Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with grades

Embarrassed about my GPA

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:35:06 -0800

Recommender (former professor) wants to see my grades for graduate school. My last year and a half was stellar, but before that I have a smattering of Cs (five). Should I say anything? I'm a recent college graduate. For the last three semesters I had straight A's, but before that things were mixed - a combination of As, Bs, and Cs, thanks to a mix of laziness, family issues, and a long-distance relationship gone-wrong that had lasting effects. My GPA ended up being a 3.35 after dipping down to 3.0, and I'm proud of that, but not very proud of my lack of focus before as well as my overall GPA.

I'm applying to architecture graduate school, and a recommender (former professor at an Ivy, young but established and accomplished) wants to see my grades. When I took classes with him I was in focus-mode, my grades were pretty great, and I came off as a sharp and focused student. (Uh, which I _was_ by then.) Now, I'm worried that showing him my grades will be more detrimental than helpful if he sees my GPA. Should I add a note explaining the situation? Should I somehow weasel out of showing him my grades? What would you do?

Thanks! (Asked anonymously because my account is linked to my real identity.)

Study method for the one who feels hopeless?

Taft — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:34:42 -0800

I'm uncomfortably depressed to the point of feeling completely hopeless...but I need to pass my classes. Can anyone recommend a good study/homework method that worked for you in hard times? When I get home I completely turn off inside, and it's drastically affecting my grades. I'm seeing a therapist for the depression, but I need a short-term plan for passing my classes.

I'm currently a junior in highschool, so dropping out for personal reasons won't work. Thanks in advance.

My Glasses Are Not Held Together With Tape, Honest.

VioletU — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:35:05 -0800

I've just returned to college as a mature student and I'm doing really, really well (marks in the low to high 90s, for the most part). I'm proud of myself but I have no idea how to interact with my classmates who aren't doing as well without sounding like a complete jerk. I don't have experience with this! I could use some advice or etiquette. There have been some... incidents. Some details that might help:

This is the first time I've ever done really well in school, despite being a so-called "gifted" child - I've always been the sort who either had to do well naturally or I just didn't bother to try. I was kicked out of university when I was in my early 20s and I later dropped out of other college courses. My good marks this time around aren't due to some form of magic; it's a combination of hard work, effort, obsessive attention to detail and a sheer determination to do my best in a program that's really meaningful to me.

The college program I'm in is highly competitive (they accepted 40-ish students out of more than 700 applicants in our small city). The students are an even mix of adults (our oldest student is in her late 50s, I believe) and recent high-school graduates, and all have a combination of intelligence, experience, and did well on the interviews, references and essays required for admission. I get along well with most of my classmates and would consider a few of them to be actual friends.

The problem is that I keep having awkward conversations that, thanks to my previous academic slacking, I have no idea how to handle.

For example:

Her: I heard you got 98% on the exam.
Me: Yes.
Her: I failed. I mean, really, WHO would know the answer to X and Y?!
Me: ...

I have no idea what to say. Every possible response seems either condescending ("Maybe you should study harder/differently next time?") or like I'm gloating ("REALLY?! You didn't know?!") or just plain awkward ("Oh, well, um.. hey, I like your shoes!"). So I basically stand there silently and inwardly freak out about that silence.

It gets worse.

If I try to give a response along the lines of, "Oh, that sucks. I'm sorry." there are a few people who will say, "YOU don't have to worry about it! YOU are doing really well!" .. which is true, but.. again, I'm working my ass off. SAYING that, however, makes me sound like a jerk because they're probably working their asses off too. My response, then, is to basically stammer something and try to escape.

Wait, there's more!

I have a good relationship, I feel, with the core professors in my program. They seem to recognize that I'm working hard and that I try to contribute meaningfully in class (we're partially graded on classroom participation). It's not uncommon for a prof to say something like, "Good answer, VioletU!" or "The rest of you should consider what she's saying, too.." which makes my little heart glow, of course, but I can see why my classmates might not always be thrilled.

Me: Wow, that class was pretty rough today, huh?
Him: Yeah, well, Prof X thinks you're just plain amazing so you don't have to worry about THAT.
Me: ...

I need the profs to like me as much as possible - they're responsible for my grades, for pete's sake, not to mention my field placements, references, etc. But I'm not sucking up; I legitimately find the classes interesting and want to participate.

I don't want to spend the next 1.5 years being the student everyone hates, however.

I can't hide my achievements, as marks are fairly open to everyone and it's a small class. As the term goes on, I'm hearing more "Smartypants!" and "Brain!" comments and I'm worried it'll become more negative. Any thoughts as to how I can keep achieving without making my classmates hate me? How to respond to the sorts of comments above?

How could a combination of inconsistent grades and early graduation affect university admissions, and, consequently, my future? (long post)

csjc — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:08:01 -0800

I could have exceptional grades, but instead I've spent all of my time on academic pursuits that have, if anything, had a negative affect on my grades. How could all of this impact my future? I can't help but think that I've already screwed it all up. I'm 15, and according to the normal schedule I should be going into 11th grade this September, but instead I decided to structure my schedule so that I completed half of 11th grade last year (in addition to all 10th grade courses + electives) and I'm in the process of completing the other half over this summer.

Here's my dilemma: Taking into account all the time I spend on my personal academic pursuits (I'll explain in a minute), I still haven't done as well as I should in my courses. My average is in the low 80s, with marks ranging from just over 50% to 99% (the better marks are in my preferred subjects, especially languages). Even though my schedule is rigorous, it's still no excuse. If I had any kind of work ethic when it comes to my classes, I'd have an average in the mid-90s, no question. I spend all my time agonising over my lack of work ethic, and the stress has become hard to handle. The real problem, however, is just how much time I do spend on academic pursuits in my not-really spare time. Spending 6 hours a day working on language skills and linguistic knowledge is normal for a school day (I do some of it in class), and 10+ hours is not unheard of on weekends. It's not that I don't have a life, because I *do*, I just choose to ignore it most of the time. I can't seem to befriend people in my age group, and that is partially why I chose the accelerated schedule. If it helps to give you an idea, I have mild-Aspergers and NLD (Non-verbal Learning Disorder). Anyway, that may be irrelevant.

I sacrificed this summer (well, the potential of 12-16 hours of language study per day) for school, and it has gone much worse than expected- I ended up with a 70 in English after a major bout of procrastination (did the whole course in one day), and failed math. I'm not even sure that I'd be able to apply to American universities (I'm Canadian) with an F on my 11th grade transcript, especially for a course that's usually required for admission (I'd be taking it again next year, but I haven't talked to my school counsellor yet). Most of what I'm going to apply with is finalised at this point, and I really can't bare the fact that my future is so dependent on a set of numbers that couldn't reflect the past few years any worse. Most people I know my age have already gotten into their groove when it comes to school. I haven't, and have no reason to think I will before I have the opportunity to study what I want.

Of course, I've had to show a great deal of ambition for my teachers and counsellor to allow me to take on such a workload, and I've already disappointed them. I'm not quite sure what my recommendations are going to look like, and how I should justify my grades in my personal statement. As for SATs, I'm taking them in October, and to be honest, I'm not really worried- 2100+ is most likely, but I shouldn't get arrogant. My extra-curriculars aren't that impressive, but I'll have to supplement that with various language certificates to prove the levels I've achieved on my own, in addition to tutoring languages. I should also mention that I intend to major in linguistics and/or a modern language, and I see graduate school as an integral part of my future, likely in Indo-European studies. My job goal is ideally to be a professor/"scholar" but after graduation I'd like to teach English around the world and foreign languages to high school students back home. Maybe do a bit of translation to. That's probably irrelevant but I'm just throwing everything out there.

If I do manage to graduate the year early, as intended, what advice could you offer? What are my chances for admission into "top-tier" universities? Is there anything I can do to improve my chances? Am I entirely out of the running for any scholarship money? I should also mention that, next year, I intend to do my best and make sure my 12th grade marks are good enough for Canadian universities (UBC and McGill, for example), as I can't rely on SAT scores there. And lastly, could anyone recommend schools that would be suitable for me (where I can actually get in!)? I'm open to any suggestions. Personality-wise, I'm better suited to a smaller school. At least from what I've been told.

I know it's a lot of questions, but any help is appreciated!

He's the Next Tiger Woods.

Fairchild — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:48:02 -0800

How are American parenting practices unique? How are the parenting practices of Americans unique regarding the success of their children?

I know every family is unique but I'm looking for generalizations.

Do Europeans "groom" their kids like some American parents do? Is there an overemphasis on their children's resumes like there is in the USA? Are kids in other parts of the developed world taking test-prep courses and music lessons and being labeled as gifted at the same rate?

As an American parent I notice that many parents are hyperfocused on their kids' future and present abilities. We seem to worry a lot about how talented our kids are. Many are preoccupied with giving their children a "cutting edge".

Do other cultures invest this much time and energy in their kids academic and athletic success? What are the differences and attitudes?

I'm curious about these differences because I'm always seeking balance when it comes to parenting. I feel like I am a relaxed parent but admit to occasionally feeling competition and believing I should have "above-average" children.

Thanks.

Inflated grades or inflated hype?

hiteleven — Mon, 11 May 2009 16:34:50 -0800

Is grade inflation really that serious a problem at colleges and universities? Looking to cut through the rhetoric associated with this issue. Before posting this question, I dutifully sought out an answer through Google, and I didn't realize that grade inflation had become such a political issue. I don't exactly follow radical right wing punditry, so I didn't realize that to so many from that lot Harvard = grade inflation = some sort of liberal plot or another. Well, whatever.

I know that there are statistics out there that show that, for example, Ivy League schools hand out a higher percentage of high grades than they did, say, a half-century ago. But that doesn't really tell me much. There could be a number of factors in play to explain these figures. But nobody appears to want to analyze the situation objectively.

So what I'm asking is this: has anyone been to a school where they perceived grade inflation to be a serious issue? That is, were there large swaths of students getting high grades who didn't deserve them? If so, how did this work? Could they actually skip assignments and still do well, or was it more like they just had to put in a minimum amount of effort to do the necessary work? Was it so bad that students expected high grades when they clearly had no business doing so?

I know that grades don't mean a lot to most people. But the reason I ask is that I'm in a grad school program that draws students from a wide variety of backgrounds, and I'm surprised at the sense of entitlement some people have when it comes to getting the A-level grades they need to stay in good standing. Where I came from in undergrad, the students that worked the hardest (i.e. those destined for grad school) seem to worry about their grades the most. Where I am now, nobody seems to stress about grades. It's odd.

How do I find a job with my college resume?

Team of Scientists — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 21:21:28 -0800

I'm about to graduate with a BS in electrical engineering. I never had an internship, co-op, etc., and I have a kinda crappy GPA. Where do I begin my job search? OK, lemme try to sum up my undergrad experience as concisely as I can:

I enrolled at the University of Michigan back in 2002. My first few years went well; my GPA through five semesters was just under a 3.5. Right about then (Winter 2005), everything kinda came off the rails.

It's hard to describe what was going on in my head at that time. The best I can offer is immaturity and habitual procrastination snowballed into a period of extreme anxiety. I came out 4 semesters later with a D and three E's scattered amongst B's and C's. My GPA plunged.

After failing to climb out of academic probation for three straight semesters, the college of engineering said I had to take a semester off. So I did. Then all my friends graduated. And then I took another semester off. And another. I awoke in 2008, twenty credits away from graduating and with $30,000 of student loans (out-of-state tuition at U of M is steep, especially after 3 junior years).

Anyway, I took a summer course and some more engineering coursework this fall, and now I'm on the verge of graduation. I'm working much harder now, but my GPA will probably be somewhere between a 2.7 and 2.8 when I'm done.

I admit that I've never really put any effort into finding any kind of EE-related work. I've always felt a little detached from the field. My peers have always seemed more immersed in the subject matter than me, so I fear that I'll be overshadowed by the really passionate kids at job fairs/in interviews. Now I realize that I just gotta get over that fear and apply for these jobs anyway. The problem is that I feel a little late to the party now that I'm about to graduate in the spring with no work experience.

My coursework is kind of a grab-bag assortment of EE classes (a little communications, some DSP, some control systems). I don't have time to tailor it to any particular EE subfield. This seems like it will probably limit my prospects.

It seems that every internship posted online says something to the effect of "Must be graduating later than May 2009 for consideration." Meanwhile, entry-level positions often list GPA requirements of 3.0+.

So, where do I begin? Should I go for an internship or full-time, entry level job? How hire-able am I? Is my case hopeless? Will I be ok provided I put in the necessary leg-work? Are there any alternative options that I've overlooked?

How can I ask why I'm getting such good grades?

youcancallmeal — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:47:15 -0800

How can I ask my professors if the grades that they're giving me are inflated or not? I've been getting really good grades this semester on the papers and exams that I've been turning in (B+ to A) in a range of upper level undergraduate political science classes and I can't help but notice that I'm not putting very much effort into them (mostly because I'm taking 21 credits and don't have time to devote to each assignment). Because I don't believe that I'm preternaturally gifted or anything, I'm starting to wonder: am I getting these grades on the basis of the work or because I speak up in class and am friendly to the professors? I do know that these grades are not being given to everyone in the class. I am at the higher end of the grade scale.

I plan on applying to and attending graduate school in the near future and am thinking of pursuing political theory, so knowing my actual skill level at research and writing would be helpful so that I can improve where necessary. How can I broach this issue with my professors without looking a gift horse in the mouth or risking my grades for the rest of the semester?

How to deal with the heartbreak over a bad grade?

shamble — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:31:26 -0800

How to deal with the heartbreak over a bad grade? I am a first year masters students at a reasonably good university doing engineering. I have never been extremely smart, and my grades have been always good, but not spectacular. What has gotten me through all these years has been hard work and I mean REALLY hard work. Yet, despite the fact that I work harder than everyone else I know (no exaggeration), I always end up getting average grades. This especially hurts when I help someone else with the same course work, and they end up doing better than I, for example, in assignments or studying for the midterm. I have more or less come to peace with the fact that I am an average student, but why does it hurt SO bad when I can't get good grades in my courses, and does anyone have any advice on how to deal with the heartbreak? It's basically crippling to the point that for a day after I get my grades back I can't concentrate, though I know I would be much better off working instead of dwelling. This has also been going for as long as I remember, so I don't think I am ever going to get used to my average grades - it always hurts just as bad as the last time. I also end up eating chocolate and comfort food, which is pretty ridiculous. Please help!

ayes and seas or all bees?

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 05:50:03 -0800

Here's a question: What would you rather see on a grade report: a collection of A/A-s and the occasional C, or consistent B/B+s? If there were two students, and their GPAs were the same, and you were the director of admissions of some academic program, who would you pick? I'm in college. My grades have been scattershot, but have been steadily rising, and I've been on the Dean's list last semester, with one of my professors mentioning that I was 'miles and miles ahead of [my] peers'.

I'm concerned about my study priorities, as when I'm short on time, I'll decide to focus my energy on one or two courses, sometimes leaving the others to suffer. More often than not, I'll do fine, but I've had semesters full of As, Bs, and Cs.

I've been reconsidering -- is this a bad idea? Should I try to divide my work, so I get consistently half-decent grades rather than very good grades on the majority of my classes and very bad grades in another? What do you think?

To purposely make myself below-average to avoid being average?

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:39:57 -0800

What looks, uh, the least bad on a transcript - a C or a D w/ an A or B as a repeat grade? Basically, I want to know from a school or employer's point of view, is the better to have received a grade of a 'C' or to have gotten a non-passing grade 'D' or similar with a higher grade the next quarter when I'd retake the course? The original grade will not factor into my GPA, however it would still appear on the transcript. I'm confident I'd do much better the second time around, but is it even worth it or should I just try to finish off the course strong and most likely, end up with a C or C+. It should be noted I have to achieve a C- or worse to be eligible to repeat the course, so getting a D would be on purpose.

Should I grade grub now or later or ever?

martinX's bellbottoms — Tue, 20 May 2008 18:58:04 -0800

Should I talk to my professor about getting an exemption on a test grade before or after final grades come out (and I learn whether it actually matters)? I broke my wrist the evening before my last physics test of the semester. Consequently, my grade was not nearly as high as it could have been. The people at the medical department and one of my TA's both mentioned the possibility of exempting the grade (essentially giving me a 0/0) but I didn't bother to pursue it because I figured I wasn't close enough to a grade dividing line for it to make a difference. Then the final came around and I kinda bombed it (for reasons mostly unrelated to my wrist, but that's another story). Recalculating my grade I seem to just barely have a C. If I were to drop that test grade I would comfortably have a C.
Getting the test score dropped will probably require quite a bit of effort for me and the professors involved, so I'd rather not bother if it turns out to not be necessary. On the other hand, I'm worried if I wait until I find out if I failed, the professors will be less sympathetic. Is this a valid concern? Should I start talking to people before final grades are posted? Or really, do I even deserve to get the score dropped in the first place? I mean, in the grand scheme of things, a broken wrist isn't that serious, and I hadn't otherwise been exactly acing the class and I'm not sure if I want to be that kid who's always trying to make excuses for bad grades.
Also, if I do decide to seek a exemption, who should I talk to first? The person who ultimately will make the decision is the course administrator who seems like an ok guy but probably has to deal with a lot of kiddies like me whining about their grades at the end of the semester. Would I be better off first going to either the professor who taught my section of the class or to one of the people in the medical department who offered to help me deal with making up work?

Failed School, Succeeded Life

divabat — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 15:22:54 -0800

Who in history (or in your life) has flunked/failed in school or university, but has gone on to great success? They don't always have to be dropouts, just those that failed in school assessments (so not people like Bill Gates who dropped out because of a clash with his fledgling business). Bonus points if their failure is the same thing that led to their success - for instance, yesterday I read about an Australian music photographer whose photo won a music magazine competition and earned him a job as staff photographer, but the same photo got him a fail at TAFE. Or a graphic designer who failed in Arts at school.

By "success" it doesn't have to be "million dollars" - any definition (respect, happiness, sustainability) will do.

Long time listener, first time caller

malapropist — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:01:56 -0800

I'm failing Trig. What would be a good makeup assignment to suggest to my teacher? Do college teachers even do that kind of thing? Hi, I'm going to a community college in southern California with intentions to transfer to a CSU. Yesterday, I calculated my grade in Trigonometry, which was hurt greatly by my last test's results. If I scored every possible point left in the class, I'll still get a D. A friend told me that when she was in college, her friends managed to pull their grades up "all the time" by asking their instructors for some kind of special makeup assignment late in the semester.

However, I don't see my Trig instructor going for it. This guy has seen it all; he's 70 something, he's mentioned he's not impressed with the performance of our class overall, and after giving me my grade, noted that I haven't done homework in a month. In the end, I don't deserve sympathy. The best excuse I could give is that a full-time load of classes threw me, and the learning curve turned into a brick wall in all my classes at the same time. The truth is I focused on my other classes at the expense of this one.

Either way, I'd never heard of makeup work of that nature in a college course, and I'm skeptical. Clearly, if this strategy is going to work, I need to impress to him that I'm willing to work extra-hard to learn the material, and that I'm being proactive.

Have you ever been assigned some kind of makeup work like this in a college class? What would be a good way to approach my instructor on this subject? I feel like I should have an assignment in mind, perhaps a proof, or some other way of showing I am comfortable with mathematics in general (which I am). Googling revealed little, but I know we'll be using some trig in calculus, is there something I could learn about in that sense that shows I'm concerned with math for more than just getting a grade?

The worst that will happen is he says no, and I withdraw from the class next week. Still, I'd rather not do that, so I throw myself at the mercy of the hivemind. Thanks for reading (if you got this far :)

Help me with my professor problem

Anonymous — Thu, 24 May 2007 21:32:01 -0800

How do I make sure my professor doesn't hate me? I've had a rough time in one of my classes this term. I turned in the first assigned essay nearly two weeks late, after repeatedly breaking deadlines I set for myself in conversations with the professor. I've also failed to turn in two small (one-paragraph) writing assignments. The professor has repeatedly told me that I need to increase my participation during in-class discussions. I've missed class both of the last two Thursdays. Most recently, I missed class on the first class meeting after she chastised me for not picking up a reading distributed during a class meeting I missed, and told me I must be prepared to discuss the reading and answer questions in the next class meeting. The one I missed.

The thing is, I'm not a slacker. When I roll over in bed and see that class has ended and I've slept through it, I'm immediately on the verge of tears. It completely ruins my day. I don't want to miss class, and I definitely didn't want to screw up my grade. Problem is, my clinical depression makes it exceedingly difficult to wake up in the morning. I don't have the energy, and I often sleep straight through the three alarms I've set for myself. I don't participate in class as often as I'd like to because my severe social anxiety is a significant barrier to speaking up, especially in a class this small (less than 10 students). I'm working on all of this with a shrink and pills, but it's not an overnight cure.

I'm concerned that my professor will fail me in the class, and also that she thinks I'm just another slacker, when I'm absolutely not. What is the best way to communicate to her the reasons for my piss-poor performance, without making it seem like I'm trying to take all the blame off myself (I'm not)?

Chasing grades

b33j — Thu, 24 May 2007 18:51:26 -0800

Chasing grades is no longer working for me. I feel terrible when I get less than perfect grade, even if I have put in a great effort, even if I get the next best grade. Yesterday I got an award for having the highest GPA in my cohort last year. I felt great. Today I got a Distinction on an assignment instead of a High Distinction. I'm miserable. That's stupid. I have no intention of going to grad school. My future career will depend on a decent portfolio rather than a GPA. I'm still afraid I won't be good enough to compete against young designers but that's a bridge to cross 18 months from now. I just don't know what's reasonable to aim for, to be happy with. Suggestions? Websites?

Details: Australia, distance education & mature age student, university, multimedia design, female, email in profile. Grading system as follows: Fail (>50%), pass (50-65%), credit(65-75%), distinction(75-85%), high distinction (85-100%)

Rock Bottom

Anonymous — Mon, 21 May 2007 11:00:28 -0800

How can I feel better about grades when they're said and done? This semester was a rough one, with relationships, too many credits, and lots of other responsibilities. The result is basically a B/B- average when I usually maintain a 3.5 - so my overall GPA is dropping 0.1 or more. I know, things could be worse, I guess. But it is still a massive hit to go from a 3.51 to a 3.3 something in one semester (halfway through college). It kills me, really. I can't get the semester dropped or anything, because I wasn't clinically depressed - basically, I had some relationship foibles (well, a relationship ended) around midterms, leaving me with some Cs and Ds which destroyed my chances of a great semester. I did what I could to make things better and I might avoid Cs in end of semester grades.

I'm already thinking about taking fewer classes next semester and getting a 3.8+ or something. But it's the summer, so I can't see myself making any progress for a while. Is there anything I can/should do? Also, how much impact does GPA have on life, you think? Having a 3.0 or lower GPA for one semester? I'm rather scared by things with permanent impact, and this seems to be one of them.

Bad GPA = No future?

Anonymous — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 17:13:32 -0800

I'm a sophomore physics major at a fairly prestigious university (USN&WR Top 25) known for its technical and scientific offerings. My parents currently pay for tuition and dorm housing, with no financial aid. However, my grades have been lower than they expected, and they are now refusing to pay for me to return next year. What are my options? My parents say that they're not getting their money's worth for the grades I'm producing, so they are now only willing to pay if I transfer to the cheaper state school or local community college. My total GPA without this semester is about a 2.5, but it was this semester's mid-term grades that pushed my parents over the edge, a 1.75 (with not much hope for improvement before the end in a few weeks). They also say that I'm wasting my time at my current school, since a bachelor's in physics is useless except as a step to graduate school - and that I can't get into graduate school with my GPA.

My main question is about options. What can I do? If I try to remain at my current school, is it worth it to get a loan and live with the debt after I graduate? There's no way a job I could get would even put a dent in tuition payments. Is a bachelor's in physics in fact useless with my GPA? One of my advisors mentioned that physics majors often went to law school, which is something I've always wanted to do - is that impossible as well? Any general advice would also be appreciated.

How do you deal with a company's request for a transcript if your grades aren't that great?

Anonymous — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 20:59:34 -0800

How do you deal with a company's request for a transcript if your grades aren't that great? My friend is applying to a software developer position at a software company. She's fresh out of university with a degree in computer science and the company wants to see her transcript, but her grades aren't that great, mostly in the C range. Grades were not a concern because she figured she wouldn't be pursuing computer science in grad school and figured that she'd never face a company asking for a transcript. Does anyone have any suggestions for dealing with this situation?

How to block access to my online college account, even for me?

Betty_effn_White — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 10:55:48 -0800

Ok, so my college grades weren't the best. Is there any way to disable access to my online grades? My dad has been nagging me for my grades, which are terrible for a myriad of reasons I won't bore you with. He is a very explosively angry man. I would rather avoid the screaming match until Sunday, when I will be safely back on the opposite coast and I can clean up my mess a little bit. Calmly explaining why I did so poorly (one C, one W, and one no pass) is out of the question.

Is there any way to temporarily disable access to my online account (my.pcc.edu)? Maybe some kind of blocker that will make the website look broken from the home's IP?

I would like to be able to hangout with my dad without the hive inducing anxiety that he will discover my grades.

Please no "you dug your own grave" responses. I will tell him, but at a time when my progress is evident and not seemingly empty promises.

Help me be a better dad

keep it tight — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 15:11:39 -0800

My 15 year old is starting to slack off at school. Help me make her understand that she needs to straighten up! She has always been an honor roll student, but recently has taken a greater interest in boys...

Now the grades are slipping and she is in danger of a failing grade.

I have talked to her, taken away phone and internet access, threatened to have her change schools...

How do I make her see the light?

Why is the most common letter of the alphabet not found on report cards?

Afroblanco — Wed, 03 May 2006 18:46:45 -0800

From jr. high through grad school, we may see the following letters on our report cards : A, B, C, D, F. Why no E?

To confront or not to confront?

Who_Am_I — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 16:40:32 -0800

Is it foolish to confront a teacher about his behavior in class if our final is in one week? Tonight in class, instead of teaching, one of my teachers singled out a particular student and told her that her negative comments during the semester had been detrimental to the class, said that she acted like she was 'in junior high', said that he had never had anyone act like she acts in class, and eventually asked if she would like to defend herself against these charges.

Although blind-sided like this, she handled herself very well, and drew some shocked support from the rest of the class. He later told us that he was glad that he was not teaching the next course in the series because he didn't want to deal with us again (both parties are relieved that this is the case it seems).

We are a small class in a small department, and most of us have had this teacher 2 or 3 times before, although I don't expect to have him again. He has something of a reputation for not teaching well, and this student's comments often reflected the class' frustration with his teaching style. The frequency of these comments was maybe 1 or 2 per 2 1/2 hour class, and would probably be considered sarcastic and somewhat disparaging.

My feeling is that this was completely inappropriate and unprofessional behavior on his part, and that he should have confronted her outside of class. Also, it seems that he should have said something early in the semester to head this problem off instead of waiting until the last day of class (when this was mentioned he claimed that it would have 'damaged the class'). He claimed tonight that he had discussed the 'situation' with the department chair previously, although he didn't go in to any more detail than that.

Well, I'm home now and I was about to email the professor to let him know how I felt, but then I hesitated. I have this teacher for two classes right now, and our finals are next week. I am concerned. This already seems like an incredible breach of student-teacher ethics for him to basically tell us that he hates us, and then expect to go on to grade our finals.

Not writing until the semester is over is an option, but it seems like we should all be saying something now if we're going to at all. Writing anonymously doesn't really seem feasible since there are only about ten of us in the class, so it wouldn't be much of a mystery. If I don't write at all, I will be tacitly supporting what he did.

What should I do?

I fucked up. What now?

Stauf — Fri, 13 May 2005 12:31:04 -0800

I'm in my third year of college, and I just got grades back from this past semester. I've always been an A/B student; my gpa has been around 3.66 or so. This last semester I had a bunch of relationship-related/personal trouble; I was diagnosed with depression and generalized anxiety disorder. [consequences inside] For a large part of the semester things were really, really bad, and I just didn't care enough to do much work or I just couldn't concentrate on anything. I'm on Zoloft now and have been feeling much better, but now I feel kind of shitty about myself and my future after seeing my grade report for this past semester. I ended up with two C-'s, a D, and an F. My overall grade point average has dropped to a 2.74 because of this.

Needless to say, all of this has left me feeling pretty depressed and angry at myself for having single-handedly screwed up my gpa in one semester, not to mention my relationships with my professors. I wasn't sure exactly what I was going to do after college; I was thinking about grad school, but now I'm worried that I've blown my chances for getting into a decent school. Has anyone else had this sort of experience? How did you bounce back(both in a mental sense and in a real-world sense)?