Final exams tick me off

[osli]

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Our school uses a curved grading system based on class mean and standard deviations about the mean, with explicit lines for A/B/etc.

I frustrates me that for ten straight weeks I can solidly ace every single quiz, test, practical, etc. relative to the class average and std on that particular test, yet when it comes to the final that counts for nearly half of the points in that block I can't beat the mean by enough to retain an A. Very annoying to be above average on everything, trounce the average for ten weeks, and blow it in a couple of hours by merely doing "a little better than average."

To think that there are people who slacked off the last two and a half months, and then studied their butts off for one test to pull an A makes me mad.

I guess I'm just not studying quite hard enough for a final. And I know that in the end pre-clinical grades won't mean that much, but it is still aggravating to let a lot of hard work slip away like that.

 

[Blade28]

Generally speaking, if you're acing the quizzes but only doing average on the final, you should get the same grade as those who do average on the quizzes but ace the final (assuming both are worth 50%).

Unfortunately this is how a lot of people are - they save the bulk of their studying for the items that count most towards the final grade.

If everything is curved (as it should be, IMHO), then maybe a lot of people aren't studying for the quizzes, thereby lowering the curve? Then when everyone gets into gear for the final, the curve rises.

 

[osli]

I'm guessing that's what's going on. Plus, I'm more of a "conceptual, big picture" type of learner and a lot of my classmates are detail oriented. I get the big picture and application aspects early and do well on early quizzes, but don't remember any more (if as many) details on the final vs. the earlier tests. I think a lot of my classmates have that eureka moment in their final exam prep where it all starts coming together... it has been together for me, and I just don't put in the time to nail all the details.

But our finals are weighted much heavier than anything else. If you don't ace the final, you probably won't ace the section regardless of how well you did previously, and I always seem to be in that "B+" range on the final. 😴

 

[medicomel]

i think you should pretend it's a quiz 😉

 

[osli]

i think you should pretend it's a quiz 😉

Now there is some useful advice!

 

[Ashers]

Just like step 1 is 7 quizzes. 😉

 

[Abducens]

Just like step 1 is 7 quizzes. 😉

7 quizzes that determine the rest of your life😱

 

[PeepshowJohnny]

To be fair (not trying to bust your chops) if you're doing well throughout the class, that SHOULD translate into good enough understanding to do well in a comprehensive setting. I'd look to see why that's not happening.

 

[Blade28]

That's why I like schools with the Pass/Fail system.

 

[osli]

To be fair (not trying to bust your chops) if you're doing well throughout the class, that SHOULD translate into good enough understanding to do well in a comprehensive setting. I'd look to see why that's not happening.

I thought back about our last final. Part of it was likely the combination of a cold/maybe bacterial sinusitis + being doped up on cold medicine. I hate that light headed "am I really here" feeling the combination gives me. I tried to concentrate, but the whole four hours I had that nagging feeling that I was making careless mistakes, so I probably was, and didn't feel like going back and trying to recheck anything.

Past that, I probably figured I knew the material well enough already and didn't cram in that last bit of minutia that some profs decided was necessary.

It isn't a chronic problem though. In other sections I've slacked on the quizzes and muddled my way through with a mix of B, B+, and A- scores and then got it together and smoked the final to pull the A in the section. I think this was the first section that I felt like I was really on top of things from day one, and let that hard work slide in the final hour. Just more frustrating to do it in that order. 😎

 

[45408]

That's why I like schools with the Pass/Fail system.

Lots of those schools will still rank the class though, so there are still plenty of reasons to excel.

 

[Blade28]

Lots of those schools will still rank the class though, so there are still plenty of reasons to excel.

True.