Grade Appeal Advice

[Bikeage]

Throughout last semester, I was plagued with a severe upper respiratory infection, as well as some neurological problems (severe migraine attacks 3 or 4 times a week). As one can imagine, I wasn't able to focus and devote most of my time towards school, but refused to take a medical leave for fear of being behind another semester.

Going into my finals, I spoke briefly to my calculus teacher when I was inquiring about where I stood in terms of grades, and was told that I had a "guaranteed C" going into the final. As a result, I spent all of my time studying for my bio I and inorganic chem II finals to ensure my B in both classes. Once I took the calc final, I knew I bombed it but wasn't concerned after my discussion with my professor. However, I ended up getting a D in the class, when I previously stood at a 77%. While I do realize that I did absolutely horrible on the final, I definitely would have put more energy into studying had I thought there was a chance of dropping to a D.

I contacted my professor in an email, and she said she apologized for misleading me. She then stated that it was due to her "bad english," but how else can one interpret what she said? Currently, I plan on filing a grade appeal, but wanted to come here for advice first. Realistically, is the appeal even worth filing, and does it seem probable/plausible to get my grade overturned? Or am I completely in the wrong here? I do realize there's irresponsibility and blame on both of our parts; me for not studying, and her for misleading me. However, at the risk of sounding whiny, I do think what happened is unfair, and definitely feel cheated.

Regardless of whether I receive a C or a D, I do plan on retaking the course next spring (with a different instructor of course). Previous to this grade, I had a BCPM gpa of 3.5, but a D drops it to about a 3.14. Thankfully, I still have to finish the rest of my upper-division microbiology courses, as well as some pre-reqs, so I'm not stressed about not being able to boost my GPA. This is, however, my first grade lower than a B, so as one can imagine I'm quite shocked.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Tired Pigeon]

To me, a someone saying I had a "guaranteed C" before the final would imply that I'd get at least a C as long as I didn't bomb the final. On some level, you must have understood this ... otherwise, if you thought you really had a "guaranteed C", why did you even bother to show up to take the final?

I think your professor was just being polite ... and I don't think you're going to get anywhere on appeal. They're going to ask you the same question: if you really understood her to mean your grade was guaranteed regardless of your performance on the final, why in the world would you show up and take it -- especially given your admitted concern over your other classes.

If you do go the appeal route, I don't think your medical issues are going to help, either. You could have taken a medical leave, but chose not to, so the consequences are yours to live with.

Sorry. At least it sounds like you did ok in your other classes.

 

[trichomoniasis]

definitely feel cheated.

if you fail the final you should fail the class. You didn't master the material (by any stretching of the language) to muster a passing grade on the final exam, why should you get a passing grade in the class?

If your GPA is important to you, it is your responsibility to keep it up, you should have either learned the material or withdrew from the class. You don't get to take the class, not learn the material, and then get a passing grade regardless of your test performance. You ask too much.

 

[Bikeage]

if you fail the final you should fail the class. You didn't master the material (by any stretching of the language) to muster a passing grade on the final exam, why should you get a passing grade in the class?

If your GPA is important to you, it is your responsibility to keep it up, you should have either learned the material or withdrew from the class. You don't get to take the class, not learn the material, and then get a passing grade regardless of your test performance. You ask too much.

The final wasn't comprehensive, and covered the last 2 weeks of material in the class (about a chapter and a half worth of material).

The reason why I showed up to take the final was on the slim hopes of landing a score high enough to push my grade to a low B. Even if there was no way of attaining that B, I still would have showed up and taken the final out of respect for the teacher.

I do realize that it sounds as if I'm trying to place blame entirely on factors other than my own performance, which wasn't my intention at all. Perhaps it's an argument of semantics, but using the word "guarantee" completely misled me. I do appreciate the honest remarks though, as sometimes it takes someone else's opinion to point out when someone is being a douchebag.

In hindsight I probably should have applied for a withdraw, but I'm still not sure it would have been approved since the semester was a little less than halfway through, and I wasn't hospitalized. Hard lesson learned though, and once again I appreciate the input. I guess nothing left to do but hope for the least bit of understanding from adcoms once I begin applying.

In terms of repeating the class, is there anything else I should do, other than the obvious (get an A)?

 

[Green Pirate]

There's no need to berate the OP--I think it's clear he understands his mistake. However, I agree that the appeal probably won't help. I personally would have taken a leave of absence. A semester in the grand scheme of things is not going to put you far behind at all. However that is all said and done. I think it's best that you just focus on the future. You seem to have a good attitude about that so all I have to say is onward and upward!

 

[SeminoleFan3]

I don't know. I kinda agree with the OP. I had calc class a couple of years ago, and the prof told us that he would allow us to drop our lowest test score. Well, he gave us a take home test right before the final, and it was on material I didn't really feel so hot with. I decided I just wouldn't do it, and focus on the final. The day the test was due, I was in the library studying for his final, and he came up and asked me how the take home test was going. I told him I started to do it, and then figured I would just drop this one and study for the final. He said I couldn't do that. We argued about it, especially since the test was due THAT day. He said it was a technicality, and he would allow me to drop it but I was to tell no one else.

 

[artaxerxes]

I think you should send the appeal, if it doesn't cause any hassles for you if it is not accepted as I highly doubt it would. You really shouldn't have taken the state at face value, it was just an idiom. But again, if you have the time it doesn't hurt to file an appeal.


you should also let it me know on you application/submission of info to your pre-med office that you had these medical conditions were affecting your performance, and definately back that up with letters from your doctor and/or records of illness and any hospitalization.

 

[gary5]

I don't think that an appeal would be very successful. What would your argument be? That you chose to not study for the final based on the teacher's advice? I'd say that a school expects you to study for every final. I'd say that it is difficult to gain sympathy when your motivate was to determine which finals to neglect.

 

[BluePhoenix]

I wouldn't appeal, it will just make you sound like the typical whiney pre-med. You said that the test was only on the last chapter and a half of material, probably not that much material to study. Regardless of what the professor said, choosing not to study for the final and essentially blowing it off was your choice. What exactly are you going to appeal? The professor told you your grade was a 77% and you thought that was sufficient to compensate for a really low final? Were you told you could drop a test? You made a bad choice and you'll just have to suck it up and deal with it.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

Perhaps it's an argument of semantics, but using the word "guarantee" completely misled me.

Wait until you interview for residency slots and the program director guarantees he'll rank you in the top 5. You rank them #1 and on Match Day come to find out you didn't match with that program. Think it doesn't happen?

If the professor won't change the grade, I doubt a formal appeal will get you any where. The professor published the grading scale for the course, correct? That makes you responsible for meeting the standard, but you don't have much to lose in trying to have it overturned.

BTW, I'm really sorry to hear what happened. Chalk it up to another lesson from the school of hard knocks.

 

[KeyzerSoze]

Might as well appeal, because you don't have anything to lose. Who cares if the people in the college office think you're a whiny pre-med? It almost certainly won't work, but at least you'll know you tried.

 

[DrBowtie]

Might as well appeal, because you don't have anything to lose. Who cares if the people in the college office think you're a whiny pre-med? It almost certainly won't work, but at least you'll know you tried.

There are no grounds for appeal though. "They told me I had a guarenteed C" isn't going to do anything since its he said, she said.

 

[variablistic]

There are no grounds for appeal though. "They told me I had a guarenteed C" isn't going to do anything since its he said, she said.

OP has the professor's reply in an e-mail, though, so it's not as he-said-she-said as you may think.

Nevertheless, chances are slim, but you might as well try.

Stranger things have happened.

 

[Arc]

To me, a someone saying I had a "guaranteed C" before the final would imply that I'd get at least a C as long as I didn't bomb the final. On some level, you must have understood this ... otherwise, if you thought you really had a "guaranteed C", why did you even bother to show up to take the final?

An instructor told me the same thing, but I got an F on the final. And the final was 25% of my grade too. I still got a C though, but then again, I would have had a B if I aced the final. (Had to work almost full-time during finals week)

 

[diosa428]

I think the instructor was probably assuming you would at least pass the final.

 

[FemalesCANTDriv]

I would say that according to the syllabus of the class, if you got a bad enough grade to get a D in the class, then you really have no grounds for an appeal regardless of any conversation. I really do think that conversation was had under the premise that the way the teacher sees you as a student in the class and how well you have done on all of your previous work, you should get a C in the class. It did not mean, "You have proven to me that you are worthy of a C in my class so why don't you just not study for the final and bomb it so that you put me in the awkward position of having to give you a D because that is the grade you've earned." Sorry, but you need to put yourself in your prof's shoes. She probably wanted to help you out by saying you had a solid C to relieve some of your stress, but instead you took it as a free ride. Don't worry about it, though. If you were gonna take the class over again, the difference between a C and a D won't be that big.

 

[bioteach]

Here's an actual prof point of view.

You won't get anywhere with an appeal. I am a college biology prof and EVERY FREAKIN' SEMESTER I have students whining about "why did I get this C", "I know I should have an A". Never have I once changed a grade.

Right now I have an exceptionally annoying one. She gets a D on every single test but believes she should have a C in the class. She's one point away from a C, and now she can't start nursing school this July. She has even tried to argue exactly the number of questions needed to get her points up to a C. Um...I'm the teacher for a reason, and you're not. I think I have a better grasp of the subject. All because I won't give her that one point. Boo freakin' hoo. I don't want a nurse that can't pull more than a D in A&P II.

Sorry, tangent.

That really sucks that she told you that you have a "guaranteed C". I just tell my students to do the math and see what it takes to get a C in the class. Sometimes its only, say, a 28% on the final, but I still tell them if they need those 28 points.

Unfortunately, you stand zero chance at a grade appeal. Its ultimately up to you to know your standing in class. As long as you were given the point values for all tests and the grading scale, you can figure it out yourself. Of course, if she didn't give you any of that on the syllabus and you had only her word to go on, you might have a (very small) arguement.

Schools will typically align themselves with the professor unless an extremely egregious (hey that word is popular on these boards lately) mistake has been made. If its a "he said, she said" type of thing, you can count on them going with the prof.

Another thing, I'd skip this appeal. What if, down the road in your career, you actually do have a prof screw up big time? Then when you submit a second appeal, you start to really look like a whiny pre-med. Once is understandable, but once you start having a record of grade appeals....not so good.

 

[Dookter]

I think one lesson here is that if you are talking to someone with poor English, you cannot hang on every word they say. Also, trusting teachers is probably a mistake in the first place. Fully trusting ANYONE is probably a mistake, especially when it could affect your future.

 

[doctortobe2012]

i doubt the appeal will go through, but here's what i think you should do:

1. have a letter writer/pre-med adviser who knows you well address this in their rec letter. it may give your situation a bit more credibility. if you've taken another calc class, ask the writer to write that you've received a good grade in other challenging calc courses, and this was just an anomalous situation.

2. consider addressing it in your PS. make it short & sweet, and don't be whiny about it. just say what happened and what you've learned from it.

3. what's done is done, don't worry about it anymore. i don't think that ONE bad grade on your app will hurt your chances, especially if everything else is OK. if anything, it will just give your app more *character*