<p>I am taking Chemistry for Engineers at Iowa State and we just got our first test back: average on the first exam was 52. Most of the people in my recitation class got something in the 50-60 range. Is this normal? I got a 49 and I was shocked! I study a lot, never miss a recitation class and still do Chemistry SI at least twice a week. In my SI section, even the instructor felt like I was one of the best prepared students in our group! </p>
<p>One of the main things that contributed to our low scores is the fact that no partial credit was given to our work- so our TA sent some of our tests back to see if they could be regraded- is a low average normal for a first year Chemistry course? </p>
<p>I know he will be grading on a curve because half of our students don't even go to lecture anymore. I am never going to give up but I feel like this class will be a pain in the ass! :)</p>
<p>Study groups, study groups, study groups, and, yea, in case I forgot, study groups. Take advantage of office hours, and free tutoring if available. The grades are not unusual for the subject - the question is whether there’s curve at the end or not. If the course has a lab (it better :)) you might want to make sure you get 100%'s on the labs and blunt the impact.</p>
<p>College tests are not like high school tests in terms of problem difficulty and grading. While high school tests normally set an absolute standard like 70% = C-, 80% = B-, 90% = A-, and load up the test with easier questions so that most students can pass, college tests in large classes are often graded relatively (“on a curve”), and have more difficult problems (e.g. one problem that C students can do, another to separate the B students from the C students, and a third to separate the A students from the B students). With college tests, the intended median score is often around 50%, to get a good distribution of scores where differences are meaningful in assigning grades. But the 50% would correspond to whatever the intended median grade is (often B- or C+), rather than an F like it would be in high school.</p>
<p>Test I, I ended up with a 67 after adjustments- I just took test II today and even though I studied my ass off, I am probably getting something in the mid 70’s-which is very frustrating.</p>
<p>Historic averages for test II are about 65- I am performing above average but not well enough to get anything other than a mediocre, barely passing grade.</p>
<p>The passing C range is between 40%-75%. I am obsessed with this class because I have been improving a lot and I like the material, etc.</p>
<p>I still have hope that If I study my ass off, I could get at least a B-, cut off for a B- is at about 75%- I heard that they adjust grades towards the end of the course but I am not counting on that.</p>
<p>I guess, all I can do is continue to do what I am doing- coming to all lectures, recitation and Special Instruction sessions- hopefully we get rewarded at the end</p>
It isn’t unusual, at least. Grading at the college level is very much left up to the instructor. Some classes will have easy grading, others will have very harsh grading (like this course, apparently). Remember that professors are not generally allowed to flunk entire classes any more than they are allowed to give everyone an A. However harsh the grading seems, it simply means that you and your classmates are falling short of what your instructor thinks you should know, and the final grades will be more about a competitive assessment with your classmates.</p>
<p>Personally, I would not consider this to be the worst kind of grading scheme. The worst is when everyone is getting 90+%. I had a new instructor who wound up in that exact scenario, everyone going into the exam had an A, which he was not allowed to give to everyone… so the final exam was suddenly, unexpectedly, and brutally hard. I would always prefer where it starts hard and stays that way.</p>
<p>Yea those classes usually get curve. I remember in General Chemistry 2, the professor let us take home like 2 of 3 test @ 20% each so that was easy 40% for the class lol. University Physics 1st test got curve like 15-20 points on top of extra credit class (group) review game. Crazy grading.</p>