<p>So I just finished midterms, and I am really disappointed. I am a bio major, and when I take midterms/finals for classes such as Chem and Bio, I feel like Ive done really well in them, and that I'll definitely get an A, but then I find out that I barely got 1 SD above the mean--so this leads me to two questions/concerns (btw, I know there are probably some of you out there seeing this and thinking "wow, this guy's such a d***, he's not even satisfied with getting above the mean, blah, blah).
My two questions are:
1)What does almost 1 SD above represent (like Im talking if the SD was 4, and you were 4 points above)? I am pretty sure its barely a B? Please correct me
2)What can I do to make that push into the A range?</p>
<p>O when they said the 65-95-99 rule it doesn’t mean that if your 1 sd above the mean your above 65% of the student. It basically means that if you move 1 Sd away form the mean 65% of the scores will be in that range but it doesn’t include those with scores lower then that 1 SD.</p>
<p>if you look at a normal distribution a 1 SD means that you score ~ 84% above everyone else in the class as long as the distribution is normal</p>
<p>peterr86 is correct based upon your INITIAL statement that you are barely above 1 SD. You are above all of the people (65%) who are within the 1SD below and above PLUS you are above the 17% who are below 1SD (total 82% or so). Based upon your initial statement:</p>
<p>To find out whether it’s an A or B, either
ask the prof what % of the class is going to get an A, or
look at historical grading distribution for your course and teacher at either myedu.com or another source</p>
<p>But there may be a bit of confusion in your ‘example’ that you are 4 points above a 1SD of 4 points. I would not think that that a standard 100 point test would have an SD of 4. This would be to say that a test with a mean of 68 would have 65% of students between 64 and 72. This would be a very tight curve (poorly designed test)</p>
<p>Since you may be right on the cusp, you may want to get more precise before you consult your prof or myedu.com . If the grade report doesn’t state an exact percentile for each student, use your exact score and the SD in a very simple spreadsheet function to calculate your exact percentile. Then compare your percentile with information from your prof or myedu.</p>
<p>The mean is usually a C+/B-, 1SD below or above is approximately D+/C- and B+/A- respectively. If you want an A, aim for 1.25-1.5 above the mean. This was my experience after 4 years of bio.</p>
<p>You may try changing your study habits. One of my motivators was hanging around highly motivated peers. You might also form study groups if that’s your thing and try to be the group coordinator, forcing you to know your stuff. Don’t feel too bad though, It’s a competitive major in that most of the people have an avid interest in biology and have a knack for it to a certain extent.</p>
<p>Just do well on the final. I don’t think they calculate grades until the end when all your points are added up. Plus it also depends on how hard your teacher is. Some classes like Chem have really tough exams as I’m finding out =[ </p>
<p>I really did poor on the Math midterm though…so now I’m studying harder for that one class. Just try to find out what is giving you a hard time and try to invest a little more time into that one subject. I know its hard and all finding time…especially with that horrid Chem lab course…but its amazing what you can do when you’re focused.</p>
<p>Bio should not be a problem. I found the material really straightforward and general compared to 93. Well I have Prof. Burley, and I thought her test was really fair and almost too easy. I guess I shouldn’t be saying this but the reading is sort of…useless?</p>
<p>Try to make use of all your resources. Go to office hours. Also go to the free tutoring if you need it. I personally didn’t find the tutoring sessions very useful for Bio93, but I did attend the review sessions for Bio93/94 and they helped A LOT. </p>
<p>Being on SD away from the mean doesn’t really matter that much right now. It might tell you where you stand right now compared to others, but it doesn’t really mean you got a B and there’s no hope. It just shows you that if you want an A, you need to try a little harder (not criticizing you for not trying). If you feel like you are trying hard and not getting the results you’d like to see, try to change something. If you’re studying with friends right now, maybe try studying alone, or the other way around. Something like that.</p>
<p>Ok, maybe I’m completely wrong. Bad joke. Maybe you will get a B. But still, would that really be so bad? If you’ve tried your best, I would just accept that its a hard subject for you. Myself, I’ve rarely gotten A’s in math classes but I guess its just because I’m not a math person. I hate math with a passion and I’ve accepted that even though I might not be #1 in math, I will have at least tried.</p>