First, grad school apps do look at grades. It's an easy way to weed down enormous applicant pools to reasonable ones. That said, letters of recommendation are probably at least as important. Depending on the field, your aptitude (GRE, etc) test scores also matter. Getting a D in your field of choice would raise a red flag, but it wouldn't necessarily end an application.
Definitely wait until after the semester is over. Some professors don't exactly grade mathematically. They use midway grades as motivators and the final grade is determined separately. It sounds to me like that is what this professor is doing since she said a B is still quite possible for you.
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ceresWhen the last moon is cast over the last star of morningAnd the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderatormod
edited May 2010
I'm a Bio major, and the class is a Bio elective. So yeah, it kinda matters. I graduate Summer '11; it's so late only because I ended up with a prereq in the fall.
I'm trying to stay optimistic. After attending the review session she had, I think her final is going to be damn near impossible, and the second to last grade isn't up, but it's turned in. I'm not going to get too butthurt over a C, I'll just be irritated. It's just the possibility of a D that stresses me.
ceres on
And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
I have the same issue as you so, in my case I start to feel threatened so the tears flow. The only way I've found to control it is to cry early and the try to maintain that detached, cried out state.
And if I may ask, as a Bio major myself, what is this class? I would have pulled a D on this assignment too and I fail to see it being Bio related at all.
Elin on
Switch SW-5832-5050-0149
PSN Hypacia
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Discord Hypacia#0391
This is just my experience, but I've generally found that getting emotional over things tends to either escalate the problem or totally turn people off, and I say that as someone who has a tendency of getting emotional over things (like grades).
What I've found that works is to try to come at the problem logically with more of an "I can do it" sort of attitude. If you can list what your points of conflict are, what your reasoning is, and frame the facts in a logical fashion, it's something they can cope with, if you burst into tears or look like you're about to lose it then people get uncomfortable. People also find it less threatening/confrontational if you also approach them with an attitude of, "Ok, then I want X, you gave me/have a perception that I do/whatever Y, what can I do to resolve this?" It shows that you're willing to take initiative and you aren't looking for a free pass or being unreasonable, you just want to fix it.
Granted, this doesn't work when someone is just a silly goose, but a lot of people can get pushed into acting like silly geese when you come at them weeping, hysterical, angry, or with your hackles already up.
As for grad school, it might hurt your chances in certain cases, but it sounds like you have a good relationship with your advisor already, and my observation is that grad school acceptance can be heavily weighted if you have things like prior research experience, faculty (particularly at that institution) that are willing to vouch for you, and/or faculty (particularly at that institution) who outright say they want to work with you.
Crying in a professional or academic environment- over professional or academic matters- is no more appropriate than having a temper tantrum and throwing things in the same environment. If you can't hold it together, people won't take you seriously. That's life.
And I'm no cold and emotionless robot- I tear up from watching things as varied as Wall-E (so sweet) to documentaries like Born into Brothels.
Your dad died and you just found out at work and you break down crying? That's okay, and people will understand. Received an unacceptable performance review and no raise? That's not an acceptable reason to break down crying or start throwing picture frames.
I guess people don't realize that for a lot of purposes, academia is just as important as a professional environment for students in many fields. Ceres' is one of them, mine is too, and you have to act professional around the faculty and other students. If you majored in communications or something, your classroom performance probably doesn't matter as much, but in other fields/industries everyone knows each-other and people talk. And that's not even thinking about needing references later on..
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ceresWhen the last moon is cast over the last star of morningAnd the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderatormod
And if I may ask, as a Bio major myself, what is this class? I would have pulled a D on this assignment too and I fail to see it being Bio related at all.
The class is a Microscopy course. It's a 400-level bio elective, but if you ask me the class really has more to do with physics than biology. It's fun to look at things under different types of microscopes... The class just really isn't what I thought it would be, and I'm honestly not all that interested in the physics of light, so none of that is doing me any favors.
I'll be doing some undergrad research anyway... I'm not too worried about being able to get references; I'm more concerned that even a glowing letter of recommendation won't carry me through a D in a BIO course on my transcript.
ceres on
And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
Do you know what grades the other 11 people received, Ceres? If they're all low then you could possibly get some traction by arguing that the spec was poorly defined or sim'lar.
And if I may ask, as a Bio major myself, what is this class? I would have pulled a D on this assignment too and I fail to see it being Bio related at all.
The class is a Microscopy course. It's a 400-level bio elective, but if you ask me the class really has more to do with physics than biology. It's fun to look at things under different types of microscopes... The class just really isn't what I thought it would be, and I'm honestly not all that interested in the physics of light, so none of that is doing me any favors.
I'll be doing some undergrad research anyway... I'm not too worried about being able to get references; I'm more concerned that even a glowing letter of recommendation won't carry me through a D in a BIO course on my transcript.
Hmm, you know the tone of this paragraph says a lot. It sounds like because you're not interested in physics and light, you're not totally committed to the class, and it's entirely possible your professor has picked up on it, especially if it's a small class. Some microscopes use light, it's not entirely out of the norm to discuss that in depth in a college setting.
Also have to agree that crying in academic/professional settings is a bad bad thing. Someone close to you died, that's one thing, but when dealing with confrontation in a professional setting, you need to be confident and calm.
This is only semi-relevant at this point and can be ignored, but what was the difficulty with the original assignment, going from the website linked in the old thread? I remember being the only person to respond, and the instructions and diagram seemed straightforward enough that I couldn't figure out what the problem was, and it shouldn't have cost more than $20 (mostly for the plexiglass sheet).
As a grad student at one of the better programs in the US, I can say that the admissions process is tough if you're wanting to get into grad school. I don't want to say that schools would automatically disqualify you because of a D, since I really don't think that they would. It would just be advantageous not to get one in this course.
Don't be afraid to appeal your final grade. The department won't automatically side with the professor, especially if she has the reputation that your post suggests she does. If you present a clear, credible case, they have to take it seriously. Save all the documentation from the course: her assignment prompts, your project, any e-mail correspondence you may have.
Honestly, I don't think crying in academic settings is such a terrible sin. I've cried in front of one or two professors when I couldn't hold it back any longer, and they have always been extremely sympathetic. Most of my friends have done the same. As long as you don't make it a habit or use it manipulate people, the good professors know that you're under a lot of stress, that you care about your grades, and that you're human. I've had students cry in front of me, and my first instinct has been to help them, not to judge them.
ceresWhen the last moon is cast over the last star of morningAnd the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderatormod
edited May 2010
I'm actually glad I didn't use that site in the end... probably 3/4 of the class used it. Most of the problem was with the accompanying paper, which she was extremely nitpicky about. I actually started out really interested in the subject matter, and was pretty eager at the start of the term. The course itself has just.. taken away from that.
I feel like people are jumping on me for the crying thing; the whole point of the thread was that I was looking for some way to calm myself down specifically so I didn't have some embarrassing emotional outburst that would cost me points with her anyway.
And the whole experience of talking to her was pretty irritating really. She talked about these "bonus points" we've accumulated, and so now I have no idea what I'm actually looking at as far as my grade goes. She has some funny weighting for all these grades that isn't represented when grades themselves get posted, and with the bonus points thing, I feel like there's just enough transparency in her grading system to be really misleading.
ceres on
And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
Based on what I know about you personally, I have no doubt that this is a genuinely frustrating scenario. I personally gave up on the academic life and went into private sector business, so I can't talk about grad school except to say that there IS life outside of academia.
I think Kae just posted some solid advice though. You'll want to start a paper trail, as you would with any boss who's messing with your career. It's a shame you can't withdraw and take some other course from some other professor without academic penalty. The expense would probably be worth it in the stress savings.
Either way.
Chin up. You'll make it one way or another.
Pheezer on
IT'S GOT ME REACHING IN MY POCKET IT'S GOT ME FORKING OVER CASH
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
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ceresWhen the last moon is cast over the last star of morningAnd the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderatormod
edited May 2010
I ended up with a B- for the term. With what I got on my portfolio and how I feel like I did on the final, I don't see how that's possible. It points to some super-secret hidden points system, and I really hate that shit despite the fact that this time it seems to have worked out in my favor.
I'm giving some consideration to asking to see my final, but what I'll more likely do is leave it the hell alone because the class is over and didn't ruin my life and now I never have to think about it ever again.
I think all I needed to hear was a "calm the hell down". Thanks for the help, H/A.
ceres on
And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
Posts
Definitely wait until after the semester is over. Some professors don't exactly grade mathematically. They use midway grades as motivators and the final grade is determined separately. It sounds to me like that is what this professor is doing since she said a B is still quite possible for you.
I'm trying to stay optimistic. After attending the review session she had, I think her final is going to be damn near impossible, and the second to last grade isn't up, but it's turned in. I'm not going to get too butthurt over a C, I'll just be irritated. It's just the possibility of a D that stresses me.
And if I may ask, as a Bio major myself, what is this class? I would have pulled a D on this assignment too and I fail to see it being Bio related at all.
PSN Hypacia
Xbox HypaciaMinnow
Discord Hypacia#0391
What I've found that works is to try to come at the problem logically with more of an "I can do it" sort of attitude. If you can list what your points of conflict are, what your reasoning is, and frame the facts in a logical fashion, it's something they can cope with, if you burst into tears or look like you're about to lose it then people get uncomfortable. People also find it less threatening/confrontational if you also approach them with an attitude of, "Ok, then I want X, you gave me/have a perception that I do/whatever Y, what can I do to resolve this?" It shows that you're willing to take initiative and you aren't looking for a free pass or being unreasonable, you just want to fix it.
Granted, this doesn't work when someone is just a silly goose, but a lot of people can get pushed into acting like silly geese when you come at them weeping, hysterical, angry, or with your hackles already up.
As for grad school, it might hurt your chances in certain cases, but it sounds like you have a good relationship with your advisor already, and my observation is that grad school acceptance can be heavily weighted if you have things like prior research experience, faculty (particularly at that institution) that are willing to vouch for you, and/or faculty (particularly at that institution) who outright say they want to work with you.
And I'm no cold and emotionless robot- I tear up from watching things as varied as Wall-E (so sweet) to documentaries like Born into Brothels.
Your dad died and you just found out at work and you break down crying? That's okay, and people will understand. Received an unacceptable performance review and no raise? That's not an acceptable reason to break down crying or start throwing picture frames.
I guess people don't realize that for a lot of purposes, academia is just as important as a professional environment for students in many fields. Ceres' is one of them, mine is too, and you have to act professional around the faculty and other students. If you majored in communications or something, your classroom performance probably doesn't matter as much, but in other fields/industries everyone knows each-other and people talk. And that's not even thinking about needing references later on..
I'll be doing some undergrad research anyway... I'm not too worried about being able to get references; I'm more concerned that even a glowing letter of recommendation won't carry me through a D in a BIO course on my transcript.
Hmm, you know the tone of this paragraph says a lot. It sounds like because you're not interested in physics and light, you're not totally committed to the class, and it's entirely possible your professor has picked up on it, especially if it's a small class. Some microscopes use light, it's not entirely out of the norm to discuss that in depth in a college setting.
Also have to agree that crying in academic/professional settings is a bad bad thing. Someone close to you died, that's one thing, but when dealing with confrontation in a professional setting, you need to be confident and calm.
Don't be afraid to appeal your final grade. The department won't automatically side with the professor, especially if she has the reputation that your post suggests she does. If you present a clear, credible case, they have to take it seriously. Save all the documentation from the course: her assignment prompts, your project, any e-mail correspondence you may have.
Honestly, I don't think crying in academic settings is such a terrible sin. I've cried in front of one or two professors when I couldn't hold it back any longer, and they have always been extremely sympathetic. Most of my friends have done the same. As long as you don't make it a habit or use it manipulate people, the good professors know that you're under a lot of stress, that you care about your grades, and that you're human. I've had students cry in front of me, and my first instinct has been to help them, not to judge them.
PSN: GetMediaeval
I feel like people are jumping on me for the crying thing; the whole point of the thread was that I was looking for some way to calm myself down specifically so I didn't have some embarrassing emotional outburst that would cost me points with her anyway.
And the whole experience of talking to her was pretty irritating really. She talked about these "bonus points" we've accumulated, and so now I have no idea what I'm actually looking at as far as my grade goes. She has some funny weighting for all these grades that isn't represented when grades themselves get posted, and with the bonus points thing, I feel like there's just enough transparency in her grading system to be really misleading.
I think Kae just posted some solid advice though. You'll want to start a paper trail, as you would with any boss who's messing with your career. It's a shame you can't withdraw and take some other course from some other professor without academic penalty. The expense would probably be worth it in the stress savings.
Either way.
Chin up. You'll make it one way or another.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
I'm giving some consideration to asking to see my final, but what I'll more likely do is leave it the hell alone because the class is over and didn't ruin my life and now I never have to think about it ever again.
I think all I needed to hear was a "calm the hell down". Thanks for the help, H/A.