+/- system blows

[gettheleadout]

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how is a b average low?

I never said it was, and it's not. I don't agree with the philosophy of grading on a curve; one's mastery of material is not dependent on that of one's peers.

 

[UltimateHombre]

18 credits, 5 A's and 1 A- = 3.95 whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!

I am at ASU and i feel ya man... however this semester i got 2 A's and 2 A+'s.... 4.15 ftw!!! 😎

The problem with the +/- system, is the fact that it is much more difficult to get an A+ than an A-... So the cost/reward exchange is simply not there. However, i have had a B+ or two that were bumped up to an A-. My feelings change every semester, as of now i am happy!

 

[Anesthetic]

:The problem with the +/- system, is the fact that it is much more difficult to get an A+ than an A-... So the cost/reward exchange is simply not there.

The problem with the A+ is it makes zero difference for us medical school hopefuls. I too had an A+ this semester but it still will only be counted on a 4.0 scale like everyone else. This is why I disagree with the +/- scale for GPA calculations for medical schools.

If I get a 91% in a class and thats an A- but someone at a school without +/- gets a 91 and gets an A then they have an advantage with the GPA come time to apply for medical school. I would like to see the AMCAS remove +/- completely and just give a flat A,B,C. Because in constrast me getting a 89% B+ in a class with the +/- system is an advantage over someone getting a 89% B in a flat scale.

Oh well.

 

[GeauxTime]

The problem with the A+ is it makes zero difference for us medical school hopefuls. I too had an A+ this semester but it still will only be counted on a 4.0 scale like everyone else. This is why I disagree with the +/- scale for GPA calculations for medical schools.

If I get a 91% in a class and thats an A- but someone at a school without +/- gets a 91 and gets an A then they have an advantage with the GPA come time to apply for medical school. I would like to see the AMCAS remove +/- completely and just give a flat A,B,C. Because in constrast me getting a 89% B+ in a class with the +/- system is an advantage over someone getting a 89% B in a flat scale.

Oh well.

AMCAS is consistent on the A, B, C scale though, so why does the +/- system at individual undergrad institutions even matter to anyone?

 

[Anesthetic]

AMCAS accounts for A- and B+

AMCAS counts all "+" or "-" grades, even if your school does not. At some schools, a "+"
or a "-" counts as n.3 or n.7, at others they count as n.5. Please note that AMCAS
assigns the same weight (4.0) to grades of A+ and A. Found here: https://www.aamc.org/students/download/131750/data/2012amcasinstructionmanual.pdf

 

[rubisco88]

I calculated my cGPA and sGPA using both +/- and without since I'm a Texas resident, but was on the +/- system at my undergrad. My GPA came out to about the same thing either way, so I don't think it makes a HUGE difference.

 

[Narmerguy]

I calculated my cGPA and sGPA using both +/- and without since I'm a Texas resident, but was on the +/- system at my undergrad. My GPA came out to about the same thing either way, so I don't think it makes a HUGE difference.

Mine would be HUGE. I have probably 15 times as many -'s as I do +'s. If all those minuses got turned into full A's/B's, I'd have a huge boost in my GPA.

 

[GeauxTime]

AMCAS accounts for A- and B+

AMCAS counts all "+" or "-" grades, even if your school does not. At some schools, a "+"
or a "-" counts as n.3 or n.7, at others they count as n.5. Please note that AMCAS
assigns the same weight (4.0) to grades of A+ and A. Found here: https://www.aamc.org/students/download/131750/data/2012amcasinstructionmanual.pdf

Ah, I was previously unaware of this. My grades are officially recorded as A, B, C, etc. which I do tend to like.

 

[UltimateHombre]

AMCAS accounts for A- and B+

AMCAS counts all "+" or "-" grades, even if your school does not. At some schools, a "+"
or a "-" counts as n.3 or n.7, at others they count as n.5. Please note that AMCAS
assigns the same weight (4.0) to grades of A+ and A. Found here: https://www.aamc.org/students/download/131750/data/2012amcasinstructionmanual.pdf

Ya man... that sucks. When us predents submit our grades to AADSAS (AMCAS for dental school) they are calculated with both the weighted and unweighted GPA. So you get the best of both worlds i guess...

 

[GeauxTime]

Student A goes to a school that uses the +/- system and student B goes to a school that doesn't use that system. Both earn the following: (Biochem: A- ; Microbiology: A- ; Chemistry: A-)

Student A would have an AMCAS GPA of 3.75 while student B would have an AMCAS GPA of 4.0?

 

[Anesthetic]

Student A goes to a school that uses the +/- system and student B goes to a school that doesn't use that system. Both earn the following: (Biochem: A- ; Microbiology: A- ; Chemistry: A-)

Student A would have an AMCAS GPA of 3.75 while student B would have an AMCAS GPA of 4.0?

Yes exactly..

 

[GeauxTime]

So AMCAS is in fact not consistent at all, and GPA is wholly dependent on the undergraduate institution. It would make more sense to standardize GPA calculations.

 

[gettheleadout]

So AMCAS is in fact not consistent at all, and GPA is wholly dependent on the undergraduate institution. It would make more sense to standardize GPA calculations.

It's not wholly dependent on the undergrad. One school may say an A- is 3.X while at another they give an A- a 3.Y, but AMCAS takes all A-'s and values them at 3.7.