<p>So I was really, really stupid and mixed up the day of my history final and instead of taking it during the time slot it was to be held, I scheduled my math final on that day in hopes that if I had fewer finals per day I'd do better on all of them collectively.</p>
<p>The day I was going to take that history final I realized that it had already passed two days prior. So I e-mailed the professor immediately but never received a response. Then I called him and he said, "we'd talk about it" at one of his summer classes.</p>
<p>He didn't seem like he'd concede to a final retake but I feel so bad that after all of my hard work and getting A's on all of the exams before now my stupid mistake made my perfect A go down to a C and that I'll have to suffer the consequences because of a really, really dumb mistake.</p>
<p>Can anyone offer advice as to how to convince him to please let me retake the final? I know he doesn't "have" to, but I really hope he can be merciful.</p>
<p>I can't think of any reason for the prof to do what you want. To be fair, he'd need to create a whole new final. It wouldn't be fair for him to have to do that due to a mistake of yours. </p>
<p>What you could ask would be if you could submit a paper, and be awarded a B grade if he deems it merits at least a "B".</p>
<p>Knowing several college profs, this happens more often than people think. What usually happens in the cases I've heard of is that you'd have to take the exam during the period which your college sets aside for those who must defer exams for medical/emergency reasons. This would obviously be at your prof's discretion.</p>
<p>I've had the same nightmare, ellemenope! Many times (or, I signed up for a class (usually law school) and completely forgot to attend, until I realized I had to take the final...).</p>
<p>Maybe, as suggested, the prof would accept some substitute work?</p>
<p>I agree with most of the previous posters. I think you should make sure to meet with the professor as soon as possible, no matter how inconvenient the time or location may be for YOU (offer to meet at some neutral location near his home, if necessary, whatever to make it easier on him). Also, you need to convey an attitude that you DESERVE a zero on the exam, and that anything above and beyond that would only be because the professor is merciful. Before meeting with the professor, have a plan. Instead of just telling him that you do not want to receive a C, you should make it clear that you understand it would be too much to expect him to make up a new final exam just for you (but be prepared if he suggests taking an exam then and there on the spot) and ask if there is some way you can do some project or paper (depending on the type of course) that can improve your grade somewhat. You should bring a transcript to show that you are generally a good student, and understand that to be fair to the other students in the class even if you supply a paper better than what Shakespeare would have written the professor may place a ceiling of a B or something in the class because you missed the final. Lastly, anything you agree on, complete the assignment IMMEDIATELY, providing it to him earlier than you agree on.</p>
<p>My D slept through a Chem final. She went to the professor and tearfully pleaded her case. She too had been carrying an "A" average. Luckily, the professor showed mercy and arranged for her to retake the exam. It was on the same day, however. </p>
<p>It became clear to me after her experience that you will be totally at the mercy of your professor. As such, it's critical that you follow pafather's advice above....have a plan, bend over backward to redeem yourself.</p>
<p>If you're unable to convince your professor, you'll have to learn to live with this mistake. That will be difficult, but I am sure it's a lesson that will guarantee you'll never make the mistake again. </p>
<p>I wish you much luck and hope this professor has a generous heart.</p>
<p>Wow! I wondered about this possiblity.
We toured a uni recently that gave certain tests online, math, for example, in the lower courses taken by many undergrads Students could schedule their online exam whenever, and change the time up until a few hours before testing time. This allowed them to work around another class that scheduled a test in between unexpectedly, or just work around not studying ;). I had the thought, though, doesn't anyone ever get confused and completely miss a test???</p>
<p>where my dad teaches, his department allows students to drop classes on the day of the final (at professor’s discretion). Students could simply before handing in their final, plead really hard and sometimes he’d drop them from the class on the spot. I guess if he had a student miss a final, he’d prolly be willing to drop the student from the class, or what not…</p>
<p>the best thing about research topic classes is that you’ll have a huge window of opportunity to submit your final project, and it’ll be graded on its own merits, no need to stress about doing better than your peers, and no final exam to deal with. These classes are often the most stress-free classes you’ll ever see in college…</p>
<p>I continued to have dreams like that for about 20 years after graduating from law school.</p>
<p>I still occasionally have dreams in which I find out that my law school had made a mistake and I never really had enough credits to graduate, and I have to go back!</p>
<p>To the OP: may your professor be merciful and let you write a paper instead.</p>
<p>My husband thinks it’s hilarious that I still have the “missed final” nightmare 25 years after I graduated from college! Ack. They always seem so real, too.</p>
<p>You think the missed final nightmare is bad? What about when you forget to attend the class or do any of the reading, but DO remember the final, and show up… but forget to put any clothes on?</p>
<p>Daughter had a similar situation just last quarter, though not with a final. She mixed up the due date of a presentation and showed up to class unprepared. No manuscript for the presentation, which was required as part of the grade…she’d left her laptop at the dorm and it was saved there so not even a chance to print it out and present. She was crushed, and even the professor felt bad for her…but didn’t offer an alternative time to make the presentation. She, too, had an A up to this point.</p>
<p>I was proud of what she chose to do afterward. She went back to her dorm, printed out the manuscript and ‘taped’ the presentation with her laptop webcam. She posted it on YouTube and then e-mailed the professor the link as well as attaching the manuscript. She told the professor she’d understand if she still had to take a zero, but it was more important to her that the professor know that she did indeed do the work.</p>
<p>I told my daughter at a minimum, it might help sway a borderline grade up instead of down because of her effort. In fact, the professor was so pleased with her efforts to get ‘something’ in on the due date that she agreed to grade it to a maximum grade of 80, losing the 20% because it wasn’t presented in class.</p>
<p>I think these very old threads are getting to the top because some spammer posts a comment in them-- p<em>rn or V</em><em>gr</em> or something like that. Some kind poster then reads the spam and alerts management, who delete the offending comment, but there the thread is on the hot list anyway.</p>