Getting an 89.4 in a course, should I email my professor to try for an A?

[SirStev0]

As a graduating senior, the best advice I could give you is to grade grub like there is no tomorrow. I know plenty people much dumber then I, with much better GPA's because they were willing to beg for a better grade. My roommate and I were just discussing this the other day. If you want a competitive GPA you need to beg for every point you can. It is truly is sad. I have even known people to threaten profs with complaints and bad evaluations if they didn't get better grades. The saddest part is that it worked.

We have a grad student friend who is the Lab instructor the major organic lab class. He would go off all the time about kids doing this. He had to give them points just to keep them out of his office hours so he could help people who actually needed help. Pre-Med kids are the worst. When we had his class he couldn't believe that me and my roommate were Pre-med because we weren't emailing him constantly arguing every little point we got off on a quiz or lab report.

The entire med school application (I know this first hand, as I am trying it myself) is a sham. It is probably one of the most insincere things I have ever seen. A lot of people in my major frankly disgust me. Here is a step by step process of getting into med school. The goal is to take the easiest versions of the best sounding classes. Also suck the prof's ass as much as humanly possible so that they will write you a letter, even though deep down they know you are just a little prick. Fight tooth and nail for every point so that you can get the best letter grade possible. It isn't what you learn, it is the grade you get. And don't be concerned about the MCAT either there is a way to cheat that. Take a MCAT course to learn how to beat the MCAT (there are plenty of services, Kaplan does nothing more then teach you how to take the test. If you know how you can do much better then someone who is smarter than you.). Participate in some health related club on some minor committee not because you are interested in doing some good, only because you want to pad your application. Volunteer at an ER, running as an EMT I see them all the time under taking the important job of giving paperwork to people coming in and running down to check to see if the lab results are in.

That's about it... I have a really good friend who was able to play the system like this. He went to a branch campus for 2 and a half years and kept a really high GPA. He was able to pull of a decent MCAT score and was a huge suckass. He was accepted almost immediately. Med schools look for 3 things - GPA, MCAT score, and ridiculous ambition. Apparently they feel that this will allow you to get through med school. To be honest, the interviews I have been at, they definitely make it seem that they choose the people they feel will be most likely to finish med school. Not the people who would make the best doctors.

Ohh well... sorry for the long post and the whinyness. Being waitlisted for med school sucks.

 

[Pacemaker]

Originally posted by: Roguestar

Originally posted by: Turkish

Originally posted by: Analog

Originally posted by: Leros
Basically I really screwed up and got a 135/200 on the second midterm. I did awesome on the final and got a 245/250, however this only makes my average an 89.4 which is in the B range for the class (there will be no curve). Maybe I'm just grabbing for points, but I feel that since I did so good on the final it shows that I have learned the material for the course and deserve an A.

What do you guys think? Should I contact my professor? And, if so, how should I present my argument?

I get students that try this all the time. I tell them to look at the syllabus. That usually quiets the matter...

I had a student this last term that had a 89.9. Sorry, that's still a B+, not an A-.

You are nothing but a dick.

Looks like someone has a problem with the necessity of arbitrary cut off points.

The problem with it is they have to draw the line somewhere. If they give you an A then someone with an 89.3 wants an A then someone with an 89.2 and so on. Back when I was a pizza guy we had streets that served as boundaries and we wouldn't deliver past the street. People who were close to the boundary would always want us to deliver to them anyway, and I always told them "We have to draw the line somewhere."

Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. You earned a B and the professor is under no obligation to give you anything but a B. However, if you talk to him about it and explain why you think you earned an A he may give you the higher grade. If he says no that doesn't make him a dick as he probably didn't feel you earned the highest possible grade.

I had a friend who worked his but off to get a B (Don't remember the exact percent, but it was probably sub 85%) in a class. The teacher actually said she wished she could give him an A for the effort he put into it, but that didn't change the fact that she had no way of justifying an A to her superiors. It may be as simple as policy doesn't allow moving a grade past a certain point.

 

[mugs]

Did you have good attendance and/or class participation (if it was a class that you could participate in, not a 200 person class)?

 

[SunnyD]

Wouldn't it make you feel kind of crappy if your entire life was dictated by a fallacy? I mean what if that A means a difference in GPA, which leads to a job that you aren't qualified for, which gives you the bucks that scores a hot woman, which you knock up and marry...

Then your boss realizes you don't know what the hell you're doing, you get canned, your woman leaves you with the kid, you get stuck with child support and alimony and work at Mickey-D's for the rest of your life... all because you didn't accept what you EARNED.

Sure it's extreme, but I certainly don't like when people misrepresent themselves.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: mugs
Did you have good attendance and/or class participation (if it was a class that you could participate in, not a 200 person class)?

Thats the part that hurts me. This was a class (100 people or so, fairly large) where he would call people randomly from the roster. I got called 3 times the entire year. One class was I really sick and hardly able to stay awake. Of course that was the day he called on me. I made an ass of myself when I had no idea what was going on.

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: SunnyD
Wouldn't it make you feel kind of crappy if your entire life was dictated by a fallacy? I mean what if that A means a difference in GPA, which leads to a job that you aren't qualified for, which gives you the bucks that scores a hot woman, which you knock up and marry...

Then your boss realizes you don't know what the hell you're doing, you get canned, your woman leaves you with the kid, you get stuck with child support and alimony and work at Mickey-D's for the rest of your life... all because you didn't accept what you EARNED.

Sure it's extreme, but I certainly don't like when people misrepresent themselves.

Yes, well hopefully you don't honestly think that a GPA is the best representation of a potential worker's apptitude and ability.

To the OP, just give it a shot. Nothing bad will come out of visiting the professor. I've had professor visits go both ways. My roomate turned off my alarm clock causing me show up to a math final with 3 minutes to spare. I told the professor, and he was like, "well you have about 2.5 minutes left to do your test". Then in another class I missed a fairly large test completely at my own fault, asked the teacher what to do about it, and she had me come to her office later to take the test. I got a B on it, and she kept it.

 

[DaShen]

If you don't someone should hit you upside the head.

 

[jman19]

Originally posted by: tfinch2
I'm going to see my professor today. We had 4 tests this semester, including the final. I got A's on all of the tests, and an 80 on the final, and was given a B for the class. I was kind of shocked that I got an 80 on the final, but a B in the class?

Well how much were each of the tests worth?

 

[Specop 007]

Originally posted by: TallBill

Originally posted by: SunnyD
Wouldn't it make you feel kind of crappy if your entire life was dictated by a fallacy? I mean what if that A means a difference in GPA, which leads to a job that you aren't qualified for, which gives you the bucks that scores a hot woman, which you knock up and marry...

Then your boss realizes you don't know what the hell you're doing, you get canned, your woman leaves you with the kid, you get stuck with child support and alimony and work at Mickey-D's for the rest of your life... all because you didn't accept what you EARNED.

Sure it's extreme, but I certainly don't like when people misrepresent themselves.

Yes, well hopefully you don't honestly think that a GPA is the best representation of a potential worker's apptitude and ability.

Most of the time that is the determining factor when being hired or otherwise accepted to some type of position.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Originally posted by: rocadelpunk
THis is where going to your profs office hours all through the quarter/semester pays off.


Best bet is to visit him/her in person. Say you wish to discuss your grade and that you've honestly tried your best...i.e., gone to all the lectures, turned in all the homework...you just had a really bad day on midterm 2...and that you showed you really do know the material by your performance on the final.

Leave it at that, tell him/her thanks for their time and be on your way.

By the end of your school career it won't make a difference...but ::shrug:: if you can get it, might as well try.

He is right. You don't have to be best buds with the guy but you should go to all your profs office hours a few times. I know every prof and every prof knows my name. I come to class every time so they know I am not goofing off. You let them know whats up from time to time and make a little side talk. When ****** hits the fan aka. Late Paper, Want to take a test at a different time, grading on papers, and the 89.4 you want to a 90, they will often remember you and be like "sure no problem".

The only ones that this doesn't work on are the dick professors...and they wouldn't help you anyway.

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: Specop 007

Yes, well hopefully you don't honestly think that a GPA is the best representation of a potential worker's apptitude and ability.

Most of the time that is the determining factor when being hired or otherwise accepted to some type of position.

[/quote]

I should have phrased that better. True knowledge is easier to spot by either reviewing someones work or giving them sample work, then by just reading a number.

 

[PricklyPete]

Yes...you'd be dumb not to.

 

[overst33r]

I had an 89.91%, I emailed the professor and told him I'd like to meet to discuss my final grade. Two days later, my grade was a 90.04%. Usually the professor will give it to you if you have been a good student.

 

[Aikouka]

Usually a grade has some leeway built in to add a teacher/professor's perspective.

But hey, I didn't complain when they gave me a 3.584 or whatever my GPA was... another .016 and I would've went to the next honors ranking .

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: SunnyD
Wouldn't it make you feel kind of crappy if your entire life was dictated by a fallacy? I mean what if that A means a difference in GPA, which leads to a job that you aren't qualified for, which gives you the bucks that scores a hot woman, which you knock up and marry...

Then your boss realizes you don't know what the hell you're doing, you get canned, your woman leaves you with the kid, you get stuck with child support and alimony and work at Mickey-D's for the rest of your life... all because you didn't accept what you EARNED.

Sure it's extreme, but I certainly don't like when people misrepresent themselves.

You would fail at life if you think that grade difference is your downfall.

 

[imported_Imp]

Wow. I wasn't aware this grade-begging behaviour was so prevalent and accepted... I always thought you should accept what you earned. Guess my future will include 1 cardboard box, a dumpster and 2 coffee cans (hint: only 1 will accept change).

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Heh, My friend was short of a A in a class because he had a 89.4. He asked the Teacher to raise it. The teacher just redid the math, and it turned out my friends average was like 89.447. Lucky Bastard.

 

[Mill]

I don't think your grade should be raised. I had a 98 in my econ class, but I completely ran out of time to even open my book to study for the final, and after the final (68) I dropped to an 89. That's my fault. You didn't do well on your mid-term and that was your fault. You earned a B. Sorry.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Originally posted by: tenshodo13
Heh, My friend was short of a A in a class because he had a 89.4. He asked the Teacher to raise it. The teacher just redid the math, and it turned out my friends average was like 89.447. Lucky Bastard.

If I were a professor, I'd still give them a B. 89.447 still rounds down if you ask me. You could round it up to 89.5, but that's as far as I would round it. I know, I'm not nice....but fair's fair!

 

[angminas]

Giving people more than they deserve can be a good thing or a bad thing. It depends on the person's attitude and maturity level, and what exactly they're being given. Sometimes showing mercy to a humble, hardworking student who made a dumb mistake but learned the material is the best way to go, if they will learn from the situation, and if we're not talking about outright grade tampering. Sometimes teaching people that the rules apply to them too is the best way to go, as those people who are in college and have still not learned that lesson usually will not learn from being treated gently, and you won't be helping them or the people around them in the long run. Indeed, being treated too gently and with too much deference is often the CAUSE of being too entitled, as these people have usually been taught that they are the authority figure with all the rights, and that the professor (or their parents, a judge, etc) is just a vending machine which exists only to serve them (also, as opposed to serving the public at large). That's no kind of way to go through life, and that's not what people should be learning at a university or high school. I have a lot of personal experience in this area.

 

[thegimp03]

You don't have anything to lose. If class participation and attendance is good for you, then I'd definitely use it as an arguing point. If he/she took notice of you in class, it's always helpful.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi

Originally posted by: tenshodo13
Heh, My friend was short of a A in a class because he had a 89.4. He asked the Teacher to raise it. The teacher just redid the math, and it turned out my friends average was like 89.447. Lucky Bastard.

If I were a professor, I'd still give them a B. 89.447 still rounds down if you ask me. You could round it up to 89.5, but that's as far as I would round it. I know, I'm not nice....but fair's fair!

Yeah, I'm not sure why an 89.447 would round up... rounding is not an iterative process. Either the professor was just being nice, or the friend was lucky that the professor isn't so great with math.

 

[ch33zw1z]

I think you should try harder next time!

 

[glutenberg]

Originally posted by: SirStev0
As a graduating senior, the best advice I could give you is to grade grub like there is no tomorrow. I know plenty people much dumber then I, with much better GPA's because they were willing to beg for a better grade. My roommate and I were just discussing this the other day. If you want a competitive GPA you need to beg for every point you can. It is truly is sad. I have even known people to threaten profs with complaints and bad evaluations if they didn't get better grades. The saddest part is that it worked.

We have a grad student friend who is the Lab instructor the major organic lab class. He would go off all the time about kids doing this. He had to give them points just to keep them out of his office hours so he could help people who actually needed help. Pre-Med kids are the worst. When we had his class he couldn't believe that me and my roommate were Pre-med because we weren't emailing him constantly arguing every little point we got off on a quiz or lab report.

The entire med school application (I know this first hand, as I am trying it myself) is a sham. It is probably one of the most insincere things I have ever seen. A lot of people in my major frankly disgust me. Here is a step by step process of getting into med school. The goal is to take the easiest versions of the best sounding classes. Also suck the prof's ass as much as humanly possible so that they will write you a letter, even though deep down they know you are just a little prick. Fight tooth and nail for every point so that you can get the best letter grade possible. It isn't what you learn, it is the grade you get. And don't be concerned about the MCAT either there is a way to cheat that. Take a MCAT course to learn how to beat the MCAT (there are plenty of services, Kaplan does nothing more then teach you how to take the test. If you know how you can do much better then someone who is smarter than you.). Participate in some health related club on some minor committee not because you are interested in doing some good, only because you want to pad your application. Volunteer at an ER, running as an EMT I see them all the time under taking the important job of giving paperwork to people coming in and running down to check to see if the lab results are in.

That's about it... I have a really good friend who was able to play the system like this. He went to a branch campus for 2 and a half years and kept a really high GPA. He was able to pull of a decent MCAT score and was a huge suckass. He was accepted almost immediately. Med schools look for 3 things - GPA, MCAT score, and ridiculous ambition. Apparently they feel that this will allow you to get through med school. To be honest, the interviews I have been at, they definitely make it seem that they choose the people they feel will be most likely to finish med school. Not the people who would make the best doctors.

Ohh well... sorry for the long post and the whinyness. Being waitlisted for med school sucks.

I feel for you SirStev0.

Regarding the bolded portion, wouldn't that just be a judgement call? How does one know they're going to be a good doctor from academics. You could be the most caring person in the world but still be a terrible doctor and vice versa. It makes sense for them to discourage people who don't have the committment to finish medical school as that just wastes their time, the applicant's time, and any potential, skipped over, applicant's time. I mean, it's not like medical school is a breeze once you get in.

On Topic:
You might as well ask OP. Just don't push the issue if he rejects your proposal but do show him your earnest desire for the better grade.

 

[DivideBYZero]

0.999999999=1?