Listen, you can't haggle for grades, people

[ProfessorArtNerd]

This ain't a yard sale, and it ain't macys.  The math says B, you get a B.  Yes, I factored in your attendance.  I know you tried hard.  But, um, math says B.  WTF!

[Deleted]

May 9, 2013 9:30:23 GMT -5 ProfessorArtNerd said:

This ain't a yard sale, and it ain't macys.  The math says B, you get a B.  Yes, I factored in your attendance.  I know you tried hard.  But, um, math says B.  WTF!

But I worked really hard! 

[ProfessorArtNerd]

PROFESSOR SMASH!!

[LLL]

I like your hair

[Deleted]

But I had STRAIGHT A's in high school! And teachers LOVE me!

[fuckyourcouch]

[Deleted]

May 9, 2013 9:32:33 GMT -5 LLL said:

I like your hair

and you are a really good teacher!  and i tried to keep you from getting fired!

[karmasabiotch]

In undergrad my Logic teacher gave me a 3.0 because it was the 2'nd time I took the class, went to tutoring, stayed every day to ask questions, and never missed a class. The math was a 0.0

He said Ms. Karma, some people try hard but just aren't logical. You don't think like a logical person.

I needed that class to graduate. I didn't even have to show him my boobs. I think he just didn't want me to come back to his class again.

[ProfessorArtNerd]

May 9, 2013 9:35:27 GMT -5 karmasabiotch said:

In undergrad my Logic teacher gave me a 3.0 because it was the 2'nd time I took the class, went to tutoring, stayed every day to ask questions, and never missed a class. The math was a 0.0

He said Ms. Karma, some people try hard but just aren't logical. You don't think like a logical person.

I needed that class to graduate. I didn't even have to show him my boobs. I think he just didn't want me to come back to his class again.

I've passed people through because I just couldn't deal with them again.  Oh yes I have

[papie]

OMG yes.  And don't pull the "Well, I NEED an A in your class to get into grad school".  Too bad, buddy, too bad. 

Once I had a student who said I was unfair because I gave bonus points to some students (everyone had a chance to earn them, he didn't).  He didn't want to give him extra points, he wanted me to TAKE AWAY THE OTHER STUDENTS POINTS.  Regardless of whether he still got a B, lol. 

[papie]

May 9, 2013 9:35:27 GMT -5 karmasabiotch said:

In undergrad my Logic teacher gave me a 3.0 because it was the 2'nd time I took the class, went to tutoring, stayed every day to ask questions, and never missed a class. The math was a 0.0

He said Ms. Karma, some people try hard but just aren't logical. You don't think like a logical person.

I needed that class to graduate. I didn't even have to show him my boobs. I think he just didn't want me to come back to his class again.

LOL

Sometimes I think like that.  "If I passed him, I would NEVER have to deal with him again.  Tempting!"

[eddy]

I am dealing with one of these students as well "it is really discouraging that I tried really hard and other students, who don't even care about this rotation, were able to get a higher grade."

I agree that is discouraging. Pony up dude.

[Deleted]

But you don't know my LYFE!!!!

[ProfessorArtNerd]

May 9, 2013 9:43:24 GMT -5 jillianashley6 said:

I see students all the time who say "I'm going to fail this course", and the FIRST thing I ask them is "have you talked to your profesor?".

Not because I want them to convince the professor to not fail them....but to see if there are any extra credit projects they can do, to find out what they did wrong so they can right it next time, etc. So they probably ARE being told to talk to you. But not to get you to fix their grades (though thats probably what they're hearing, even though that's not what's being said)

Exactly- talk to me at midterms, and I can figure out a way to boost your grade a bit.  But after the grades are submitted?  uhhhh no

[jane6672]

I drew pictures on the essay quizzes. WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?

[papie]

May 9, 2013 9:43:24 GMT -5 jillianashley6 said:

I see students all the time who say "I'm going to fail this course", and the FIRST thing I ask them is "have you talked to your profesor?".

Not because I want them to convince the professor to not fail them....but to see if there are any extra credit projects they can do, to find out what they did wrong so they can right it next time, etc. So they probably ARE being told to talk to you. But not to get you to fix their grades (though thats probably what they're hearing, even though that's not what's being said)

WE FOUND THE CULPRIT. 

I can only speak for myself, but there is never a special project they can do.  All they can do is take the class again, and work harder.  Otherwise I would be stuck with 10 special projects per group, because they all need a better mark to get 3.2 GPA to get into the CPA program. 

ETA: Oh yes, if the semester is not over, I can help them. 

[Deleted]

when i was in college, i taught a 2 credit pass/fail class (to other college students. it was weird. just go with it.). anyway, the first year i taught it was my sophomore year and i had a senior in my class who NEEDED the 2 credits, passing, to graduate. to pass, you had to attend class 1x/week and turn in a 5 page paper that was written in coherent english and expressed a BASIC grasp of the course material (not hard, trust me. i mean, i was in college while i was teaching it.)

this guy was clearly very smart, and charming, and funny. and he used to stay after every class to tell me that i was really smart and engaging and good looking.

he turned in a 7 page paper (it was good, too), and had stapled to it an invitation to his fraternity's spring formal.


he got a passing grade. and i totally went to the formal. HA.


ETA:  i just forgot about this until now!  the whole formal, he escorted me around calling me "professor."  like, "can i get you another drink, professor?  professor, would you like to dance?"  he was hilarious.  i'm totally going to look him up on linked in.  i would be one billion dollars that he's super rich now either because he became an ibanker or worked at a startup of some sort.

[ering1115]

I bumped up one kids class participation points so he got a B even though he was more of a C. He needed a B to graduate and he tried- Environmental Science just wasn't his thing.

I did not bump up the kid who asked me out after the second exam since he didn't know I was the GA for the course..... ummm dude, I taught half of the lectures you should show up sometimes.

[eddy]

I think Jillian is refering to during the semester. I do the same thing. And it is really sad that the advice of "talk to your professor" is like (idea) to most students lol.

[luckyval]

But Cher Horowitz said I could argue my way out of a C!

[BunnyMacDougal]

Welcome to finals season!!!!!!  Ahahahaha, stupidass undergrads.

ETA:  I put right on the syllabus that I give extra assignments to the whole class at my discretion.  If you can't handle the standard work-load I will not give you extra work.  (PLUS I am not making up an additional assignment and grading it - for someone not doing well.  Pshaw!)

[Deleted]

I'm in higher ed. There are going to be several very whiny emails coming my way when students realize they were within a few points of the next grade. Tough shit, kids. Not everyone is a winner in life. That's the way life goes. I seriously wonder how some of these kids are going to make it in the real world.

[papie]

May 9, 2013 9:58:05 GMT -5 kessieblue said:

My H is a college professor, and he's giving his exam tomorrow. He got about 5 emails last night at like 8 or 9 p.m. asking questions. Not specific pointed questions, more like, can you teach me this entire section over again... by email... right now, the night before the final? 

Oh yes.  After my first semester I had to announce at the beginning of the semester that I don't answer emails passed 6pm on exam night.  Just start studying earlier!

[BunnyMacDougal]

May 9, 2013 9:58:05 GMT -5 kessieblue said:

My H is a college professor, and he's giving his exam tomorrow. He got about 5 emails last night at like 8 or 9 p.m. asking questions. Not specific pointed questions, more like, can you teach me this entire section over again... by email... right now, the night before the final? 

I just got "what do we have to know....(always a favorite)......about the digestive enzymes?"  For the exam tomorrow.   Material I covered during THREE lectures.


I guess it doesn't hurt to try, but yeah no.

[snickers]

I have never once gone to a teacher to talk about my grade, I would feel like such a dumbass.

[puppyluv]

It worked for me in college. I had a class that I needed a B+ in but was only at a B level. I went to his office after the final to see if there were any additional points I could argue for on my final to get a higher grade. He asked me what how many points I was off by and since it was close he just bumped up my grade without me having to argue.

[open24hours]

I had an undergrad professor who stated upfront that if you were concerned about your grade you could complete an extra assignment that would be factored into your final exam score. The extra assignment was a 20 page minimum paper on one of three tough topics. I think he made the assignment so onerous on purpose so the only people who would do it were really desperate.

[kaybee85]

My break is almost over, but I had to respond to this. My brother is in undergrad and just got a C- in sociology...  so now he is kicked out of the college or something? I don't know the specifics  yet. 

When I talked to him one of his 'reasons' was that he 'thought' he made up the homework. I seriously lost my shit on him. "WHY AM I TALKING TO A COLLEGE STUDENT ABOUT MAKE UP WORK? THIS IS A CONVERSATION I HAVE WITH MY 7TH GRADERS!" 

Grrrr

[howardandbear]

Meh I disagree. I've haggled a couple grades very successfully before. I also haggled for one credit hour without having to take any classes or test.

Just recently I helped my younger cousin talk his way up one grade point to change his grade from a C to a B. He did it. In his case had he not kept the gpa he would have lost all his scholarship money.

[picaflora]

One of my old roommates in college was on track to be the valedictorian for our department. She completely BOMBED the audit final, and would no longer have the highest GPA. She went to the professor and whined and cried about how she had SO MUCH stress going on in her personal life and she just couldn't concentrate that day. He changed her grade, and she kept her GPA. After grades were finalized and just before graduation, she told a few of us that she got it changed. Which was dumb - because she was out at the bars with us the night before the final until 2am. Not my proudest moment... but we spread it around to the rest of the students, and the whole group booed her off the stage    

Pretty sure she slept with the nasty old professor to get the grade changed as well.