What's the overall premed atmosphere in your school?

[bacctobacc]

HYP here. We're silent gunners minus the ridiculousness. Everyone puts in a ton of work but never brags about doing so, and is often so humble (i.e., lies about not studying) that it's quite annoying sometimes (I am guilty as charged oops). Cooperating is the norm, but self-studiers are still the majority just because that's probably how most of us are used to studying. The classes are small since we're small at 1300 a class lol. Freshman orgo is around 70 people and regular orgo tops out around 120, and that's a big class already. Average bio class is around 60 people.

The classes are tough enough on average to give everyone some sort of trouble, but averages can still run high enough that people are pissed off. Also, it's a well-known fact someone always gets >95 on a test, no matter how hard or ridiculous it was. Curves take this into account, though, with the standard 40/40/20 A/B/C distribution, but some classes are also graded absolutely because there's no need for a curve to straighten things out. e.g., if everyone scores in the 85+ region, there's no reason to force anyone below a B+. I had a class like this, but the high grades weren't because it was easy; people just gunned lol.

We know the competition's there because grades are given on a competitive basis, but no one hurts others. We gun nicely, I like to say. That's both good and bad IMO.

40/40/20?!?! Ugh our curve is 10/50/30. Very hard to get an A.

I am in a post bacc program and people like to help each other out which is nice. No gunners. Yet.

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[inycepoo]

40/40/20?!?! Ugh our curve is 10/50/30. Very hard to get an A.

I am in a post bacc program and people like to help each other out which is nice. No gunners. Yet.

Yeah, it's 40/40/20 for most of the science classes. 20/20/20/20/20, A/A-/B+/B/C and below, to be more exact. No saying this is how all professors curve, but for the most part, we widely believe this to be the case. It's to make up for how high the averages normally run on tests that are already getting more difficult every year. There are also classes that aren't curved, because your raw score is a good enough marker of performance (e.g., if averages are like high 80s to low 90s).

In my cell bio class, I went into the final with a 94% on the weekly quizzes. I scored above average on the final (89%). Was told by the TA that would be a "solid B+." Got a B+. Yup.

 

[sunflower18]

Yeah, it's 40/40/20 for most of the science classes. 20/20/20/20/20, A/A-/B+/B/C and below, to be more exact. No saying this is how all professors curve, but for the most part, we widely believe this to be the case. It's to make up for how high the averages normally run on tests that are already getting more difficult every year. There are also classes that aren't curved, because your raw score is a good enough marker of performance (e.g., if averages are like high 80s to low 90s).

In my cell bio class, I went into the final with a 94% on the weekly quizzes. I scored above average on the final (89%). Was told by the TA that would be a "solid B+." Got a B+. Yup.

Wow. Averages in the high 80s to low 90s? That's crazy. Our test averages are usually around 60. Classes are rarely curved.

 

[The Milkman]

Wow. Averages in the high 80s to low 90s? That's crazy. Our test averages are usually around 60. Classes are rarely curved.

Roughly the same here, with a good average being in the 70s, and I have only had one class curved at my school.

 

[inycepoo]

Wow. Averages in the high 80s to low 90s? That's crazy. Our test averages are usually around 60. Classes are rarely curved.

Yeah, the class average for cell bio on the quizzes was an 8.9/10 across 12 quizzes. Go figure. For bio, the averages tend to run quite high. Microbio average was around 86 for both midterms. My freshman orgo class hit 90s on all exams (but thank God the prof didn't curve this one down; just gave everyone As as we deserved). The new freshman bio course that didn't exist in my year is outrageous; 95 required for an A. Repro bio last year had a midterm where the average was a 96 (class of ~60). Something like a fourth of the class aced it.

Chem and biochem are a bit different and somewhat lower, maybe low 80s-ish, depending on who's teaching. If a class has an average of 60, then you know it's not the kids, but the professor(s) that suck ass with a straw.

This is why I get very very very angry when those (e.g., SDNers who don't go to a top school) criticize our grading policies, the supposed "inflation," and how our GPAs are viewed. Everyone's already crazy smart, and we are sometimes (NOT always) screwed because of that. Those who consistently make As are always in the top 30% in science classes where the population is already self-selecting. That is truly impressive.