]

Going up to the board and slogging through problems in front of your peers is a common activity in graduate school (well, in organic chemistry at least) and is not meant to embarrass you in the slightest. I've also gone to science research interviews where I have been asked to how to work out a problem (re: molecule) on the whiteboard.

They want to see your approach and whether or not you can let go of your undergrad fear of being wrong in public. The superstars in graduate school were the ones that had no problems admitting to not knowing something and continued to tackle the problem head-on.

No, I know what you mean. This isn't the case here. Most, if not, the whole class is lost. Instead of picking on people. Just regroup and explain the core concepts in easier to understand terms and then go back to calling on the people.

Also, this is not a science class. I'm just making a point. I haven't encountered something to this extent in a science class.

 

[KLycos]

Why do you care about AMCAS if you're a health student?

 

[911 Turbo]

My analytical chemistry professor was a psychopath. Here are some of his gems.

He told us that most of us would fail out of chemistry.

He told us that if we could not memorize the periodic table including all masses, that we were too stupid to be chemists. I then asked him if he meant knowing random elements like element 42. He said yes then incorrectly identified it as "Missourian". When I corrected him, he lied and claimed that was its original name.

He would give us study guides for his quizzes(we had daily quizzes on entire chapters instead of tests) that were deceitful in that the items he told us to study were not the items he tested us on. He would often include multiple long math problems on these quizzes and give nowhere near enough time to complete them.

The items he did test us on often came from slides he rapidly clicked through. This information was not in the textbook, and the slides were not posted. Sometimes the information was only available on his slides due to it being wrong, but it would still be tested.

I had to use a camera and literally photograph the slides to have the right material to study.

Even if he was not a psychopath who enjoyed failing students, he is too old to teach. He is in his 80's and can barely communicate or understand questions. He is like an evil zombie sent to ruin GPA's.

I got an A in that class out of spite so that when I petitioned to have him fired I would not sound like a whiner.

Sadly, even though most of the class did ****ty due to his incompetence and wanted him out, most of them did nothing when I asked them to at least write a complaint for me.

Double sadly is that tenure makes him bulletproof and he is the only Analytical Chemistry professor at my school. Since Analytical is required for at least 2 majors, this screws a bunch of kids.

Holy **** that sucks. Props for getting an A in that class....did he like you more since you got an A?

 

[Abscissa]

Both of them also have a print out sheet with all of our pictures on it and they purposefully call on you do do an example problem even if you don't know what's going on. It's embarrassing and it wastes time but it is apparently an effective tool to both of them.

Also the professor pointed out that he chose an advanced textbook for this course. He even said the book is "advanced."

This sounds like every undergraduate class I've taken

It isn't meant to be embarrassing. It's meant to help your peers. If you make mistakes, it's likely that someone in your class will make the same mistakes. Student participation is an incredibly effective teaching tool and I find it to be the most beneficial to me. My classes are generally 6-15 students, so I get called on quite often. As a first-year, it was embarrassing. You get over it quickly. Education isn't about ego, it's about learning.

You should be grateful that he chose an advanced textbook. He respects you as students and wants you to learn at a high level. Since sophomore year my professors have assigned graduate level textbooks for my courses.

If you have problems with what happens in class, go to office hours. Professors love students that go to office hours because it shows how devoted you are--they are more inclined to help you this way too. Not everyone learns the same way. Most people learn through example, not through presentation of facts/pure lecture. It seems to me you just don't jive with how he teaches. Face it, this class is more of a representation of grad. school or med. school than any of the other undergraduate classes you've taken. You need to make changes to how you study and apply information. You aren't always going to have a professor that is totally in line with your learning philosophies--you've got to go with the flow.

 

[n3xa]

No, I know what you mean. This isn't the case here. Most, if not, the whole class is lost. Instead of picking on people. Just regroup and explain the core concepts in easier to understand terms and then go back to calling on the people.

Also, this is not a science class. I'm just making a point. I haven't encountered something to this extent in a science class.

And I was making the point from a teacher's perspective that not knowing something shouldn't be embarrassing. I also echo barcu's sentiments feelings about leaning how to play "the game." We don't know you, but based on what you've given us in this thread, I hear a lot of excuses and very little gameplan ideas for trying to overcome this "crappy" professor / mastering the material. So, how are you going to deal with it? Extra study guide? Tips from those who are doing well or have survived this class? Office hours?

If your goal is medical school, this might be a great secondary response for those that ask how you were able to overcome an academic challenge.

 

[ShockDoctrine]

some teachers don't give A's which really blows.

 

[drdan83]

And I was making the point from a teacher's perspective that not knowing something shouldn't be embarrassing. I also echo barcu's sentiments feelings about leaning how to play "the game." We don't know you, but based on what you've given us in this thread, I hear a lot of excuses and very little gameplan ideas for trying to overcome this "crappy" professor / mastering the material. So, how are you going to deal with it? Extra study guide? Tips from those who are doing well or have survived this class? Office hours?

If your goal is medical school, this might be a great secondary response for those that ask how you were able to overcome an academic challenge.

Well when you're a professor or teacher and you knowingly pick on someone who you know doesn't know the answer, that is not nice and it is unprofessional and be honest you know what I'm talking about.

As far as my plan, I have a plan. My whole point was constructing a "gameplan" should not be the way to approach all your college work. You should be able to walk into a class, be taught well, take your tests, and be on your way. You should not have to waste your time with inadequate teaching.

If professors worked with you more and were more flexible, students would get more out of their classes and they would be smarter.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

lol, thanks man. It has a hidden meaning. It's not some cheesy "I love SDN avatar."

Anyway, I'm not saying that a professor should make a class easy. What I'm saying is they know that we are paying money for the class and that we all have different plans. Some people just want to graduate, and some people, like us, want to go to med school.

This one professor purposefully made the class harder after the second week when we could no longer drop it without a W. He even said that he was going to make our exam "challenging" because it was good for us.

So get this, no review, no formula sheet, no hints, and he goes out of his way to make it harder than it should be.

He's the only professor that teaches that class so RMP would do you no good.

On the other hand, I had a sweet professor who would always ask us if the exam would conflict with any other exams and if we needed additional review. I got an A in that class for my efforts.

Don't be so serious while patrolling SDN?

 

[drdan83]

Don't be so serious while patrolling SDN?

lol, something like that man.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

And I am saying that students routinely skip over those opportunities or don't recognize them. Look, I don't go to your school, so I can't comment specifically on your case. However, I have heard many, many, many people complain about professors, and it is usually just a cop out for doing poorly in the class. I have a hard time believing that there aren't opportunities out there. If that is the case at your school, then I'm sorry for saying all this. But again, based on my own experience, it is hard to imagine that you've done everything possible and can't do well.

And I was not insinuating that people who don't get into med school are stupid. It's a game, and you gotta learn how to play it. Find the easy teachers if you want to play it that way. If you can't, learn how to get an "A" even in the difficult classes. I'm sure it's possible. Or, just do the best you can and move on. Not getting an "A" in one science class won't kill ya.



I know that teachers are supposed to teach you. Funny how it worked out for me. The hardest teachers taught me the most.



This is part of what I was getting at...

My hardest teachers were the ones who did not teach at all. But then again I easily find almost any subject fun and thus even if it makes me work hard, I don't consider it truly hard.

 

[n3xa]

Well when you're a professor or teacher and you knowingly pick on someone who you know doesn't know the answer, that is not nice and it is unprofessional and be honest you know what I'm talking about.

As far as my plan, I have a plan. My whole point was constructing a "gameplan" should not be the way to approach all your college work. You should be able to walk into a class, be taught well, take your tests, and be on your way. You should not have to waste your time with inadequate teaching.

If professors worked with you more and were more flexible, students would get more out of their classes and they would be smarter.

Actually, I don't know what you're talking about. Calling students names like "stupid" is unprofessional and poor teaching at best. I don't see anything wrong with sitting there in silence for a couple of minutes or volunteering a student by name in order to initiate some sort of classroom participation, regardless of the subject.

Yeah, it would be really great if all teachers gave in-class reviews, formula sheets, and dropped multiple hints on what to watch out for on the upcoming test. And it sucks that they don't, but such is life and it's going to be very painful if you can't get past this as an undergrad/PB student, as "crappy" professors are errrrywhere.

 

[thelullaby99]

It's okay if I get bad professor for one class, but hell no. The universe dictates that I have to take several classes with this guy, who plays heavy favoritism ever since my first semester. It was like if you're not in the club, expect a C. And also, when writing a report (not that I'm a terrible writer), he would make up his own style of formatting etc etc. Why can't you just follow a format that can be understood by most people? We got failing grade for our reports because of this absurdity.

 

[leavitt]

OP, is your professor from England or one of the countries with an British system like India? They have a system where several "colleges", which are infact a university, form a mega-university. As many as 50 to 100 colleges might offer distinct education or engineering degrees. The student who gets the highest points among all 50-100 colleges barely gets 59% points, with 60% being a first class. Some additional points 1) You wrote "he has the nerve to say "I am rooting for you guys and I hope you all do well". That does not sound like a sadist to me. He genuinely wants you to do well. 2) "I've got this one professor who will not tell you what is on a test". If a professor tells you what is on a test, that test is meaningless isn't it? 3) "will not give you a formula sheet". In much of the world, a formula sheet is never given. Students are expected to know the formulas. 4) "will not do an in-class review before the test. In fact, the class before the test was on new material". Looks like he pays good attention to the number of credit hours he has committed to teach the class. And it isn't the professor's job to do an in-class review for the test. We're used to being spoon fed and we have a sense of entitlement.

 

[StephanieZ]

I sort of side with the "If you put in 100%, there's no way you can't do well" argument. I understand professors can be sadists, and I've had a few. My histology professor was a stickler for tiny details. He once gave me 12 points off a 20 point question because I included "extraneous information". He was weird like that, he would hone in on the minutest of details and never tested on the big picture. I got a B in that class and as much as I want to blame him, I know I am not totally faultless. I knew that he tested solely from his lectures and yet I still allowed myself to skip a few classes. I crammed when I should have studied for weeks. I know I was capable of doing well on his tests because one test I studied my ass off for and got a 92. I just chose not to put forth that amount of effort when it counted. If the test's are lecture heavy and you have to record every lecture and memorize every word they say (which is what was required for my professor), you do it. If you know the professor gets all his information from the book, you memorize every detail of the chapters you are covering. Most serious premed students will give their blood, sweat and tears for that A. When adcoms see a 4.0 student, I'm sure they don't just assume the student is a genius. They understand that those kind of grades requires an exceptional level of dedication in spite of all odds and that's what they look favorably upon. Professors and classes like those separate the men from the boys, if you'll allow the cliche. Keep in mind if you are applying locally, your adcoms may even be aware of your professor's reputation and look even more favorably on your application if you manage to get an A.

 

[NickNaylor]

I sort of side with the "If you put in 100%, there's no way you can't do well" argument. I understand professors can be sadists, and I've had a few. My histology professor was a stickler for tiny details. He once gave me 12 points off a 20 point question because I included "extraneous information". He was weird like that, he would hone in on the minutest of details and never tested on the big picture. I got a B in that class and as much as I want to blame him, I know I am not totally faultless. I knew that he tested solely from his lectures and yet I still allowed myself to skip a few classes. I crammed when I should have studied for weeks. I know I was capable of doing well on his tests because one test I studied my ass off for and got a 92. I just chose not to put forth that amount of effort when it counted. If the test's are lecture heavy and you have to record every lecture and memorize every word they say (which is what was required for my professor), you do it. If you know the professor gets all his information from the book, you memorize every detail of the chapters you are covering. Most serious premed students will give their blood, sweat and tears for that A. When adcoms see a 4.0 student, I'm sure they don't just assume the student is a genius. They understand that those kind of grades requires an exceptional level of dedication in spite of all odds and that's what they look favorably upon. Professors and classes like those separate the men from the boys, if you'll allow the cliche. Keep in mind if you are applying locally, your adcoms may even be aware of your professor's reputation and look even more favorably on your application if you manage to get an A.

The world would be a better place if everyone adopted your mentality of responsibility.

 

[drdan83]

I sort of side with the "If you put in 100%, there's no way you can't do well" argument. I understand professors can be sadists, and I've had a few. My histology professor was a stickler for tiny details. He once gave me 12 points off a 20 point question because I included "extraneous information". He was weird like that, he would hone in on the minutest of details and never tested on the big picture. I got a B in that class and as much as I want to blame him, I know I am not totally faultless. I knew that he tested solely from his lectures and yet I still allowed myself to skip a few classes. I crammed when I should have studied for weeks. I know I was capable of doing well on his tests because one test I studied my ass off for and got a 92. I just chose not to put forth that amount of effort when it counted. If the test's are lecture heavy and you have to record every lecture and memorize every word they say (which is what was required for my professor), you do it. If you know the professor gets all his information from the book, you memorize every detail of the chapters you are covering. Most serious premed students will give their blood, sweat and tears for that A. When adcoms see a 4.0 student, I'm sure they don't just assume the student is a genius. They understand that those kind of grades requires an exceptional level of dedication in spite of all odds and that's what they look favorably upon. Professors and classes like those separate the men from the boys, if you'll allow the cliche. Keep in mind if you are applying locally, your adcoms may even be aware of your professor's reputation and look even more favorably on your application if you manage to get an A.

It's nice what you're saying but realistically, you could get a B+ in a class and still know more about that class than the person who got the A. The person with the A just tested well. The person with the B+ could very well get the "Big picture" and apply the concepts to real life better.

The basis of my post is on that idea. Isn't it better to understand what's going on instead of just getting a letter grade?

 

[V5RED]

Holy **** that sucks. Props for getting an A in that class....did he like you more since you got an A?

I would guess that my attempt to get him fired lessened his liking of me.

 

[paul411]

The basis of my post is on that idea. Isn't it better to understand what's going on instead of just getting a letter grade?

Uh oh, here comes the "test taking" vs "understanding what's going on" debate

 

[btown8908]

I'm sure most professors do not like issuing bad grades, but I know that they take pleasure watching all of the neurotic pre-meds freaking out. Unless the class you're taking has a small pop., like 20< people in it. One of my freshman classes had 5-6 students...kind of weird to hear the average and automatically know the two people with the highest and lowest scores haha

 

[music2doc]

OP, I understand your frustration and some classes certainly are tough. Some professors can seem very difficult to understand and may seem to make things more difficult than they need to be, but I really do think that more often than not, it has far more to do with the individual student(s) than the professor.

This is something I've dealt with more than once. There is always that professor that makes a class needlessly hard and enjoys giving C's, D's, and F's even when you try to work with them to get a better grade.

Honestly, not everyone should be getting above a C. Most people earn something below a B. That's why we call C "average" (although many professors hate giving anything less than a B and end up with a B or B+ average).

I've got this one professor who will not tell you what is on a test,

Have you had professors who do the opposite? You mentioned later in the thread that his study guides don't match up, but really, why should they? Study guides are meant to help ensure you learn the material. They're not meant to be a step-by-step "this is what will be on the test" guide. Instead, they tend to cover main topics that might make up a significant portion of the exam. When I have taught labs, the study guides I give students cover around 50-70% of the material tested. That way if they know everything on the study guide (and nothing else), they'll end up with a D or a C. I expect people to already have learned the material in class and through the required readings. That is what is expected at the collegiate level and what has been required in every single course I've taken.

will not give you a formula sheet,

I kind of hope you're kidding here, but I am afraid you're not. I don't think more than a couple of my classes my entire academic career have allowed a formula sheet or similar during exams or quizzes.

and will not do an in-class review before the test.

That's not really his job. That's something you ought to do outside of class.

In fact, the class before the test was on new material. And he has the nerve to say "I am rooting for you guys and I hope you all do well."

I would expect my prof to introduce new material throughout the course. I would honestly be pretty p*ssed off if my prof decided to stop our class every 3-4 weeks to have a "review period" just because another test was coming up. I am paying to go to school. I want to learn. I can review on my own! This is especially true in courses where I need that knowledge (e.g., for the MCAT or other aspects of my future career and life).

What's up with this? Don't they know about AMCAS?

Why would your prof care about AMCAS in the least? That is entirely irrelevant to his/her work.

Don't they know that I will never be interested in repeating the course?

Once again, why should s/he care whether or not you're interested in a repeat?

If I was a professor and most students failed my class, I would think something was wrong with how I was teaching the class. Why are some professors like this and why are there others who will be flexible and work with you to get the best grade you can get?

Some professors really are just that bad, but you sound a bit entitled here. Why should your prof care about your grade as an individual?

It's professors like this who keep kids out of med school.

Do you think that's a bad thing? I think it builds character and keeps out the right students much of the time.

Well when you're a professor or teacher and you knowingly pick on someone who you know doesn't know the answer, that is not nice and it is unprofessional and be honest you know what I'm talking about.

Actually, if you see someone you suspect does NOT know the answer, they are your BEST person to pick! This is the person most likely to benefit from being picked. The last thing I want to do is keep picking my superstars to help answer questions because they're just going to say what I would have said anyway (sorta defeats the purpose). Picking weaker students, on the other hand, helps to supply ample learning opportunities.

As far as my plan, I have a plan. My whole point was constructing a "gameplan" should not be the way to approach all your college work.

Why not? You should totally have a "game plan" for each class. You need to approach courses and other challenges systematically. If you're not doing that, it may be one of your major problems.

You should be able to walk into a class, be taught well, take your tests, and be on your way. You should not have to waste your time with inadequate teaching.

WAIT?! WHAT?!?
Are you saying you should be able to simply go to class without any prep or followup and get an A? Don't get me wrong -- SOME people CAN do this, but for the vast majority of students, reading ahead of each lecture and studying/reviewing regularly after each lecture is required for a B or an A.

If professors worked with you more and were more flexible, students would get more out of their classes and they would be smarter.

It seems to me that you'd rather just breeze through your classes than "work with" your professors. Throughout your posts, I've gotten the feeling you want little to nothing to do with actually learning and processing the material. You seem to simply want to breeze through like it was nothing.

 

[NickNaylor]

It's nice what you're saying but realistically, you could get a B+ in a class and still know more about that class than the person who got the A. The person with the A just tested well. The person with the B+ could very well get the "Big picture" and apply the concepts to real life better.

The basis of my post is on that idea. Isn't it better to understand what's going on instead of just getting a letter grade?

Generally people that get As "understand what's going on."

Also, it seems to me that you don't understand that despite all your whining there are probably people that got As in this class.

 

[music2doc]

It's nice what you're saying but realistically, you could get a B+ in a class and still know more about that class than the person who got the A. The person with the A just tested well. The person with the B+ could very well get the "Big picture" and apply the concepts to real life better.

The basis of my post is on that idea. Isn't it better to understand what's going on instead of just getting a letter grade?

This is a logical fallacy. You are using hypothetical outliers to "prove" your point. Outliers, by definition, do not represent the rest of the population. Could a specific B+ student understand the concepts better than a specific A student? Sure. Is this generally the case? Clearly not (by definition).