What to do in a class with very low averages?

[FutureOtolaryngist]

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Hey SDN!

Next semester, I will be taking an upper division bio course which, last semester, ended up with only one student in the class receiving a B, not more than 5 C's and D's, and the rest F's. I am a good student and hearing this concerned me a lot. The class has only one professor, and I have no choice but to take this class. I was wondering if anyone on SDN has been in a situation like this before? I should mention, that there has been no curve in this class the past few years, so basically what you get is what you get. Any advice to help calm my slight jitters about this class, and how I would go about doing well in it?

Thanks so much!

 

[bananafish94]

That can't be true. If a professor gave that many Fs they would get in trouble with the department.

 

[JustAPhD]

That's a brutal grade distribution! If you have to take it and this is the only professor available you don't have much of a choice unfortunately.
Besides the usual "do your best" and "study your butt off" I'd advise going to this professor's office hours as soon as you can. Build a relationship with him/her without being annoying.

 

[FutureOtolaryngist]

That can't be true. If a professor gave that many Fs they would get in trouble with the department.

Hey bananafish94, thanks for the reply! There were only about 20 people in that class last semester, if that makes any difference to the issue. I had the same thoughts as you when I first heard this, but it's the truth, unfortunately. 🙁

 

[bananafish94]

Hey bananafish94, thanks for the reply! There were only about 20 people in that class last semester, if that makes any difference to the issue. I had the same thoughts as you when I first heard this, but it's the truth, unfortunately. 🙁

Why do you have to take the class? It seems like there aren't many people taking it. All I'm saying is that from my own experiences working with department heads and whatnot, I don't see a situation where a professor gives 75% of the class an F and gets away with it.

 

[FutureOtolaryngist]

That's a brutal grade distribution! If you have to take it and this is the only professor available you don't have much of a choice unfortunately.
Besides the usual "do your best" and "study your butt off" I'd advise going to this professor's office hours as soon as you can. Build a relationship with him/her without being annoying.

JustAPhD, thanks for responding! I believe that the office hours idea and, of course studying nonstop, are my best bet at this point! There have been A's in the past years too, though, so hey you never know, maybe it's my turn?!? 🙂

 

[FutureOtolaryngist]

Why do you have to take the class? It seems like there aren't many people taking it. All I'm saying is that from my own experiences working with department heads and whatnot, I don't see a situation where a professor gives 75% of the class an F and gets away with it.

Bananafish94, it's required for my major. And trust me, I am 100% with you; I always believed the same! I guess I will have to update again in a few months.

 

[gyngyn]

Change your major.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

OP, you misspelled otolaryngologist.

 

[FutureOtolaryngist]

OP, you misspelled otolaryngologist.

....... Ah well, hopefully it will be something funny to look back on in a few years when I become an OTOLARYNGOLOGIST. 🤣

 

[FutureOtolaryngist]

Change your major.

Gyngyn, thank you for the response, Dr.! I need the course for the MCAT (heavily tested) so changing my major will not help, unfortunately.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

Gyngyn, thank you for the response, Dr.! I need the course for the MCAT (heavily tested) so changing my major will not help, unfortunately.

You don't really need any specific course for the MCAT.

 

[Toutie]

Can you take it during the summer at a different university?

 

[ChipofFools]

If it's a class that is heavily tested on the MCAT, it's got to be general biology, chemistry, physics, Ochem, biochem, or psych/soc. All of those are required for multiple majors; I just don't believe that the college would let a professor in a class like that fail 75% of students. Are you absolutely positive that the final grade that goes on your transcript isn't curve, and that 75% of people actually got a failing grade and can't complete their major?

 

[Lawpy]

Hey SDN!

Next semester, I will be taking an upper division bio course which, last semester, ended up with only one student in the class receiving a B, not more than 5 C's and D's, and the rest F's. I am a good student and hearing this concerned me a lot. The class has only one professor, and I have no choice but to take this class. I was wondering if anyone on SDN has been in a situation like this before? I should mention, that there has been no curve in this class the past few years, so basically what you get is what you get. Any advice to help calm my slight jitters about this class, and how I would go about doing well in it?

Thanks so much!

That can't be true. If a professor gave that many Fs they would get in trouble with the department.

The administration is most likely corrupt and ineffective. So the professor won't be in trouble.

Er.. OP I think your best bet is to avoid that course at all costs. If it means changing your major, so be it.

 

[gyngyn]

Gyngyn, thank you for the response, Dr.! I need the course for the MCAT (heavily tested) so changing my major will not help, unfortunately.

If your school is allowing this type of grading in a basic course, there is something seriously wrong. Switch your major and take this class over the summer (somewhere else).

 

[DingoPingo]

Get an A in that class and ask for a letter of recommendation. Show the professor who's boss. YOU ARE.

JK, get the hell out of there. The key to getting good grades is picking easy classes and using your extra time to actually learn the material.

 

[FutureFloridaDr]

Get an A in that class and ask for a letter of recommendation. Show the professor who's boss. YOU ARE.

JK, get the hell out of there. The key to getting good grades is picking easy classes.

Sadly, I learned this the hard way after almost being done with undergrad. I thought I could take all the notoriously hard professors just to show people who was boss. GPA ended up being 3.50 ish, while individuals I know who took the easier professor still learned the exact same thing as I did (and they got curves on the exams and overall grades).

 

[confidentandgood]

That can't be true. If a professor gave that many Fs they would get in trouble with the department.

Unfortunately, professors can get away with this. I had a friend who took a similar science course and went to the Dean of her school regarding the issue; the Dean did absolutely nothing about it. Granted, this depends on the school, but I wouldn't take the course while relying on the department to change things in a worst-case scenario.

Like people have said, you only need the basic pre-reqs for MCAT review. But since you need the class for your major, I would try to take it over the summer or off-track; just take it with someone else. Don't take the risk if you don't feel that you can do well. It's not worth the GPA drop and adcoms won't know that you had an unfair professor.

 

[yeasureyoubetcha]

There was an Orgo prof at my school that was giving 30s and 40s. They ended up putting him on probation after a while of that. I didn't know that could happen to profs.


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