How to Negotiate a Better Grade from a Professor

Graduate School
1

<p>As a grad student, I have to take 4 courses. I have done 3 courses so far and two of them are 95%. However, I have one which is 73% (where 70% is considered fail). This course was Engineering Transport Phenomena (Fluid, Heat and Mass Transfer). </p>

<p>I worked extremely hard in the course. It was the hardest I had ever worked on a course. I went to EVERY class and sat at the front. I read through all the notes after class, hired a private tutor and organized study groups for my classmates. I completed all problem sets, and I even bought the optional textbook and solutions manual and completed every relevant examples/questions available. </p>

<p>The course consisted of two midterms (25% each) and one Final exam (50%). The two midterms were multiple choice and purely memorization. For the first midterm, I was not prepared for this and did only reasonably. However, I was completely prepared the second time and scored very well. I entered the final exam with a class mark of 90%. </p>

<p>I expected that the final exam didn't go well and looking at my final mark it is clear that it must not have. </p>

<p>Few things to consider: A few classes in, I suspected that his personality (not even his teaching method) was not for me. But I wanted to wait until the first midterm before passing judgment. The first midterm was past the drop deadline, but he assured the students that he would sign theirs. DURING the first midterm, he announced that no one would be allowed to drop the course; however, they could Audit it. The class right after the final exam, he put a stipulation that anyone who was auditing the course would need to get 70% on the final exam. This sealed your deal. If you didn't want to take the course, you would still have to get 70% on the final exam to not fail. The option to drop was out. </p>

<p>You were not allowed ask questions by appointment or e-mail. There was a 1hr tutorial before each test where all the students could go. If you went to him, he would shut the office door in your face. At the tutorial, each student was only allowed to ask one question. At exactly 60mins, he left the room whether or not you had more questions. </p>

<p>Multiple choice questions on the midterms is not very reasonable for this type of course. The final exam had two multiple choice questions (worth 12% each) and the rest were written questions. I know that on one of the 12% questions, I forgot to convert from hours into seconds, so I know I got it wrong. No part marks were ever given. </p>

<p>Scholarship and PhD applications are coming. And I realize that no matter what I do (take an extra course), I won't be able to pull my marks to something competitive. I have been nominated for study at the Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge. But with these marks, I won't get the funding that I need to go. </p>

<p>Even with a 10% mark raise, I will only be marginally competitive for these scholarships. </p>

<p>This one mark is ruining my whole future. It is closing everything that I have worked so hard for. </p>

<p>I really need to negotiate a better mark in the course. Other students have tried to talk to him, but he just -literally- shut the door. I have e-mailed many times to request to see my final exam and a solutions key. But there has been no response. </p>

<p>Assuming I can get a meeting with him, how can I negotiate a better mark? This is extremely important to me. I have never argued for a single mark in my life. This is not a matter of getting a few more marks. This is shutting the door to my life. I'm going to have to give up the opportunity of a life time. </p>

<p>I don't have any particular proof to ask for more marks. But there must be something I can do. </p>

<p>Please please please help. Please leave any advice, suggestions, or ideas of leverage that you may have.</p>

2

<p>Ask the DGS if there’s a way to see your final exam. Don’t mention that you’re trying to negotiate for a better grade until you’ve seen the final exam and seen what you’ve done wrong. That’s how I’d go about it… before moving onto Step 2.</p>

3

<p>THis is hard. I don’t think you’ll be able to negotiate with that prof if he is what you described. Good luck though. Let me know how it goes. Seems like you were prepared for the final. Did you fail the class?</p>

4

<p>Why do so many people feel like they deserve a good grade if they work hard? Studying, showing up for every class, putting in extra effort, etc. DO NOT entitle you to an A.</p>

5

<p>Thank you for your comment, VastlyOverrated.</p>

<p>Marks are earned. They are not given out for effort, or because they are “needed.” It would never occur to me to ask for something I did not earn, and I am shocked when students think that marks are like business deals, with their terms being somehow negotiable.</p>

<p>Bah.</p>

6

<p>Yeah grades are vastly overrated ( no pun intended)</p>

7

<p>Grade groveling is not the way to go. You were not prepared for the final and you torpedoed your final grade for the class. You went into the final with a 90%! What can you possibly say to the professor? Sorry, you have to deal with the consequences of possibly not getting funding. The students with better grades deserve the scholarships.</p>

8

<p>yeah, otherwise, just be honest with yourself. Be HONEST. Did you feel prepared when you walked in to take the final? Was the final’s material unexpected? If you have to admit that the fault was yours, there’s no need to see the professor.</p>

<p>Students hate to admit that they DO make mistakes. Our generation has never learned that it’s okay to make mistakes and life doesn’t end with failure. Instead, we’ve been told by our peers and parents that it’s either that or bust.</p>

9

<p>This professor sounds like a bit of a jackass if your description is accurate. From what you’ve said, it sounds like he’s tenured and doesn’t give a damn about teaching or the students in his class. That said, I’ve only got your highly negative experience to work with…</p>

<p>As far as the grade is concerned, I think it is entirely reasonable to at least see your exam and the mistakes you made. I personally would not push the issue, or ever negotiate a grade, unless you have proof your professor is deliberately failing you for personal reasons.</p>

10

<p>Do not negotiate for a grade change which is inappropriate. It is appropriate to try to understand your any learning issues you had with the subject. So do approach your professor to get an understanding of what questions you missed and why. </p>

<p>As stated by others on this thread, working hard does not earn a grade. A grade in a graduate course reflects validation that you have acquired expertise in the subject. That is why in graduate programs, a “c” is a failing grade.</p>

11

<p>you just don’t negotiate your grade with professors. In fact, you should avoid talking about your grades with your professors in all times. It might appear that you only care about the grades, even if you are not that type. </p>

<p>But in your case, since there’s a money involved (the fund for you to study abroad), I think you have to talk to your professor about it. Email him first regarding your study abroad funding issue and see what he says. In your email, be extremely humble and do not be “I’m actually a hard worker… but”. Focus your email on the funding and your plan after Cambridge. </p>

<p>The important thing is, you will have to provide a rigid evidence that you are nominated to that Cambridge funding. If what you argue turns out to be a lie, you will find yourself in a big trouble.</p>

12

<p>you bombed the final. entered the exam with 90% (worth 50% of your grade). to get 73% in the class, that means you got 56% on the exam. unless this exam tested for material you had never been taught (i had an econ professor that liked to test us on things he hadn’t taught us), you don’t really have a leg to stand on.</p>

<p>you can ask the prof and/or the DGS to see your exam and the solution key so that you can learn from your mistakes, but you can’t really negotiate a better grade. this won’t shut the doors on your whole life. it’s one grade and people don’t get fellowships or tenure positions because of their GPAs. they get them because of their research proposals, past published work, and LORs.</p>

13

<p>You should try doing favors for your professor under the table.</p>

14

<p>You can’t really ‘negotiate’ a better grade for a class that’s based on getting the right or wrong answer. Or really, even in classes where grading is a bit more subjective. Working ‘really hard’, showing up, and doing all the work doesn’t necessarily get you a good grade - grades are indicative of how you’ve performed. If you didn’t perform well, then you didn’t perform well, no matter how hard you’ve worked.</p>

<p>Honestly, all the other information beyond that is irrelevant. Professor’s personality doesn’t really matter, whether or not he had tutorials doesn’t matter (many professors do not. This is graduate school, after all, they expect you to study on your own). Also, partial credit is not always given. Your employer is not going to give you partial credit if you design their engineering system wrong because you forgot to convert units.</p>

<p>In any case, one class won’t “torpedo” your chances forever. There are thousands of graduate students who got low grades in one or two classes, or even failed some, and still got funding into top schools. (I’m in their ranks - I failed social psychology, which is my area, and still got funding a top program in my field.)</p>

<p>Request your final exam if it will make you feel better, but if you failed, you failed. Particularly if you knew the standards ahead of time. Complaining about your professor’s personality, grading standards (unless they are unfair), and teaching manner are only going to make you look like a whiner.</p>

15

<p>Wow, you guys are horrible. Have you never gone through college and felt like you deserved a better grade in a class that you have worked extremely hard on?
There’s honestly nothing wrong with talking to a professor about a grade. </p>

<p>Honestly, go in and TALK to your professor. You know you’ve worked hard and you know you deserve a better grade. You clearly demonstrated your ability to excel by getting that 90%. Sometimes things just happen, but especially when your scholarship is on the line, you should go for it. Worst case scenario, professor doesn’t change it. But at least you TRIED.</p>

16

<p>the issue is inappropriate and undeserved entitlement mentality</p>

<p>It is always appropriate and is encouraged that a student meets with the prof to discuss his/her learning issues and learning struggles. However, meeting with a prof (especially for the first time) only after a grade is given does not demonstrate a sincere intent to learn and acquire expertise.</p>

<p>AND as professors we are often overwhelmed after the final grade is given out by students who showed up rarely in class and never interacted with us during the class.
Unfortunately the tone of the OP seemed very similar to these types of students we see all too often. It takes away the value of the grade from those students who did work hard throughout the course.</p>

17

<p>I’d still give it a try. What’s on the line? Your dignity? That went out the window when you scored a 50-something on the final exam… Just kidding! Seriously though, I’d probably try to explain your situation and listen to what he has to say.</p>

18

<p>I’d be sure to get a copy of that final exam. I had a class where I hadn’t scored below an 85 on anything leading up to the final, knew I did reasonably well on it, and yet somehow finished the class with a C!</p>

<p>I only found out about this a week before I had to drive cross-country for a summer internship, so I had to modify plans to make a stop at my college to talk with the professor (he wouldn’t answer his e-mails). After hunting all over for him on campus on Friday, I caught him outside his office at 4:45 and explained what my problem was.</p>

<p>Want to know what happened? He had accidentally written my 84% on the final as a 48% in his grade book.</p>