UPDATE: Freaking Out

[Deleted]

I'm pretty sure I failed or got a low D on my first med school test. I was like uhh I guess they don't play around in med school lol. Had never gotten a C on a test, let alone fail.

Some programs take a little to get in the groove of things. Hopefully your professor will give you feedback so you know where to improve. Try not to worry too much about it for now. Hang in there!

[rupertpenny]

That is shitty that your professor didn't return the first paper before the next one was due. How are you supposed to learn and improve that way?

Anyway, I have never felt more inadequate than in my first semester of grad school. It gets better. Or at least you just get more numb to it or something. Hang in there.

[MWOS]

you need a C, you have a C. you're in a terminal degree program. your grades don't matter! enjoy the rest of your semester!

[Deleted]

Sept 14, 2014 21:32:44 GMT -5 rupertpenny said:

That is shitty that your professor didn't return the first paper before the next one was due. How are you supposed to learn and improve that way?

Anyway, I have never felt more inadequate than in my first semester of grad school. It gets better. Or at least you just get more numb to it or something. Hang in there.

This is probably more accurate

Unless you're an annoying gunner who must do everything perfectly! 

[bronxgirl]

That's such a sucky feeling, although I would feel reassured by the fact that your classmates got similar scores. If everyone got an A and you got a C that would be reason to panic, but this sounds like the prof is a tough grader, but everyone will still pass.

[stealthmom]

I'm guessing there is no grade inflation like everyplace else.

[rodeored]

Grad School: Where the scores are made up and the grades don't matter. Hang in there, everyone has this moment at some point during grad school.

[olegregg]

C's get degrees. Yeah, some dummy had to say it

[Deleted]

When I was in my PhD program, my advisor gave me a taking-to because I was making too many As and Bs. Apparently he wanted me to make more Cs and focus more on my research.

[Deleted]

In my doctoral program, each course grade has to be B- or better, or you have to retake the class/it's considered failing. I just got a B on my paper....barely seeking by and I worked hard on it! Grr....i so feel your pain!

[Deleted]

So I'm the only person who ever got Cs before? Ok cool.

[alzi]

I'm surprised by a lot of this advice. Does your program have a rule about C's? Mine kicked you out after the 3rd (C in the class not on a paper)

Talk to your prof to get feedback and don't freak yet. Just learn what they are looking for.

[Deleted]

Sept 15, 2014 0:20:35 GMT -5 @fucksticklegit said:

So I'm the only person who ever got Cs before? Ok cool.

No.

[papie]

In my phd classes we got Cs in the first papers but everyone got Bs and As as final marks. The learning curve was just very steep. Did you get a lot of comments on your marked paper? Just work in improving for the next one...

[papie]

Oh and grades do matter. There are tons of scholarships available and good grades can get you tons of $$$. I am with alzi, confused by the advice and comments.

[bronxgirl]

Sept 15, 2014 5:31:17 GMT -5 alzi said:

I'm surprised by a lot of this advice. Does your program have a rule about C's? Mine kicked you out after the 3rd (C in the class not on a paper)

Talk to your prof to get feedback and don't freak yet. Just learn what they are looking for.

It completely depends on the program. When I was in grad school my roommate was in the social work program.  Like your program, a C was considered failing (or at least a couple of them), however grades were inflated so if a paper was good and met all standards it got an A.  If there were a few minor flaws it got a B.  You only got a C if your paper was problematic.  I was a teaching assistant in a grad program that had a very different grading philosophy.  Just like suesue said C was considered an average grade.  Bs were given out occassionally and As rarely.  If most of suzubell's classmates got a C than her program is probably following the latter model.

[pt716]

Sept 15, 2014 7:54:23 GMT -5 papie said:

Oh and grades do matter. There are tons of scholarships available and good grades can get you tons of $$$. I am with alzi, confused by the advice and comments.

This probably depends on the program. I only took 6 classes, all in my first year. My research was the only thing that really mattered. Plus, C's were a failing grade for us and they didn't give a lot of them out because the profs would get annoyed if other profs failed their students.

[rodeored]

Sept 15, 2014 7:54:23 GMT -5 papie said:

Oh and grades do matter. There are tons of scholarships available and good grades can get you tons of $$$. I am with alzi, confused by the advice and comments.

Eh, my program requires that we get a B or better in all of our classes in order to continue but mysteriously we have only had one student "fail" in a class in which the average test scores were in the 70s. None of the professors were willing to discuss the grading scale for the class but clearly there was some grade magic going on.

People that I know from other programs have said the exact same thing about grading where they are and we are in the top programs for our fields too. FTR, I don't think it is right at all, you should get what you earn but that doesn't appear to be what actually happens. I think there is a lot of pressure to not fail students even at the grad school level which is really sad but I guess in my program they figure that comprehensive exams will weed out those who can't hack it because people do fail those here. 

Also, by requiring that we all have at least a B average we qualify for most scholarships and awards.  

[karmasabiotch]

Can you offer oral sex?

[papie]

Sept 15, 2014 9:16:43 GMT -5 suzubell said:

Sept 15, 2014 7:51:47 GMT -5 papie said:

In my phd classes we got Cs in the first papers but everyone got Bs and As as final marks. The learning curve was just very steep. Did you get a lot of comments on your marked paper? Just work in improving for the next one...

I got no feedback, that's why I'm freaking. No feedback is being offered until after the last major writing assignment is due, which is Tuesday. WTF, right? My average is still a B for the class, but that could come down quickly with another poor writing score.

Well don't freak, you said everyone got similar marks, right? No way the whole class is getting Cs.

[thatgirl2478]

excellent update!  I can understand why you'd be freaking out!

[tripleshot]

That's great news!

[sequins]

There you go!! Good for you

[alzi]

DUDE! That's a fucked up mistake. Good job in the A though.

[speckledfrog]

Lol, that's a great update.

[Awkward]

Great update!

[Pixiehollow]

Omg, lol. Glad to hear the update.

[compassrose]

What a great update!

The 'no feedback' thing would seriously piss me off, though. That's ridiculous.

[Deleted]

Sept 15, 2014 13:57:30 GMT -5 nuggetbrain said:

Sept 15, 2014 0:20:35 GMT -5 @fucksticklegit said:

So I'm the only person who ever got Cs before? Ok cool.

Listen man, I almost flunked out my junior year of high school.  I got all F's and one D.  I'm surprised I'm not slinging rock on the corner.

I failed both years of jr high and had to do summer school to move to high school.


In my defense it was tough returning to public school after 2.5 years homeschooled, while going through puberty, and being really poor. I worked my way up to AP classes and the honor roll in HS.

[WOT?*]

Yay for the update. Now you don't have to pay him off.