Throwaway: C in OChem Lab

[throwawayorgo]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hey guys,

Throwaway account for anonymity.

A few basics:
3.94 Overall/3.99 Science GPA right now
Taking OChem2 + Lab
Got an A- OChem1 Lecture, A OChem1 Lab
On track to earn an A+ in OChem2 Lecture.

Problem is with OChem2 Lab.
TA is very harsh penalizer....I lost 5 points on my lab report for stating observations, for example. Lots of similar penalties all over.

I appealed with TA and later with Prof....Prof says I had a good case, and it made sense, but he does not want to step on TA's toes.

Basically, because of this, I will get a C in OChem2Lab. TA is the most unreasonable person I've ever met.

Is a C or C- in OChem2Lab bad? Will my A+ in OChem2Lec and A in OChem1Lab overshadow this?

Looking for some encouragement

 

[mordred]

It's going to look like the anomaly that it is. Assuming it's the typical 1 hour lab, it won't even have a discernible impact on your impressive GPA. I can't imagine that grade alone will have any real influence on adcom deliberations. Having said that, you will almost certainly be asked what happened at some schools. How you answer that question could hurt you, particularly with faculty members on the committees. Remember, their lives are filled with students complaining daily about undeserved poor grades.

Regardless of the circumstances, just own it, and don't dwell on it. You could say something like "I felt like I knew the material, but just had trouble syncing up with what he wanted on the lab reports. Don't overtly blame the TA, who adcoms will likely be sympathetic toward. They will respect you for owning it, especially since it's a small outlier.

 

[throwawayorgo]

It's going to look like the anomaly that it is. Assuming it's the typical 1 hour lab, it won't even have a discernible impact on your impressive GPA. I can't imagine that grade alone will have any real influence on adcom deliberations. Having said that, you will almost certainly be asked what happened at some schools. How you answer that question could hurt you, particularly with faculty members on the committees. Remember, their lives are filled with students complaining daily about undeserved poor grades.

Regardless of the circumstances, just own it, and don't dwell on it. You could say something like "I felt like I knew the material, but just had trouble syncing up with what he wanted on the lab reports. Don't overtly blame the TA, who adcoms will likely be sympathetic toward. They will respect you for owning it, especially since it's a small outlier.

Thanks @mordred .

Yeah it's 2 credits while the normal lecture classes are 4 credits....not going to impact my GPA at all...
Thank you for the advice on owning it- I will follow that for interviews.

Glad to hear this hasn't sunk my chances of going to dental school.

Yeah this whole situation had me really upset mentally, but I've figured that you can't please everyone so I'm not going to let it put me down anymore.

 

[StumpMT]

Dude you have a 3.94 oGPA/3.99 sGPA...........I think you'll be ok.

 

[throwawayorgo]

Dude you have a 3.94 oGPA/3.99 sGPA...........I think you'll be ok.

Thank you @StumpMT !

 

[Gen. Beauregard]

Set the TA up on a date, or purchase the services of an escort. Despite the TA's love for O-chem, O-chem can't love him back. This is the root cause of why wars are started. Consider it an investment in the future. By the time his heart gets broken you'll be long gone. Don't worry about him. With his knowledge of O-chem and his newfound edge he'll break bad and purchase a Winnebago and you'll never see him again. Congrats on the A+ in lecture and your studly gpa.

 

[throwawayorgo]

Set the TA up on a date, or purchase the services of an escort. Despite the TA's love for O-chem, O-chem can't love him back. This is the root cause of why wars are started. Consider it an investment in the future. By the time his heart gets broken you'll be long gone. Don't worry about him. With his knowledge of O-chem and his newfound edge he'll break bad and purchase a Winnebago and you'll never see him again. Congrats on the A+ in lecture and your studly gpa.

Hahaha that's funny. My TA is a female though...not sure how the male escort business is doing these days.

Also, this TA HATES OChem. She is constantly complaining in lab about how she got stuck TAing lab and how she wishes she doesn't have to do it again, but will have to because she is a grad student.

Thank you Gen. Beauregard! I really appreciate the encouragement. You helped lift my mood a lot!!

 

[StumpMT]

I'm just curious why the professor won't step on the TA's toes? To my understanding a Professor > TA

 

[throwawayorgo]

@StumpMT

I have no idea why.

I took him multiple of my reports where I felt I had been harshly penalized.
He looked at one, and then asked me to show him another. It went on and on like this.
He then told me "I'm not making any promises, but you've made a very strong case for yourself. I will talk to your TA and see what we can do."
2 weeks later, he gets back to me and says "I'm meeting with your TA tomorrow. I have instructed her to look over the reports and make changes to your grade." So at this point, I'm thinking that my appeal worked!

Today, he e-mails me saying "The TA chose not to change your grade."

When I went in to his office to pick up the reports, I asked him: "Didn't you think I had a strong case?"
He responds: "Yeah, but that's what I think"

and that was it...oh, he also invited me to be in his advanced organic class next semester. So I think he respects me as a student...

My perspective on this is that he WANTS to help, but he doesn't want to a) offend his TA and b) set some kind of precedent where every other student who feels unfairly assessed will start coming to him and waste his time. Either way, I am praying to the OChem Gods to let me squeak away with a C+ or even a B-, but it is very, very unlikely.

Everyone has that dinner story where s/he had an absolutely terrible class experience...this will be mine.

 

[cacajuates]

WHO CARES THAT YOU GOT A C IN ORGO LAB.


You almost have a 4.0 dude, chill out.

 

[throwawayorgo]

WHO CARES THAT YOU GOT A C IN ORGO LAB.


You almost have a 4.0 dude, chill out.

I'm not angry or anything- Just disappointed. Wouldn't you be if you busted your butt in a class and then got penalized for what you thought were correct practices?

 

[kholley25]

I hated most of my chem lab TAs because the majority graded inconsistently and the lab managers didn't give 2 craps about the undergrads problems.

OP, I highly doubt ADCOMs will bring it up unless it's in jest/jokingly. Unless you're applying to Harvard or something, you're fine. But I do agree with mordred's sentiment to "own" it if they do question you. Just say that you truly did your best and that that is the grade that you were given. I really do doubt any school would question a lab grade furher than that.

 

[throwawayorgo]

I hated most of my chem lab TAs because the majority graded inconsistently and the lab managers didn't give 2 craps about the undergrads problems.

OP, I highly doubt ADCOMs will bring it up unless it's in jest/jokingly. Unless you're applying to Harvard or something, you're fine. But I do agree with mordred's sentiment to "own" it if they do question you. Just say that you truly did your best and that that is the grade that you were given. I really do doubt any school would question a lab grade furher than that.

Thank you for your words of comfort- they help a lot 😀.
When you say Harvard "or something?," what is the "something"? I do not intend to apply to Harvard, but I am looking at some schools with average entering class GPA ranges of 3.4-3.6 (including a few that are research-intensive). I'm good there, assuming I keep up my current progress, right?

Glad to hear that there is a fellow kindred spirit who survived TA onslaught.

 

[Dentase]

Reading this thread, you should know you have a great GPA so it will not hurt you.
But it also boils my blood and I wanna punch that T.A. in the face, and what kind of professor does something like that.

 

[NMC2010]

Your chance of getting into dental school now

 

[throwawayorgo]

Reading this thread, you should know you have a great GPA so it will not hurt you.
But it also boils my blood and I wanna punch that T.A. in the face, and what kind of professor does something like that.

<3. I love your avatar. Thank you.

Your chance of getting into dental school now

LOL! Excellent joke

 

[Dentase]

<3. I love your avatar. Thank you.



LOL! Excellent joke

Its me and @tooth knockn 🙂

 

[throwawayorgo]

LOL are you two like brothers or something?

 

[Dentase]

LOL are you two like brothers or something?

LoL no I just like messing with him. All in good fun.

 

[Incis0r]

@throwawayorgo You're golden.

 

[Dentase]

@Incis0r Hey there, just chilling

 

[Incis0r]

@Dentase lol

 

[Dentase]

@Dentase OMG such a cute bear omg omg omg I just want to cuddle with it.

If I specialize in Pediatric Dentistry, it will be so I can cuddle with bears and toy giraffes...all the toys will be for me...not for the kids at all.

WOWWW,
If go into pediatrics the one person I know who is gonna bring the most patients in has to be @tooth knockn so patients can rub his fluffy head like this

 

[throwawayorgo]

HI GUYS

GOOD NEWS. I just got back three more lab reports today from my TA. Somehow, magically, they are all As, after a semester where I did not receive a single grade above B+ on lab reports!!!

So I might not land in C territory after all 😀.

 

[lazyindy]

subtle brag thread is subtle...

 

[Dentase]

HI GUYS

GOOD NEWS. I just got back three more lab reports today from my TA. Somehow, magically, they are all As, after a semester where I did not receive a single grade above B+ on lab reports!!!

So I might not land in C territory after all 😀.

LoL You probably had the biggest smile on your face when you saw it.Congrats

 

[throwawayorgo]

subtle brag thread is subtle...

LOL. Well, if it's any consolation, I will most likely be in C+/B- range. Just glad to get .3 GPA points back 😀. But, thank you for the compliment- I appreciate it.

LoL You probably had the biggest smile on your face when you saw it.Congrats

You know...my TA seemed pissed when she handed them to me so I didn't open them right in front of her. I quietly walked out of the lab, went to my dorm room, opened it, and then bursted up the music and danced when I saw it.

😀 😀

Thanks for rooting for me @Dentase

 

[StumpMT]

You know...my TA seemed pissed when she handed them to me so I didn't open them right in front of her. I quietly walked out of the lab, went to my dorm room, opened it, and then bursted up the music and danced when I saw it.

Should have opened them right in front of her then went, "BOOM! That's what I'm talking about baby!!" Then looked at her calmly and said, "Well, I'll you see next class."

 

[throwawayorgo]

Should have opened them right in front of her then went, "BOOM! That's what I'm talking about baby!!" Then looked at her calmly and said, "Well, I'll you see next class."

Haha Stump you're too funny- this brought a smile on my face!

I am SO grateful that today was the last class. I never have to see her again!!!!!!!


Honestly though, at that point, I was thinking that these reports were all Cs or below b/c she was not exactly happy that I spoke to the professor about being harshly graded, AND that the professor agreed with me (but still didn't change the grade). So I kind of high-tailed it out of there.

 

[throwawayorgo]

DEAR ALL,

Since you have been on this journey with me, I felt like disclosing the good news to finish this chapter.

thanks to a VERY generous curve by our lab instructor, A- IN ORGOLAB FOR THE SEMESTER!!!!! Thank you all for your support. I was quite worried and you provided me with much comfort at a time when I needed it. This morning was a very very pleasant surprise.

 

[mrdocta]

DEAR ALL,

Since you have been on this journey with me, I felt like disclosing the good news to finish this chapter.

thanks to a VERY generous curve by our lab instructor, A- IN ORGOLAB FOR THE SEMESTER!!!!! Thank you all for your support. I was quite worried and you provided me with much comfort at a time when I needed it. This morning was a very very pleasant surprise.

Nice! Your hard work paid off to get up to that A!