Hello friends, I’m back! Once again, thanks for taking the time to read/answer this. (By the way, I’m currently a junior.)
In 10th grade, I got a B+ (88.31) first semester of AP Calc AB. I honestly don't know why, but that's what happened, and I was really close. Second semester I got a solid A (95.03) and I also got a 5 on the AP test. This year, I'm taking Calc BC with the same teacher, and so far, am hopefully on track to get As both semesters. Would it be reasonable to politely ask the teacher, closer to the end of the year, if he would consider changing my first semester AB grade?
This year (11th grade), I got Bs both semesters of AP Physics 1, due to a combination of a lot of things. Again though, I'm on track to hopefully get As both semesters of AP 2 (Again, with the same teacher). Would it be reasonable to ask this teacher for a grade change?
And if you’re wondering why I’m trying to get grade changes, it’s because by the end of my junior year I will most likely have a 4.59 W/3.79 UW and would love for the UW to be a 3.8, so even one small bump would do it.
@“Erin’s Dad” @Lindagaf@intparent Thanks for all your responses. Just thought I would ask because teachers at my school have done grade changes for people before.
From last year?!?!? No, that ship sailed long ago.
So, for the sake of a 0.01 change in GPA, you are asking if it’s worth it to get a reputation as a grade grubber? Teachers talk. And one of those teachers who heard the story will like be one that you will need to ask for a recommendation next year. It’s not worth it.
Had you asked right away, there might have been a chance.
My son received a score of 89.85 in Econ on his first semester senior year grade report. That’s a B and only 0.15 pts below an A (this teacher does not do +/- nor does the school consider +/- in computing GPA). Furthermore, this would have been his only B since sophomore year, and he was hoping to show a 4.0 for junior & senior years. So he politely emailed the teacher asking if there were any way to ‘round up.’ Teacher gave him an extra credit assignment, which he promptly did, and the grade was changed from B to A. This is the only time he ever asked for such consideration. College recommendations had all been written by this time.
Putting perceptions of “grade grubbing” and recommendations aside, here is another reason why asking for a grade change is unlikely to work. Whether you think it is fair or not, your teacher has a grading system, and has probably used that same system for years. If he/she retroactively changes your grade based on the small percentage point difference and the AP test result, then he/she may feel (as I certainly would) that there was a need to go back and do the same for every other student in that particular situation. Otherwise it would be unfair to those students to change your grade and, in effect, institute a new system of retroactive evaluation that wasn’t also applied to their similar circumstances. Doing it on a piecemeal basis, based solely on who has the gumption to make the request, is not a fair system and few if any teachers would embrace it–certainly not any responsible ones.
You should always question any grades immediately.
The answer is probably no, one of the reasons being what others mentioned about recommendations and while I am not suggesting you should ask I certainly would not ask until your year is over and you have this year’s grade.
However, you know your school culture better than random strangers on the internet. What were the circumstances that other people asked? What happened? How were they regarded afterwards? Where did they end up for college?
Finally, are you a generally tactful person? Will you be able to ask in a humble manner? Do you have a reason for asking? Or is it just your AP grade? Is there a school policy on this?
I do not believe it matters about the teachers grading system, from what I have seen my kid’s teachers grade pretty randomly at times.