grading

<p>How difficult is it to get really good grades at rice (for pre-med)? is rice known for grade deflation like JHU or inflation like Princeton? or somewhere in between?</p>

<p>I've heard that most classes are graded on a curve, which makes it quite competitive...do any current Rice students know if this is true?</p>

<p>I know it is difficult to earn an A+.</p>

<p>It really depends upon the major. Some classes, it's easier to get an A or even an A+ than other classes.</p>

<p>My high school never graded on a curve so I never knew what it truly meant. I though grading on a curve would make the class easier because if everyone messed up on the test and the highest score was like a 50, then amost everyone can get As, and Bs. However if everyone made a bad grade except for 2 people who made As, then most everyone would be screwed. Am I not correct?</p>

<p>"Grading on a curve" means different things to different people. Some profs use a bell curve, where you end up with the scores being ranked so that the majority of the people end up with a C, and then the scores taper off on either end, giving fewer B's and D's, and even fewer A's and F's. Not many profs do this...</p>

<p>Some profs grade on a curve such that the highest grade received on an exam is bumped up however many points to 100 points, so if they received a 70, you'd add 30 points to give them the 100, and then 30 points are added to everyone else's exams.</p>

<p>"Grading on a curve" is pretty arbitrary. Yes, a lot of classes at Rice are graded on a curve, but that really doesn't mean anything until you learn how the curve is generated. I wouldn't worry about the 'curve' thing too much. Just take each class as it comes.</p>