I got one that I'm still bitter about (almost 10 years later).
Phyical chemistry: final worth 40% of the grade, 5 questions, thus each question was worth 8% of your overall grade.
[*]I was #1 in the class before the final.
[*]Final came and I just wasn't in the right mental state. Two reasons: (A) my GF of 3 years out of the blue told me she wanted to see other people the week before and (B) the chemistry building just started renovations so right outside the classroom there was a jackhammer running on/off during the entire final.
[*]I missed one word in the directions on one question due to my poor mental state. So I did that question partly wrong. Every step on the question I did correctly, but due to the missed word, I got the correct answer in a way the teacher didn't want. I thought the directions said "Do use XXX method". Instead the directions said "Do not use XXX method."
[*]Professor gave me 0 points on that question. No partial credit at all for all the correct work and the correct answer. Max I could get then on the final would be 80%.
[*]I had gotten one other minor thing wrong on one other problem. My grade on the final exam was then 77% (give or take 1%, its been many years and my memory is failing).
[*]Professor decided grades were too low, so she decided to give anyone with an 80% or higher on the final a 10% bonus on the final. Thus, someone with a 100% on the final would get 110% recorded; someone with 90% on the final would get 99% recorded; someone with 80% on the final would get 88% recorded; everyone else got no bonusses. 5 people in the class got the bonus, and no one else did.
[*]After the bonus (that I just missed out on), there were 5 people ahead of me in the class. Most just barely ahead.
[*]Class was on a curve where only 5 could get an A in the class.
[*]I got a B+.
[*]Professor said "Tough luck, I was being nice by giving bonus points to help people." Of course she failed to realize those bonus points unequally applied would harm people too. And you can't contest grades due to bonuses.
Why bitch and moan? I had a scholarship that required straight As. I lost $1000, lost recognition in the school, etc. all over one simple word. And I even got the correct answer on that problem.