<p>How do I ask a professor to bump my letter grade up in a class. In Chem, I made an 89.3, while the class average was a C-. In order to make an A-, I need a 90. So far for my other classes:
Biology (4 Credits) - (A)---94
English (4 Credits) - (A)----95
Intermediate Microeconomics - (A)----95
Chemistry - (B+)----89.3
Total Gpa for Semester: 3.85........</p>
<p>If I was bumped up to an A- in Chemistry, my gpa would be a 3.925. Right now it is a 3.85.</p>
<p>I don't want to sound whiny or like a grade-whore, but I feel as if I worked really hard in that class, and it could really help my gpa out.</p>
<p>My first semester I made a 3.75.....So right now the total gpa for my freshman year is a 3.8, but if I was bumped up to an A-, it would be around a 3.84 overall.....</p>
<p>Getting that A-, would also really really help my science gpa out, because I am only taking the pre-reqs for medical schooll...I plan on double majoring in Econ/Poli Sci, so I don't have time to take a lot of upper level science classes.</p>
<p>The difference between a 3.8 and a 3.84 (which is pretty close to negligible anyway for the purpose of medical school admissions, especially after only the first year) isn’t worth alienating a professor. There isn’t a way to ask for a grade to be bumped without it sounding like grade grubbing.</p>
<p>There is, however, always the possibility that he/she will bump it on his/her own.</p>
<p>I did. I posted such threads in SDN and was ruthlessly attacked by SDN warriors. Those threads also contributed to making me look like a ■■■■■, resulting in an eventual banning of my usernames:</p>
<p>I am a professor. I have been asked to change grades at least a dozen times, usually by the students who need some minimum GPA to graduate, or to stay in a fraternity or on a sports team, but also sometimes by the pre-professional students who believe that they “need” a better GPA than they have to get in to med school or law school. I have never, ever changed a grade because of such a request and I cannot imagine any of my colleagues doing so. You get the grade that your work earned. Not the grade that you want or “need.” Which is not to say that I don’t curve grades–just that I apply the same curve to everyone in the class.</p>
<p>If you do ask your professor to change your grade, and he or she does so, I would love to hear about it.</p>
<p>I’m a professor as well and I concur with Amesie. I would never change a grade for these reasons. It would be completely unethical to do so. And you asking for an unearned grade change is unethical as well. Not the kind of character one is looking for in med school applicants. I hope you aren’t later also asking the same professors for letters of recommendation.</p>
<p>I don’t know the professor that well, so what they think of me is not really important, considering how the intro to chem class that I was enrolled in had 60 students. I doubt he will remember me at all. </p>
<p>ysk, did it work out for you? I hate how sdn mods are so quick to ban. I have had legit posts on there before, and they banned me for ■■■■■■■■ as well…■■■■■■■…</p>
<p>I like how there is no way of challenging the ban either. I once got banned for “■■■■■■■■”, then I created another username to challenge the original ban, and I got banned again. Its ■■■■■■■■, hate sdn</p>
<p>Wouldn’t recommend doing it. And don’t be so sure that prof doesn’t/won’t remember you. D encountered intro chem prof who actually does remember all of his students (75-100 students per intro class). He turned out to be a fabulous mentor and LOR writer. I’m certain it wouldn’t have gone so well if she had asked for a grade bump…and you can bet the prof WILL remember you, (and possibly share with colleagues) if you ask.</p>
<p>I did this a few times, always successfully. The key is, though, that there has to be an actual reason. And it usually works better during the semester rather than after. So, for example, when the professor gave much less extra credit for an assignment than the syllabus hinted he would, AND when his curve was much harsher than the curve his predecessor had given, then I successfully petitioned for a change. Alternatively, when my essay once didn’t include any of the catchphrases which overworked TAs missed, but actually included all the right concepts, I petitioned for the professor to raise the grade. (He was very unhappy about it.) Etc.</p>
<p>You can’t just tell him “I need a higher grade.” You have to tell him that you actually deserve a higher grade for X, Y, and Z reasons. If you don’t have those reasons, then harassing the professor constitutes borderline academic dishonesty.</p>
<p>DS petitioned for a change in the middle of a semester, under a somewhat different scenario.</p>
<p>He noticed that the grade for a taken-home assignment posted online is unusually low after the mid-term, and he was very sure there must be a mistake in the grading. He sent an email to the professor, requesting him to have a second look.</p>
<p>The professor responded within a few hours. After the investigation, the professor found that the home-grown script that he used to enter and upload the grades was broken when the last names of multiple students happen to be the same. If DS had not petitioned, his final grade might be much worse. This is because all of his grades would be switched with another student and that student received very poor grades (like C or C+) for most of his assignments and his midterm.</p>
<p>At that time, he could not decide whether he should petition to the professor directly, or to the TA. In the end, he decided to petition to the professor directly, because the professor, unlike some old professors, is young and very approachable, while the over-worked TA is not so approachable. (The professor himself even chatted online with his students – to answer questions the students may have, for an hour or two the evening before a mid-term or final.)</p>
<p>A lesson learned here: in a large premed class, the student had better monitor his/her grades closely. The rate of having a mistake could be quite high, especially by an overworked TA.</p>