TA is a Harsh Grader?

[scaredhamstermeme]

I'm a sophomore pre-med (just decided on the pre-med track.) My GPA's at a 3.6 right now bc I was pretty bad with time management last year, so I've been hoping to bump it up this semester. But I'm really worried about my O Chem lab grade.

My TA is a really harsh grader. At first, I didn't think too much of it because I figured I could just work harder on my lab reports and get better scores. But it almost seems like he's determined to not give out any As. I go to help room to ask about what he wants to see on my lab report and he tells me what he wants, I do it, and I still get between an 85 and an 89. It's hardly ever over a 90. I have friends in other lab sections, and their lab reports are basically the same as mine (mine are a bit more detailed, even,) but they get 90s and above easily while I'm struggling to pull a B+.

I've spoken to the lab coordinator, and she made it seem like I have nothing to worry about because "it's just one credit hour," but I don't want to have to worry about a poor grade, even in a class that doesn't weigh much. And, on a personal level, I feel like I deserve better grades for work that's better than what other TAs have deemed worthy of an A. Any advice?

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[aldol16]

Well, if the TA gives you that score consistently, is it that he or she comments on different mistakes you make each time - like he/she finds a different problem with your report everything single time? Does he/she do that with everybody in your lab section (i.e. does nobody get above a 90)? If so, it just sounds like you have a hard-ass TA (grad students are not paid very well and many TA because they have to, not because they want to) and there isn't much you can do about it if you've already talked to the lab coordinator. It's surprising to me because usually, we normalize scores when we have multiple TAs grading so it's fairer and nobody gets penalized just because they have a hard TA. Are you sure they don't normalize or curve at the end?

 

[scaredhamstermeme]

Well, if the TA gives you that score consistently, is it that he or she comments on different mistakes you make each time - like he/she finds a different problem with your report everything single time? Does he/she do that with everybody in your lab section (i.e. does nobody get above a 90)? If so, it just sounds like you have a hard-ass TA (grad students are not paid very well and many TA because they have to, not because they want to) and there isn't much you can do about it if you've already talked to the lab coordinator. It's surprising to me because usually, we normalize scores when we have multiple TAs grading so it's fairer and nobody gets penalized just because they have a hard TA. Are you sure they don't normalize or curve at the end?

It's always a different mistake. And he counts off for things that the other TAs easily overlook (e.g., "redundant wording -2" or "not ACS 1996 format for ChemDraw diagrams -2"). I definitely know this is the case with my lab partner and a couple other people that I speak to in our lab since nobody else really discloses information about their performance in lab with each other.
The lab coordinator did mention a system for normalizing the grades, but then she made it sound like they'll be bringing people's grades down if TAs have been grading more easily than others instead of bringing them up, so I'm extremely paranoid.

 

[JustAPhD]

Talk to your prof if you have an actual case but to me it just sounds like the TA is a hard grader. If s/he is taking pts off for legitimate things there's not much you can do.

 

[ciestar]

A B+ in a 1 credit course will not kill your gpa or chances at med school.
It sounds like you've done all you can really do about it.

 

[RunawayGrape]

.

 

[aldol16]

It's always a different mistake. And he counts off for things that the other TAs easily overlook (e.g., "redundant wording -2" or "not ACS 1996 format for ChemDraw diagrams -2"). I definitely know this is the case with my lab partner and a couple other people that I speak to in our lab since nobody else really discloses information about their performance in lab with each other.
The lab coordinator did mention a system for normalizing the grades, but then she made it sound like they'll be bringing people's grades down if TAs have been grading more easily than others instead of bringing them up, so I'm extremely paranoid.

That does sound like overkill with the ChemDraw template format. But since there is a system for normalizing grades, I wouldn't worry about it until the end.

 

[scaredhamstermeme]

Thanks for the input, everyone. Definitely helped me relax a bit.

 

[rolliespring]

Do your best, a B+ in a 1 credit also won't kill your chances in med school.

 

[Goro]

A B+ is fine. Even if you were to fail the course, as long as you do well in your other courses, you wuill still be comnpetitive for med school

So quit taking it personally. You're NOT going to get an A in every course.

I've spoken to the lab coordinator, and she made it seem like I have nothing to worry about because "it's just one credit hour," but I don't want to have to worry about a poor grade, even in a class that doesn't weigh much. And, on a personal level, I feel like I deserve better grades for work that's better than what other TAs have deemed worthy of an A. Any advice?