<p>Hey all computer science people! I heard that about all the computer science professors grade with a bell curve. May somebody want to elaborate on how the bell curve works?</p>
<p>A bell curve is a curve shaped like an upside down "bell". Most people get the middle grades (B/B-), and very little people get the extreme grades (A+ or D-/F). Hence, the curve looks like a bell.</p>
<p>For more info, check out this recently created thread which you might have skipped
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/666708-computer-science-competitiveness.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/666708-computer-science-competitiveness.html</a></p>
<p>Hey kevin are you Kevin Tham? Haha if so then I know you :)</p>
<p>The lower division CS courses aren't graded on a bell curve. Your grade is based entirely on how many points you've earned.</p>
<p>Whether or not the bell curve applies depends on which classes your in. It may apply in some classes, but from my experience so far, the bell hasn't been directly applied to any of my CS classes yet.</p>
<p>The general idea is that a certain percentage of people get certain grades, so the distribution of grades is always consistent. That means - your grade is dependent upon how others do.</p>
<p>What I dont understand is, how can it possibly be competitive if theres is no bell curve? Everybody is on their own and nobody is fighting for a grade. Can somebody clarify that up for me?</p>
<p>It's not competitive in the sense of students fighting each other. It is just tough material.</p>