Am I Screwed??

**rajiv1998** · 10-20-2010, 04:50 PM

So I'm curious to know if I'm screwed for this class or not. We had an exam last week, and I got an 80. BUT...the class average was a 50. Now the professor grades by the average or mean, so the top 10 get A's, next 15 get B's and so on. The thing is, if the average is a 50 (and there are 200+ kids in my class) what do you think he would set the average as? Since its a 50 would the average be a C+ or C ad I get an A??

The thing that scares me is that there are now 50-70 kids in my class. So the kids who stayed either scored above the average or got A's and B's like me, so that means the next average on the exam will be a 70 or higher. I really want an A in this class, because I scored 30 grade points higher than the average kid in my class on the last exam.

**LeadFarmer** · 10-20-2010, 04:58 PM

I believe it's called a bell curve, I have this problem in my evolutionary biology course. First test I got an A, class average was a 60. A month down the road class size dropped from 150 to around 50. Don't worry about it, a curve can only help you, not hurt you. So if you make a A/B on your next test and the class average is an A/B that doesn't mean you now have a C. It just means you have a much smaller curve, so your grade won't go up as much.

**Schmalgar** · 10-20-2010, 05:05 PM

I always hated that bullshit. As leadfarmer says, you're not fucked, but it's a lame grading system and teachers that employ it are really lame.

**bluehawk2000** · 10-20-2010, 05:30 PM

yup with ten dildo's sideways without lube

Sorry had to say it!!! I would have no idea if you were or not!!

**rajiv1998** · 10-20-2010, 06:11 PM

But a bell curve wont go individually does it? As in if he adds a 10 point curve to the overall average, I will benifit just as much as anyone else. But yeah, if I have an A average, I guess it wont help. Its actually a decent way of grading, because your looking at he overall average. I think with the exception of me, my friend, and maybe a few other kids, the average sucked. The T/A was like if you guys got 60 or 70 instead of 80 and 90, the average would be a 30 or high 20's. The reason its a 50 is primariley because of the top 10 scorers in class.

**LeadFarmer** · 10-20-2010, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by rajiv1998

But a bell curve wont go individually does it? As in if he adds a 10 point curve to the overall average, I will benifit just as much as anyone else. But yeah, if I have an A average, I guess it wont help. Its actually a decent way of grading, because your looking at he overall average. I think with the exception of me, my friend, and maybe a few other kids, the average sucked. The T/A was like if you guys got 60 or 70 instead of 80 and 90, the average would be a 30 or high 20's. The reason its a 50 is primariley because of the top 10 scorers in class.

It's decent if your the C student. If your the A student it screws you over because now your hard work isn't worth as much anymore.

**95camaroZNC** · 10-20-2010, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by LeadFarmer

It's decent if your the C student. If your the A student it screws you over because now your hard work isn't worth as much anymore.

Who says so? How is hard work only worth it when there are dumb kids in the class that made it look like you worked hard............

**0rion** · 10-20-2010, 09:38 PM

are those numbers a percentage? Such as the class average was a 50%?? If so you're surrounded by some dumbass people. How does that many in a class work out to a 50% average on a test? Less partying and more studying needs to be done.

**LeadFarmer** · 10-20-2010, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by 95camaroZNC

Who says so? How is hard work only worth it when there are dumb kids in the class that made it look like you worked hard............

If everyone in the world knew how to solve a specific Hard calculus problem then it wouldn't be "Hard" anymore now would it? How hard someone worked is measured by its discrepancy from the norm. Less of a discrepancy=more average

**Spaz** · 10-21-2010, 05:06 AM

Originally Posted by rajiv1998

So I'm curious to know if I'm screwed for this class or not. We had an exam last week, and I got an 80. BUT...the class average was a 50. Now the professor grades by the average or mean, so the top 10 get A's, next 15 get B's and so on. The thing is, if the average is a 50 (and there are 200+ kids in my class) what do you think he would set the average as? Since its a 50 would the average be a C+ or C ad I get an A??

The thing that scares me is that there are now 50-70 kids in my class. So the kids who stayed either scored above the average or got A's and B's like me, so that means the next average on the exam will be a 70 or higher. I really want an A in this class, because I scored 30 grade points higher than the average kid in my class on the last exam.

if i was you i'd go up to the professor and say "fuck oyu... grade me as i score not how everyone else scores... i'm paying for me to go to school not these other ass holes... you are holding me back..."

**CJREX** · 10-21-2010, 06:30 AM

Sounds like an educational version of "spread the wealth around"

That usually works out real well.

**Schmalgar** · 10-21-2010, 06:32 AM

Originally Posted by Spaz

if i was you i'd go up to the professor and say "fuck oyu... grade me as i score not how everyone else scores... i'm paying for me to go to school not these other ass holes... you are holding me back..."

That's the best position I've heard yet, and an excellent point. That's why I hate curve grading or percentage grading. Other people's performance should have no impact on your grade.

**rajiv1998** · 10-21-2010, 06:39 AM

Originally Posted by Spaz

if i was you i'd go up to the professor and say "fuck oyu... grade me as i score not how everyone else scores... i'm paying for me to go to school not these other ass holes... you are holding me back..."

Why would I say that? If the class average was a 50, then the average grade would be a C. He cant fail 170 out of like 220 student. So that means an 80 in this case is an A not a B. Since I scored nearly 3 full letter grades (30 grade points) above the average, I am in the top 10 percentile. The only thing I am scared about is that the next average will be a 70 or higher, so a high 70/low 80 will remain a C+/B and not an A. Thats why I HATE such curves. If the class average is low then a bulk of the kids drop out and only the ones who passed remain in class, thus increasing the average of the next exams and preventing a big curve.

**rajiv1998** · 10-21-2010, 06:41 AM

Originally Posted by Schmalgar

That's the best position I've heard yet, and an excellent point. That's why I hate curve grading or percentage grading. Other people's performance should have no impact on your grade.

It wont if your a straight A student or really smart. An A is an A not matter what. The only time it will help is if you have a B+ then it will boost you up to an A. The thing I dont like is that I got an "average score" (80) on this exam. I just got lucky that a bunch of the class failed. So the next time I get an 80 or 83, it wont count as an A, it will remain a B.

**Spaz** · 10-21-2010, 06:45 AM

Originally Posted by rajiv1998

Why would I say that? If the class average was a 50, then the average grade would be a C. He cant fail 170 out of like 220 student. So that means an 80 in this case is an A not a B. Since I scored nearly 3 full letter grades (30 grade points) above the average, I am in the top 10 percentile. The only thing I am scared about is that the next average will be a 70 or higher, so a high 70/low 80 will remain a C+/B and not an A. Thats why I HATE such curves. If the class average is low then a bulk of the kids drop out and only the ones who passed remain in class, thus increasing the average of the next exams and preventing a big curve.

cause everyone should be responsible for the work that they do... it's like a college welfare program... the hard working students keep the lazy ones afloat...

**Schmalgar** · 10-21-2010, 06:50 AM

Originally Posted by rajiv1998

It wont if your a straight A student or really smart. An A is an A not matter what. The only time it will help is if you have a B+ then it will boost you up to an A. The thing I dont like is that I got an "average score" (80) on this exam. I just got lucky that a bunch of the class failed. So the next time I get an 80 or 83, it wont count as an A, it will remain a B.

Possibly untrue. You said he might be grading by percentages brackets, like the top 10 would be As, the next 15 Bs, etc. If he holds to that model, then you could all have A work, but still only the top 10 would be given As. And that is very lame.

**krese** · 10-21-2010, 07:01 AM

Originally Posted by Spaz

cause everyone should be responsible for the work that they do... it's like a college welfare program... the hard working students keep the lazy ones afloat...

i agree 100%

**FasstChevys** · 10-22-2010, 04:06 AM

Originally Posted by Spaz

cause everyone should be responsible for the work that they do... it's like a college welfare program... the hard working students keep the lazy ones afloat...

it's the Obama Educational Grading Charity System