Poor Grade Explanation Q

[dancingdoc220]

I made my only bad grade, a C+, in one of my pre-med classes. I felt really bad about it, because I studied so hard, but my grade was low relative to the class curve. Two semesters later, I find out from a friend that there was rampant cheating going on in this class. A prof from a different department that wrote one of my letters even knew about it and was surprised I didn't know.

What do I do on my secondaries or potential interviews when asked to explain this grade? Do I tell them that the curve was skewed, and, therefore, so was my grade? I don't want to look like I'm making excuses, but there is no other expaination. I feel like my advisor told me not to say anything just because it might reflect poorly on my school.

p.s.

Not saying that I would have earned an A by any means, but I missed a B+ by under a point and a half.

Also, U South Florida and U Central Florida ask for explanations of any W or grade <B on your secondary (heads up!)

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[htownpremie]

I think it'll reflect poorly on both you and your school to say something. People cheat everywhere, especially in pre-med classes, and I don't think you should try to defend a C+ by blaming it on the fact that other people supposedly cheated. There is another explanation, namely, that you did not master the material well enough to warrant a higher grade. Studying hard does not necessarily mean that you will get a good grade. If you had mastered the material well enough to deserve an A, you would have gotten one--I don't think missing a question or two on a test here and there would have dropped you to a C+. Bottom line--you will look like you are making excuses if you try to blame your C+ on classroom cheating.

 

[Slowpoke]

so wait, let me get this straight.

your friend knew there was cheating going on, AND a professor who is in a different department knew there was cheating going on.

yet it never occured to you?

 

[ADeadLois]

Careful.

There is no way to objectively know if the supposed cheating would have had any impact on your grade. What's done is done. You earned a C+, and making excuses to the adcom will only reflect negatively on otherwise passable grade.

 

[njbmd]

I made my only bad grade, a C+, in one of my pre-med classes. I felt really bad about it, because I studied so hard, but my grade was low relative to the class curve. Two semesters later, I find out from a friend that there was rampant cheating going on in this class. A prof from a different department that wrote one of my letters even knew about it and was surprised I didn't know.

What do I do on my secondaries or potential interviews when asked to explain this grade? Do I tell them that the curve was skewed, and, therefore, so was my grade? I don't want to look like I'm making excuses, but there is no other explanation. I feel like my adviser told me not to say anything just because it might reflect poorly on my school.

Your explanation (and only if asked) is that the course was rough for you and that you just didn't do as well as you would have liked. End of explanation. Do not volunteer any reasons for any grades unless you are specifically asked about a particular grade. If you didn't say anything, no one may even notice or be concerned about that grade. If YOU bring it up, then YOU have to explain it.

As far as the cheating was concerned, unless you have documented proof (official letter signed by the administration at your school), then you can't be sure that this was the case. You also cannot rely on any curve to raise your grade. Either you mastered the material or you didn't master the material. To try to blame anyone other than yourself for your grades is worse than any grade you could possibly receive. Anything negative that you say only reflects on you and not your school. Just don't mention anything and take full responsibility if asked. One C+ is not that big of a deal unless you make it a big deal.

 

[dancingdoc220]

Your explanation (and only if asked) is that the course was rough for you and that you just didn't do as well as you would have liked. End of explanation. Do not volunteer any reasons for any grades unless you are specifically asked about a particular grade. If you didn't say anything, no one may even notice or be concerned about that grade. If YOU bring it up, then YOU have to explain it.

As far as the cheating was concerned, unless you have documented proof (official letter signed by the administration at your school), then you can't be sure that this was the case. You also cannot rely on any curve to raise your grade. Either you mastered the material or you didn't master the material. To try to blame anyone other than yourself for your grades is worse than any grade you could possibly receive. Anything negative that you say only reflects on you and not your school. Just don't mention anything and take full responsibility if asked. One C+ is not that big of a deal unless you make it a big deal.

Thanks for your help! Everyone is asked to explain on the USF secondary anything with a W or < B grade.

And to some of you, I generally like to assume the best about people. When I hear rumors I generally don't believe them, especially in a class of 150+ students...that is, until a teacher agrees with me.

 

[pazan]

I have a C+ in Orgo II and it hasn't come up at my 2 interviews with multiple ad com members... as long as you've shown competence in other courses and come across as sharp in the interview, I think they'll ignore it. The worst thing you can do is externalize blame (unless you had a family tragedy).

 

[mezmerized7]

I don't think you need to explain it unless you are asked to do so...

 

[dec0y]

How would a skewed curve affect your grade anyway? Does this teacher actually grade on a bell (#A's=#F's)?

I've never seen a curve that dramatically LOWERED your grade...

 

[Raryn]

I've been asked a few times about the only C on my transcript (Human Anatomy). I just say that I wasn't prepared for the way the class was taught at the beginning of it, and started off badly. I then go to say I was doing substantially better near the end of the class, and felt far more confidant, but that unfortunately my grade didn't average out as high as I might have wanted. Figure that type of thing is a good example...

 

[dancingdoc220]

How would a skewed curve affect your grade anyway? Does this teacher actually grade on a bell (#A's=#F's)?

I've never seen a curve that dramatically LOWERED your grade...

usually the same people would make 100s on tests that would have low averages, so it messed up the curve that would have helped everyone else out. i just figured that these people were really smart, until a friend of mine told me after the end of the semester that she knew all of them and people were texting them the answers since our prof idiotically posted the answer key while we were taking the examination. ugh.