Pay Your Fees and Get Your B's

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by MichaelOliver, Mar 10, 2010.

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  1. I read another post that made me curious about the practice of some DL schools giving nothing lower than a "B" to anyone who pays. Does this really happen? Are there legitimate DL schools out there that will pass you no matter what? Are there RA schools that do that?
     
  2. bazonkers

    bazonkers New Member

    I had a class at Penn State once where the teacher would hand back assignments that were meant to be graded so you could revise them if they weren't at least C quality. No one in the class got less than a C. I also had a Physics class that was graded on a curve. I remember one exam I got back (I wish I kept it) where I got a 14 out 100 and it was a B. I don't think you could have possibly failed that class as long as you at least looked like you tried on the exams.

    As for DL, I haven't personally experienced it but I'm a good student now and try to do my best for the grades I get. I hope AMU is handing out F's if they are deserved but I have no idea. I have heard of some schools not failing students, in fact, I've heard that about UoP but I don't know if it's true. In the situations I've heard about it was because of how the teachers are hired back for another semester based on student feedback. Too much focus had been placed on the feedback so if students got bad grades, they'd give a bad review and the teacher wouldn't get hired back. To prevent this, some teachers didn't fail anyone so they'd get better student feedback and they could keep their job.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 10, 2010
  3. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

    The only school I have experience is Southern Methodist University's School of Engineering's Engineering - Management Department. One of the class that my average was about 57%, which is an "F." I remember I took 3 courses during that semester, and it turned out I got a "B." This happened to those folks on campus as well 'casue I saw the whole list of people scores.... I was in the middle of the list. None of my Engineering Management courses are under "B." My Electrical Engineering department doesn't do that... 'cause I have 2 C's.

    I thought Harvard does some similar to that... which students earn two grades, one is actually student's grade. The other one is what the Professor thinks student should earn.
     
  4. AV8R

    AV8R Active Member

    I have always been under the impression that sort of thing was common in engineering programs due to the rigor. A good friend of mine I graduated high school with (crazy smart guy...valedictorian of our class) went on to VA Tech and earned a degree in chemical engineering. He used to tell me how almost everyone in his engineering classes (himself included) were earning such poor grades that they had to be graded on a substantial curve or hardly anyone would pass.
     
  5. bazonkers

    bazonkers New Member

    I've always wondered what was the point of a grade curve. In this case, if the program is so rigorous that everyone would fail and they implement a curve to pass students, what is the point of the rigor? Why not get rid of the curve and made the program a bit easier?
     
  6. Vincey37

    Vincey37 New Member

    A group of students in competition with each other will push the standard for an "A" ever higher until it gets to the limit of what that group can achieve.

    So the course is automatically leveled for each class, instead of a set grading scale that may be too difficult causing demoralization, or too simple resulting in missed learning opportunities.
     
  7. scaredrain

    scaredrain Member

    I can honestly say that I know of some instructors who have done this, because they are adjuncts and they are in fear of losing their extra source of income, so they feel that giving anything less than a B will start the student grievance process. Normally I have seen this with first time distance learning instructors or those who had a horrible first term teaching and are afraid of being put on probation of being let go by their 2nd or 3rd terms.
     
  8. CargoJon

    CargoJon New Member

    I can tell you I got 1 C+ at UoP and 2 B-'s during my bachelor's degree journey....fortunately ended with a 3.62 though.
     
  9. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    >>

    I have had SEVERAL tests and papers through the years that were below a B, I've also had instructors give me solid A's in classes where my mastery was average. Of course, the teacher has a lot sway in how essays or written assignments are graded, but many of the instant-grade quizzes and exams used on WebCT / Blackboard / Ebanet /Moodle are just a simple scores. Some weigh very heavily- others not so much. In other words, if you score a 70, you get a 70* whatever weight.

    My chem class now is 60% exams and 40% lab, so technically, only 40% of my grade is even subject to instructor's input, my 60% is auto-graded. I'm quite certain my chem teacher wouldn't hesitate to fail me :)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 11, 2010
  10. AUTiger00

    AUTiger00 New Member

    I think most grad schools (professional programs such as engineering, business and law at least) rarely give out marks below a B. Most graduate schools that I know of require a 3.0 GPA to graduate/stay in the program and they don't want to have a lot of students failing out lowering their graduation rates so they give out a lot of B's to students who didn't earn them. Business schools are especially notorious for this. You had to be a real screw up/make zero effort to not get a B in a class where I went for b-school and my friends that attended other schools told me the same thing about their programs.

    In regards to Harvard, they don't have a policy of handing out two grades, but there is one professor at the college that is so tired of the grade inflation that he does this in his courses.
     
  11. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

    A friend of mine attended George Mason University's Bachelor of Science in Electrial Engineering. He said that some professor gave out curve grades. So, I believe some B&M schools out there give curves grades. I think it has to with instructors reputation as well as the school.

    Well, not really... some of the course I worked my butt off; but I ended up with a "C". And some course I didn't have to do anything, I got "A." For example, I took Computer Networking at Troy University for my undergraduate degree. The instructor posted 4 opened book exams, each of them 25% each for the final grade. I had MCSE, MCSA, Network+, and CCNA before I was taking the course. I took the exam on the first day of the class, ended up I got 98%.

    Thanks for the verification of Harvard's.
     
  12. I'm hoping that someone has some hard evidence of a reputable DL school engaging in the practice of giving everyone a "B" or better, no matter how bad they actually are. I see some talking about it happening at a B&M school (very interesting) but I haven't yet read that someone knows for sure that this happens via DL. Capella, Walden, NCU, UoP or others; does it really happen?
     
  13. bazonkers

    bazonkers New Member

    I don't think it's as widespread to the point where every teacher in every class at a DL school does this. I think you will find some teachers that do this, however, especially when their job depends on getting good student feedback and they are new to teaching.
     
  14. Lindagerr

    Lindagerr New Member

    I have worked very hard for my grades

    I am a student at TESC and I know I have had to work very hard for the grades I got.

    On the other hand it seems that both B&M and DL schools are allowing students to drop courses at much later dates. I have heard of several people dropping a course if they aren't getting the grade they want. Then when they go back to take it later thet have a head start and can achieve a higher grade.
     
  15. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    >>

    Policy where I work allows students to drop with a "W" until finals week. We used to only let them drop until mid-term. Also, students who are failing are now "FW" which means failure to withdrawal. No more "F" grades. <roll eyes>
     
  16. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    This does not happen at my school and there is no evidence that it occurs at any of the schools mentioned above. Although I hate to do it and try to provide intervention, support services, private tutilage, etc., I have had to give out "F"s in my online courses.
     
  17. 1MP4Life

    1MP4Life New Member

    Several years ago, before I took college seriously I took a couple of criminal justice classes from AMU and gave a half a$$ effort on homework and tests, which in turn earned me a D in one class and an F in the other. I can tell you first hand that at AMU, pay the fee does not mean you get a B.
     
  18. bazonkers

    bazonkers New Member

    Thanks for sharing. I've always thought AMU operated in a very legit way and figured this would be the case. Thanks for providing first hand proof.
     
  19. Petedude

    Petedude New Member

    While unfortunate, it would not surprise me if this took place at some for-profit DL and trade schools. Why? Financial aid. Can't make money off students if they flunk out of your program.
     
  20. Tireman 44444

    Tireman 44444 Well-Known Member

    Agreed. In the student lounge, there are folks hanging on to C's..and happy for it...LOL
     

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