BG college students. Quick question.

[kyod]

Do you think I have a case for arguing to higher powers than the professor? The prof basically told me to go fuck myself - he says that he doesn't need a reason, he just assigns grades to how he sees fit. He randomly stated that most people in "his business" assign an A at 94%, which I think is complete bullshit, especially for a class like Biochemistry.

No. His grading scale was approved by his department/dean of the college. If he only assigns an A at a 94% and above, you're SOL. You might think it's bullshit but it's his grading scale. Life isn't fair. And yes, many colleges/professors do not round your percentage up. A 93.71% is still an A-. If you did not like his grading scale in the syllabus, you could have withdrawn from the course the first day of classes.

Welcome to the real world. Shit isn't always fair. Complaining or throwing a fit to your professor won't help at all. In fact, it might actually harm you if you end up needing recs from professors in the department (Yes, professors talk shit about students to other faculty. The "I don't deserve this grade"-types are some of the ones they talk about).

[Heavencloud]

No medical school is going to give a shit if you got an A- in biochemistry. You may have some explaining to do if you got lower than a B- in prereqs like physics/organic chem/etc. If your transcript mainly has A's on it, you're fine, seriously... whether they're A's or A-'s.

Is your cumulative GPA over 3.5/3.6? Is your MCAT over 30/31? Do you have decent extracurriculars and clinical exposure/experience? If so, don't fucking worry, it won't be the A- in biochem that keeps you out of medical school.

My community college GPA was 3.71. My GPA at the university thus far is a 3.87. I aced both Organic Chem semesters. I kinda fucked up my Gen chem though last year, got one B and one B+. I'm not taking the MCAT til next year because I'm only technically a sophomore (I did my first two years in one at the CC). I'm working in hospitals teaching doctors how to use computerized charting systems, and I will be starting a two year scribe position in August.

I don't think I'll have a problem getting into med school... But I seriously am starting to DESPISE upper division biology teachers. Me and my friends have noticed that they're just people who couldn't get into medical school and want to screw over those of us who are ultimately better students than they were (this biochem teacher started the class by stating that he got a C when he took the class as an undergrad...).

[*Shinzon*]

It may not mean shit outside of school, but for someone looking to maintain a certain GPA for grad school it does matter, because it might mean the difference in getting a 4.0. Talk to the professor first and see if you can't just work it out with them. Explain your position to him first and then you can go to the head of the department and have them take a look at it. I was never personally in a position where I got a - grade ever but from people I know they always spoke to the prof first before going of their head. But at least this way you can go through proper channels and avoid getting on the wrong side of the prof.

[Boyiee]

kids are still doing premed/med school in the usa?

take your A- and join the military

[kyod]

It may not mean shit outside of school, but for someone looking to maintain a certain GPA for grad school it does matter, because it might mean the difference in getting a 4.0. Talk to the professor first and see if you can't just work it out with them. Explain your position to him first and then you can go to the head of the department and have them take a look at it. I was never personally in a position where I got a - grade ever but from people I know they always spoke to the prof first before going of their head.

If you want to put a target on your back for the rest of your academic career at that college, by all means complain to the department head about an A- instead of an A. It will do way more harm than good.

[*Shinzon*]

Hey, it matters to some people. I'd also never heard of anyone getting on a prof's shit list or an entire department's shit list so long as they actually talked to the prof about it respectfully and explained their position with reason. Just arguing on principle doesn't do anything. Talk to him about the grading scale and see what he says first and then if that doesn't work ask for further clarification from the dept. head. Obviously there is the exception with the complete douche bag prof, but that's not normally the case.

[Talus]

Sounds like you'll be fine, just don't underestimate the MCAT. With your GPAs and experience, you'll probably be fine with 28/29+, of course the average matriculant MCATs keep going up, whether you're applying M.D. or D.O.

You did get a bit of a raw deal, but they explained their grading policies upfront. It may help to talk to other people who have had the certain professors before to ask what they're like, if they're flexible/approachable/responsive/etc. Professors are no different than anyone else, some are really helpful, and some would rather be doing research than teaching an upper level biology class to people that, the majority of which are dicking around on Facebook in class.

[ZarakiKujata]

I didn't mention it but this was my biggest problem with the whole deal. My friend scored 3.6% worse than me in the class (he got a 76 on an exam I got an 88 on, and he got a 78 on one I got an 85 on) and he somehow pulled an A-. The class only had 4 tests worth 20% of your grade each, so that's a fair chunk. It just bothers me, lol.

Favoritism lol, he likes your friend doesnt like you tough luck, move on. The biochem professor at my school is a bitch and I'm dreading having to take it, occasionally another professor will teach an honors program section (where you essentially grade yourself) but its rare so if I pull a 93.7 in biochem next year I'm taking it and moving on lol.

[Heavencloud]

Sounds like you'll be fine, just don't underestimate the MCAT. With your GPAs and experience, you'll probably be fine with 28/29+, of course the average matriculant MCATs keep going up, whether you're applying M.D. or D.O.

You did get a bit of a raw deal, but they explained their grading policies upfront. It may help to talk to other people who have had the certain professors before to ask what they're like, if they're flexible/approachable/responsive/etc. Professors are no different than anyone else, some are really helpful, and some would rather be doing research than teaching an upper level biology class to people that, the majority of which are dicking around on Facebook in class.

Yea I mean I'm just trying to get the highest I can simply because I know how the trend is going for med schools. The average GPA and MCAT is steadily rising for MD, although... Having worked with MDs and DOs, I would be 100% fine with obtaining the DO degree, people who discriminate over 2 letters are retarded.

It's true that the guy would rather be researching, but I guess that's part of going to a research university rather than one that has good lecture instructors. I had 100x better professors at my CC for this reason, lol.

[Tyche]

It may not mean shit outside of school, but for someone looking to maintain a certain GPA for grad school it does matter, because it might mean the difference in getting a 4.0. Talk to the professor first and see if you can't just work it out with them. Explain your position to him first and then you can go to the head of the department and have them take a look at it. I was never personally in a position where I got a - grade ever but from people I know they always spoke to the prof first before going of their head. But at least this way you can go through proper channels and avoid getting on the wrong side of the prof.

Going into grad school, it isn't going to matter if he's got an A- or an A.

[Tyche]

Are you going to that univerrsity's grad school or transferring?

[kyod]

Hey, it matters to some people. I'd also never heard of anyone getting on a prof's shit list or an entire department's shit list so long as they actually talked to the prof about it respectfully and explained their position with reason. Just arguing on principle doesn't do anything. Talk to him about the grading scale and see what he says first and then if that doesn't work ask for further clarification from the dept. head. Obviously there is the exception with the complete douche bag prof, but that's not normally the case.

Trust me, professors remember -that- student who complains about an A- vs. an A. As someone who was a TA, word can spread fast among a department. You will become -that- student who thinks they are entitled to receive a certain grade, despite knowing the grading scale before doing any work for the class. There are still students certain professors talk about in the department I TA'd with because they would complain. You do not want to become -that- student.

I can understand (and encourage) going to a department head over a serious grading issue, but an A- vs. an A? That's just silly and makes you look bad, especially since you knew the grading situation.

But a a practical piece of advice, if an A- is causing you this much stress, you may want to change your career path.

[Heavencloud]

Are you going to that univerrsity's grad school or transferring?

My university does not have a medical school, so I will have no contact with them past my undergrad. I do need a couple LORs though, so rising hell over a stupid syllabus would probably work against me. Hoping and praying to get into UW school of medicine, which actually might be easier with a few A-s now that I think of it (they shy away from 4.0s for w/e reason).

[*Shinzon*]

Out of curiosity are you already on great terms with like 3 profs that you like and might take multiple classes with? Because then it wouldn't matter what you did in the case of this prof, unless you plan on taking him again in which case then I'd leave it alone.

[Tyche]

My university does not have a medical school, so I will have no contact with them past my undergrad. I do need a couple LORs though, so rising hell over a stupid syllabus would probably work against me. Hoping and praying to get into UW school of medicine, which actually might be easier with a few A-s now that I think of it (they shy away from 4.0s for w/e reason).

Are you sure UW does the - scale? If not, you're sitting on an A regardless.

[Heavencloud]

Are you sure UW does the - scale? If not, you're sitting on an A regardless.

UWs undergrad has a weird grading scale, but a GPA is a GPA on your transcript, so they see what grade you got when you apply.

[Heavencloud]

Out of curiosity are you already on great terms with like 3 profs that you like and might take multiple classes with? Because then it wouldn't matter what you did in the case of this prof, unless you plan on taking him again in which case then I'd leave it alone.

I don't, that's one disadvantage to being a transfer from a CC. The chem prof that I was counting on passed away, so I needa work hard next year to get some LORs, lol.

[Bregor]

If I was your professor, I would have changed it to a B+

[Ksandra]

hard lesson to learn, but reality is you got that syllabus on day one. In your future, if you see something questionable about the syllabus go to the prof before it becomes an issue, not after.


as others have stayed 100 times in the thread, you're sol and there are plenty of profs out there that do favoritism n' shit.

[ZarakiKujata]

UWs undergrad has a weird grading scale, but a GPA is a GPA on your transcript, so they see what grade you got when you apply.

Isn't it the AMCAS system since US med schools have their applications through them. Also, they shy away from 4.0s because those applicationss tend to be from gunners and nobody wants gunners