Would it be dumb to ask for a final regrade?

[tms01234]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi everyone. Is it a bad idea to ask a professor for a regrade after the semester is over? I worked my butt off in Orgo I and ended up with a B+ because I got a 75 percent on the final exam. I thought that I did better than the score that I received. My TA is a harsh grader and many people in my quiz class (including myself) have had to go to the professor to have exams regraded and were given points back pretty much every time. I thought that the final exam was easy until I saw my grade. On the day of our final, the professor told us that they would have office hours for the first two weeks of the new semester so that we could view our final exams if we wanted to. If I went to office hours, viewed my exam and saw grading errors, could I get the professor to look over it and potentially change my grade? Would that even be possible? I'm sorry if this sounds like a really stupid question. Thank you so much.

 

[justAstudent]

Yes, if you spot errors and bring it up to your professor and he/she agrees they can go back and change the grade.

 

[OphthoBio]

It's possible, just check with your school rules. I know at my school if the teacher changes the grade, it won't be updated in the system until the end of the current semester.

If you think you can find something to prove that you deserve the A-, I say go for it. The worst the professor can say is no.

 

[BurberryDoc]

You'd be dumb not to go if this is a standing policy for the course.

 

[SN12357]

If the professor is open to it, absolutely. Sounds like he is. I did know some professors that if you asked for a regrade would go over the test with a fine-tooth comb and you were more likely to lose points overall than gain any. But if the prof is open to regrades there's no reason not to try!

 

[Flashfan]

Go for it. This is the time to be a grade-grubbing premed. The worst that happens is that you end up with a B+.

 

[neekzg]

YES definitely. I completely regret not looking into one of my bad grades which I didn't think I deserved, but that was over a year ago. You have nothing to lose unless you get even lower than you thought you did.

 

[kyamh]

Um, one quick question....do you want a letter of recommendation from this professor? If you do, I would think twice about being a grade obsessed premed.

 

[nemo123]

Um, one quick question....do you want a letter of recommendation from this professor? If you do, I would think twice about being a grade obsessed premed.

If the professor has been open to regrade requests all semester long (for midterms), I don't think the professor would hold it against the OP if the OP asked for a regrade on the final. I've had professors who were open to regrades on all of our exams and psets, and they do understand that sometimes our graders can be a little on the harsh side.

 

[V5RED]

Um, one quick question....do you want a letter of recommendation from this professor? If you do, I would think twice about being a grade obsessed premed.

I have strong LoRs from professors I went to for regrades. If it is a truly deserved regrade and not some bull**** like begging for points because he drew a few structures and, he should go for it.

Also, it seems odd to ask for a LoR from a professor whose class you got a B in anyway, so it isn't like he is risking much there.

 

[CW 2010]

I would go for it, as well. You are losing nothing. The worst thing that can happen is the prof. says no. I've asked for a regrade once (after the semester was over and I received a C). I said something about how it was my first semester at the school and I didn't manage my time efficiently between work and school.... The professor gave me an additional assignment to complete and then changed my grade to a B.

 

[NuttyEngDude]

Go for it and good luck, OP

 

[knv2u]

Also, it seems odd to ask for a LoR from a professor whose class you got a B in anyway, so it isn't like he is risking much there.

Sometimes the best person to write a letter of recommendation about you is the not the professor that gave you an "A" grade. The best recommendations are from those who know the candidate well and can speak about the candidate's intellectual qualifications, passion, motivation, etc. While it would be nice to have these from a professor that taught a class that ended in an "A," I would NOT write off the professor that gave you a "B."

 

[Goro]

I'd be OK with that.

Yes, if you spot errors and bring it up to your professor and he/she agrees they can go back and change the grade.

 

[V5RED]

Sometimes the best person to write a letter of recommendation about you is the not the professor that gave you an "A" grade. The best recommendations are from those who know the candidate well and can speak about the candidate's intellectual qualifications, passion, motivation, etc. While it would be nice to have these from a professor that taught a class that ended in an "A," I would NOT write off the professor that gave you a "B."

If you have decent people skills, you should be able to form relationships with the professors you got As from. Additionally, some of the professors who wrote my letters told me they only write letters for A students.

 

[AkGrown84]

I have strong LoRs from professors I went to for regrades. If it is a truly deserved regrade and not some bullcrap like begging for points because he drew a few structures and, he should go for it.

Also, it seems odd to ask for a LoR from a professor whose class you got a B in anyway, so it isn't like he is risking much there.

A "B".....seriously?! One of my 2 science prof LOR's was from a class I got a "C" in (my only C on my transcript, btw). I spent considerable amount of time with him (he taught the lab as well, so it was effectively 5 days/about 10 hours per week with him). His class was notoriously hard (lecture started with ~100 students, fell off to ~40 students after the 2nd test, and only about 25-30 ended up passing (with just a couple A's). Sometimes, having a LOR from a professor from a class in which you didn't do so hot in says more than a LOR from a prof who's class you earned an A in. The fact that the professor wrote a glowing LOR despite not so great grades shows that numbers aren't always everything. In fact, I've been told (especially in my specific case, with this specific professor) that getting a LOR in cases of sub-par grades looks great, as schools will see this as a vote of confidence from a black mark on your record. Of course, this is only one case, but I had discussed it with my pre-med advisor (who also teaches at the med school nearest me), and this was the advice I received.