grading policy question

[kayakgirl]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi everyone,

My school has a pass/fail/honors grading system. We are told only if we passed, failed, barely passed, or honored- we are not allowed to know our percent grade or our class ranking, and we are not allowed to see our exams after the test to see what we got wrong and right. Some of us feel that this is unfair since there's a big difference between passing with a 55% and an 85% and we'd like to have a little bit clearer of an idea where we stand so we can better prepare for the USMLE and focus on our weaker subjects.

We're considering approaching the administration about this but we'd like to how the system works at other pass/fail schools. If you go to a pass/fail school- can you please reply with a little more information about your grading system- and specifically if you are made aware of your number grade as well as pass/fail.

Thanks so much!
Terez
Ben Gurion Medical School of International Health

 

[ms. a]

At Baylor, we are told our grade, our percentage, the class average, and the class standard deviation. After each exam (either immediately after it, or the next day or so), they hold an exam review, where we are allowed to review the exam and the correct answers. We have to sign into a monitored room, leave all our stuff outside (so we can't write things down) and we can't talk to one another. The instituted this procedure after last year, when they stopped handing exams back and we all complained about the same thing - not knowing what we got wrong and therefore not being able to appropriately focus further study.

 

[Sean2tall]

Wow, that is a weird way to do it.

At Temple we have Honors/High Pass/Pass/Fail.

Generally we receive the scan sheet, test book, or stone tablet (w/ chisel) in our mailboxes (or check online) with the exact score (%).

Variably the correct answers are either marked on the returned paper, posted for you to check yourself, or viewable with one of the professors, in their private lairs.

I am not certain if there is a difference between passing at 70% and just missing High Pass by a fraction of a point. Although we are not explicitly ranked, they may be keeping that information is some secret vault somewhere. However, many times I have commented that, if I had known I would miss High Pass by a hair's breadth, I should have just sat back and enjoyed a 70.1%.


Anyhow .. it should be helpful if you were able to know what you screwed up.

 

[MoosePilot]

Are the tests generally multiple choice?

 

[jonb12997]

now here's a question... what's the difference between Honors/High Pass/Pass/Fail and A/B/C/F... other than where your cutoffs are at?

 

[erin682]

now here's a question... what's the difference between Honors/High Pass/Pass/Fail and A/B/C/F... other than where your cutoffs are at?

Basically no difference. Just a different way of saying the same thing. Med school grading is so variable from school to school. Thats why 1st and 2nd year grades can't possibly matter too much. You can't compare from one school to the next.

 

[Sean2tall]

now here's a question... what's the difference between Honors/High Pass/Pass/Fail and A/B/C/F... other than where your cutoffs are at?

I am guessing that the goal is to get a hundred super achievers to forget that scoring the A+ is the only acceptable option. Especially so, since at our school, only the top 10-15% of the class can get honors, and so on.

This means that the majority (70% or so) of the class is going to get a Pass. If this equated to getting a C, both the students and anybody looking at the grades would probably consider it disappointing. In grad schools, getting a C is tantamount to failing. At least that's what I've been told.

It's all about the way that grades are distorted.

 

[Hoya11]

We either get to keep the answer sheet, or results are posted using secret numbers to keep it anonymous on a class website, occasionally on a bulletin board at school using the same method. Never in mail boxes, never at a professors lair. Always 100% multiple choice. I cant imagine not knowing where I stood in the class, like you said, mainly for prediction on how i am going to do on the boards and just a general view of how i am doing.

 

[jonb12997]

In grad schools, getting a C is tantamount to failing. At least that's what I've been told.

I've heard the same thing...