0.2% away from the next letter grade, grade appeal?

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>Sorry, this may be too long.</p>

<p>I received a grade that is 0.2% away from the next letter grade to which I have already emailed my professor about before the grade deadline. First I did not ask her to round it up. But I think my grade could have been different if she had graded it differently. So I asked her to relook at my small assignment to which I made a technological mistake on and have already notified her about before this and she said she would take a look at it. She even seemed okay with looking at it. A while ago, professor let us redo this assignment which she gave feedback on and we were supposed to resubmit it for a grade. </p>

<p>Seeing as this was a new website that our university used this year semester, my really stupid technological mistake from curiosity was that I submitted a blank/unfinished document to see what would happen before reading the submissions. I honestly did not think that the feedback comments were attached and could be replaced by another submission. I emailed her right away (panicking), she did not reply gave me a zero a week later, I emailed her again. (This professor was old so I don't think she knew how to read messages in the new university website). I did not think much of this assignment since it was not big in comparison to the others. But I still found a day to stay after class to talk about it to her along with my other assignments I had questions about. (Her office hours also conflicted with my class schedule in addition to this). She said she would go over it and she seemed genuinely okay about it. My other stupid mistake was that same day I resubmitted this assignment again just to make sure it was submitted (there were little trivial changes I made) I thought that even if I resubmit it again she would see the submission log/previous submissions (what university website would not have this feature?) (it is canvas by the way). Soon after break, I emailed her again when I was notified through email she was grading leftover assignments. She replied soon after and took off many points from lateness because I submitted it on that day I met with her, I think she may have forgotten. I replied right after explaining to her the whole ordeal again and my resubmission on that last time and asked if she could look at the submission log somewhere? I have offered to call her instead of email because it was too complicated but she has ignored my calls, i have not seen the grading on the syllabus yet so I emailed asking her if she could bump it up politely. this was over 2 days and right before the grading deadline. Next day, I noticed she has not changed it. should she take away points from just plain foolishness? </p>

<p>It just so happens that my grade was borderline, I wasn't planning on emailing her but I looked closely at the syllabus again (and found out whole numbers in the grading, they also do not follow the program's grading that she entered them in, btw this program is separate from the site where final grades are entered) and then suggested she round it up according to her syllabus and if it was a mistake please let me know (I sincerely thought it was a mistake, me being a freshman not knowing professors can do whatever they want), or I would have to contact the dean. I admit this may have been pushy, she replied that same day and said she syllabus does not state rounding, that the website enters it that way (which again does not follow her syllabus), that she was lenient with grading (actually not*), i had attendance issues (1 day only, when most others had more excused/unexcused), pointed out that I had zeros (only 1 ZERO) and after looking at my web folio I deserved it. Okay she already gave a grade for that already so what does that matter when it is already calculated into my overall grade.</p>

<p>I honestly don't think that web folio was bad either and I am sure I can talk about it with her or the dean when given the chance, I included everything and followed directions as was told. I feel like I worked hard for this class, it doesn't seem I did well or she doesn't notice it because this is my worst subject. I struggled in this class but I feel like still did well. I admit, I have retaken this class subject but I learned from that first time and strived to do better. I stayed up late nights for this college course. </p>

<p>I have already emailed the dean but just about the rounding (before realizing it is the professor's choice) as I could talk about the jists later after holiday vacation. But should I include other things again in email, if my professor hasn't replied back?</p>

<p>I am thinking of emailing my professor again apologizing for my pushyness in the last email, asking her to round and bring up the 0.2% (2 points), should I address anything that she said in her last email?</p>

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<p>I don’t think just asking her to bump up 2 points will work. I think you should try talking to her in person and explaining everything and offer an explanation for everything. She said you have multiple absences when you only have one and have zeros when you only have one… You could refute that in person and explain that. Maybe even show email logs of her saying that she wohld look at the assignment?</p>

<p>Honestly I think you should also approach this as you are asking her for a favor. Teachers aren’t required to round up. I would not be pushy and be really polite and nice and hope she forgives and starts liking you more. I’ve known teachers refusing to bump up 0.1%…</p>

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<p>If you are at an American institution and it is set up like most American institutions (with layers of administration between a professor and a dean, like a department chair, or, in some cases, an area chair), you committed a major violation of protocol by complaining directly to a dean and that’s not the type of behavior that is likely to encourage your professor to show you any sympathy. Just FYI.</p>

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<p>I think it’s okay to email a dean to find out what the protocol is if the teacher does not respond or if there are errors that you can prove wrong in the responses (if it is a huge class, I can understand frustration at proving attendance unless the teacher uses clickers or something). At my school, if students complain about grades even after consulting with me or with another teacher, I routinely advise them to go to the dean’s unit to file a form of concern if they are still not satisfied. I can tell this whole situation is bugging you, so yes, there probably needs to be someone in the middle (the dean who can listen to both sides and come to some type of solution. You need to have all the evidence available about what is going on, etcetera, and then the dean meets with the teacher about the concern and gets back to the student, either by mail, phone or in person. Sometimes the teacher is in at the meeting with the student, too. How do I know? I’ve ‘been there.’ Now, if the teacher is on break, then you have to be patient until you get a response. However, if you have records of emailing the teacher a couple of times with no response, you have every right to find out the next step if you believe there is a mistake with the system/the way your grades were entered per the syllabus… so good luck with it. It sounds complicated. Keep good records including the emails and your syllabus handy, and good luck.</p>

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<p>I emailed my professor again earlier apologizing for the grade push, and she replied that she will bump my grade up on another day. yay! I really feel happy about it, I am just not sure if I should thank her for that, or for the class as a whole?</p>

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<p>I would thank her for her consideration and wish her Happy New Year. Less is more sometimes.</p>

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<p>For future readers, unless the syllabus explicitly states that there is no rounding, I think it’s always fair to ask a prof if they round up in an instance like this (i.e. 0.5 or less away from next threshold)</p>