Grade/Curve?

[4ObamaCare]

Hi,

I took an upper division psychology in the area of pathology (transnational relationship with family, relationships, and disorders i.e autism, depression, bipolar etc.)

This class in the past 8 years thought by the same prof. the curve was 33-40% of students earn an A depending on the year. The syllabus did not contain what percentage was required to earn this grade, just a break down of the percentage of exams, assignments and participation.

In my year, the curve was that 10% received an A. However, physics curve is about 16% A.

My question is: Can prof. curve at their pleasure and curve much differently than previous years and screw you over?

I still did well and earned an A- in this course and wanted to know if its worth challenging it? I feel its my only fake grade.

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[TheBiologist]

uh, it's usually the department that sets how many A's B's ect. they want to give, and usually it does not change that much. are you sure it went from "33-40" down to 10?

and an A- will not hurt you at all lol

 

[4ObamaCare]

uh, it's usually the department that sets how many A's B's ect. they want to give, and usually it does not change that much. are you sure it went from "33-40" down to 10?

and an A- will not hurt you at all lol

Yeah, I agree It won't hurt really, but its a psych class lol....

The class size was about 230, and it dropped to near 10%. from 33-40%

 

[deleted804295]

Hi,

I took an upper division psychology in the area of pathology (transnational relationship with family, relationships, and disorders i.e autism, depression, bipolar etc.)

This class in the past 8 years thought by the same prof. the curve was 33-40% of students earn an A depending on the year. The syllabus did not contain what percentage was required to earn this grade, just a break down of the percentage of exams, assignments and participation.

In my year, the curve was that 10% received an A. However, physics curve is about 16% A.

My question is: Can prof. curve at their pleasure and curve much differently than previous years and screw you over?

I still did well and earned an A- in this course and wanted to know if its worth challenging it? I feel its my only fake grade.

Professors typically give projected grades based off of curves after each exam. You can't do anything about curves
The prof puts the grades in the gradebook and what ever program is being used draws the gradelines based off of what ever curves are being used.

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

The professor can do whatever the hell he/she wants, as long as it does not go against what is written in the syllabus.

 

[deleted804295]

The professor can do whatever the hell he/she wants, as long as it does not go against what is written in the syllabus.

@4ObamaCare ^ This or discrimination.

@Princeton Medical Student
Also it's nice seeing you again. What types of students is your school's medical school wanting to attract? I could look your mission statement up- but would wanting to go into international medicine (IM) make me a good match if I had say a 529 on the MCAT and a good GPA.

 

[de Ribas]

My question is: Can prof. curve at their pleasure and curve much differently than previous years and screw you over?

they can set curves according to current situations and these rules are subject to change.

I highly doubt that before was 40% and now 10%. What would be a reaon for such a big change?


Can I ask you what actual percent did you earn?

I took 4 psychology courses and do not remeber any of them having curves. Psychology courses are relatively easy courses and it' hard to beliee that only 10% out of 230 earned and A when in my Biochemistry course we had 20% who earned an A.

 

[4ObamaCare]

they can set curves according to current situations and these rules are subject to change.

I highly doubt that before was 40% and now 10%. What would be a reaon for such a big change?


Can I ask you what actual percent did you earn?

I took 4 psychology courses and do not remeber any of them having curves. Psychology courses are relatively easy courses and it' hard to beliee that only 10% out of 230 earned and A when in my Biochemistry course we had 20% who earned an A.

Yes, I was in shock too.

I earned a raw 91% overall in the course. (He said he would curve to our benefit and if we showed improvement he would take that into consideration as well before slapping a grade on individuals) And the prof. wrote in the syllabus "this class is hard, its "graduate level" but we will grade fairly"

Instead of giving nearly 40% A he gave nearly 35% A- and very little A worst than my biochemistry curve. Just unbelievable. Based on the data and excluding people who dropped, the 88th percentile (12%) or above earned an A.

I guess Nothing I can do it seems.

I earned a 96% on the final.

 

[MonkeyArrow]

Yes, I was in shock too.

I earned a raw 91% overall in the course. (He said he would curve to our benefit and if we showed improvement he would take that into consideration as well before slapping a grade on individuals) And the prof. wrote in the syllabus "this class is hard, its "graduate level" but we will grade fairly"

Instead of giving nearly 40% A he gave nearly 35% A- and very little A worst than my biochemistry curve. Just unbelievable.

I guess Nothing I can do it seems.

I earned a 96% on the final.

You do understand that you're not being "screwed", right? You earned a 91; that is an A-. You receiving an A- seems reflective of your performance in the class.

 

[4ObamaCare]

You do understand that you're not being "screwed", right? You earned a 91; that is an A-. You receiving an A- seems reflective of your performance in the class.

The class is based on a curve, not percentage. Percentage is irrelevant. if they are curving based on previous years. You just have to be in top 14% in biochem.

I got a D in my biochem final and got an A in the class.

Note: The average was 52% and I got 68%

 

[4ObamaCare]

You do understand that you're not being "screwed", right? You earned a 91; that is an A-. You receiving an A- seems reflective of your performance in the class.

Straight up from his email:

On average, everyone picked up his or her scores by 4 points on Midterm2.

That is, the mean was 55.6 points (81%), with a SD of 7.3, which is an increase from 51.6 (76%) on Midterm 1.

So, these scores are 'closer' to the standard distribution of A = 90%+, B = 80%+, etc.

But we will still have a curve, in your favor, in the end. This is not simple material, and these are not basic multiple-choice-only exams.

*If we were grading solely on the basis of Midterm 2, 59+ would be an A, 50-59 would be a B, 42-49 would be a C. Yet remember, your final grade will be determined by your total points across the two midterms, your section grade, and the final exam--as well as benefit of the doubt re: substantial improvement across the term.

*Keep up your section performance, and you can still make up ground on the final!

 

[de Ribas]

If you got 91% and got A-, then I don' see any curve at all.

 

[ObjectiveBoba]

I find this post a little bit obnoxious. Professors generally have final say over grades.

Your best chance of appealing it would be to approach him/her directly, lay out why you think you deserve an A, and hope for the best. Bonus points if you attended the professor's office hours.

 

[de Ribas]

lay out why you think you deserve an A

lol

if you deserved an A, should have proved it along the course of the semester