Should an honors section bring your average down?

[bluesTank]

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I am currently enrolled in biochemistry honors. The class has both honors and non honors sections...just the honors sections meet Monday nights where we have to rotate giving presentations. There is a grade for the honors part, which is separate from the regular section (exams etc) that gets averaged together. These are completely subjective grades and he never told us how we were doing (he DID say that the honors section should help our grade out...)

So I just found out my honors section grade is going to lower my total class average big time. I went to every honors class, and my presentation was great (he said).

Is that right? Basically I would have a much higher average if I was in the regular section then in honors...

 

[Vvandenn]

Who cares, you're going to BCM next year regardless. 👍

 

[Sir Buckethead]

If the grade is lower than in the course, sure. Its just like any other section. Labs always lower my overall grades because I'm allergic to regular attendance.

basically it seems the problem is that you think you deserved a higher mark for the section. You might be right about that, I've been hosed enough times not to chastise others for complaining.

 

[Sir Buckethead]

lol, do you like how i turned your question into a rambling story about me? I'm gonna make a good grandpa.

 

[bluesTank]

If the grade is lower than in the course, sure. Its just like any other section. Labs always lower my overall grades because I'm allergic to regular attendance.

basically it seems the problem is that you think you deserved a higher mark for the section. You might be right about that, I've been hosed enough times not to chastise others for complaining.

But by taking a course honors, you are basically saying "I want to work harder, but I also want to do better in the class."

What really gets me is the fact that I don't have to take this class honors, and I would be doing much better if I was not. The honors and non honors sections are identical for the lecture/exam portion. It is JUST that monday night class that is different.

 

[Bacchus]

I was offered Honors English but decided against it because there was no point at all. I don't see the point in honors courses unless there is an honors scholarship coupled with it. Plenty of people don't take honors courses and get far.

 

[bluesTank]

I was offered Honors English but decided against it because there was no point at all. I don't see the point in honors courses unless there is an honors scholarship coupled with it. Plenty of people don't take honors courses and get far.

I have to agree with you at this point. I do it because of early registration, but taking an honors class (apart from the extra work) is actually hurting me and it angers me.

😡

 

[Bacchus]

Regardless, you're still in a position many people would love to be in. 😉 Hang in there, you'll definitely be fine.

 

[bluesTank]

But I worked my ass off this semester to even BE in this situation. For him to come out of nowhere and tell me I am now going to have to work twice as hard to make the grade on the final is VERY frustrating.

he was ranting to the class the other day about how we shouldn't try calculating what we need to make on the final to make a certain grade, and that we should work hard for it...

I think this is his way of making sure my hard work doesn't pay off

 

[MarySue99]

But by taking a course honors, you are basically saying "I want to work harder, but I also want to do better in the class."

What really gets me is the fact that I don't have to take this class honors, and I would be doing much better if I was not. The honors and non honors sections are identical for the lecture/exam portion. It is JUST that monday night class that is different.

I agree, but isn't the point of an honors section to be more difficult than the regular class? If it was just as easy or easier to get an A, that wouldn't really make any sense. That sucks that he said you did great on the presentation but gave you a low grade, but I don't think that you should should be automatically rewarded just for taking honors.

 

[Sir Buckethead]

But by taking a course honors, you are basically saying "I want to work harder, but I also want to do better in the class."

That seems very counterintuitive to me. I thought people took honors because they wanted a challenge, and were willing to accept that it would be harder to get an A.

 

[bluesTank]

That seems very counterintuitive to me. I thought people took honors because they wanted a challenge, and were willing to accept that it would be harder to get an A.

No there is a difference in what I am saying.

You are not going to get an easy by far in an honors section...in fact it is going to take a lot of work to get that A. But assuming that you obviously put in all the effort the class requires, the honors class should reward you more for a hard effort then a regular class would...therefore helping you get an A after the work has been put in. No one should go in assuming its going to be an easy A, and thats not what I am saying.

Just like in high school where an honors class counted for an extra GPA point then a regular class...so a 3.0 would be a 4.0 etc.

 

[Vihsadas]

Who cares, you're going to BCM next year regardless. 👍

I concur, the letter put on your report card (so long as its not lower than B+, but usually A-), shouldn't matter anymore to you. If you want to be a good student, just focusing on learning as much as you can and have fun at Baylor next year! Woohoo!

 

[0Complications]

Who cares, you're going to BCM next year regardless. 👍

I second that.

Plus, it sounds like he might just be telling you guys that your performance might not get high marks, because he wants you to work hard for the final.

Just a thought.

 

[sosarah]

Who cares, you're going to BCM next year regardless. 👍

Vvandenn is right. Judging from your MDApps, it doesn't look like it will really matter for you at this point anyway. But in general, I think this is similar to taking the MCAT before you are ready and doing poorly. It measures your ability to know your strenghts, weaknesses, abilities, and limitaions. Others have posted that you can go very far without honors course and do very well - this is true. Only take on extra work if you know that you can succeed in it; I've had to learn this the hard way as well.

 

[bluesTank]

Vvandenn is right. Judging from your MDApps, it doesn't look like it will really matter for you at this point anyway. But in general, I think this is similar to taking the MCAT before you are ready and doing poorly. It measures your ability to know your strenghts, weaknesses, abilities, and limitaions. Others have posted that you can go very far without honors course and do very well - this is true. Only take on extra work if you know that you can succeed in it; I've had to learn this the hard way as well.

Ok I understand it doesn't matter in the big picture, but that is not the attitude I should be putting forward at any point in life...

And with regards to the course load, I did succeed, he told me our presentation was great, and everyone told me my groups was one of the best. He is a new professor, and like I said the grades are totally subjective. I just think that this is so sneaky of him, and it frustrates me. It is the principle of the thing. You can't just force someone to have to work harder on the final by just giving them a lower grade...especially for an honors section.