10:34 am. You run across campus with your backpack full of books and mind full of worry about all the obligations you're committed to today. You're already late to this meeting with your English professor because your meeting at 9:30am ran overtime. Finally, you reach his office. You're here to discuss one thing: your recent essay grade.
You argue you are not satisfied with this grade and feel you deserved better for your efforts. Therefore, you are simply asking for justified substantive evidence of why the essay received a lower- than- expected grade. Hopefully, you'll even learn how to make the next essay exactly what the professor is looking for. Notice: not a better paper. No. Just a paper that adheres to the professors opinion and expectation. Why? Because that will get you the grade you desire. The grade you need desperately.
Rather than justification by evidence, all the professor has to say is "Well, its not the grade in the class that matters, its what you learn from the class. What matters is the experience and knowledge you retain and take away from the class. Don't worry about your grade kid, just focus on taking something away from the class." How many times have we heard this?
How many times have we heard "Oh, you received a 90 but don't worry that is the highest grade I'll ever give on an assignment. It's just my policy." How is this fair? How would the professor feel if his supervisor said "Oh, you received a salary of $65,000.00 this year, but don't worry that's the highest I'll ever pay anyone. It's just my policy." Now that... would be unfair.
How many times have professors graded our essays, papers, and exams without even reading them? I know this is true in some cases. My cousin felt the professor for his history class was grading with bias, based on how she perceived the student to be. He felt she wasn't even reading the 15-page papers she assigned because there were no justifications for the grades in any comments. He put a "why did the chicken cross the road" joke in the dead middle of his paper. It wasn't circled. It wasn't brought up by the professor in any way, shape, or form. And there was a "77" at the top of his page in fresh red sharpie.
You leave your professor's office, frustrated, stressed, and frankly downright discouraged from working hard on any of the essays, because what the hell is the point?
It is absolutely true that the point of education is to learn material, internalize it and draw conclusions from it for future success. It is also true that there exists a large problem within our educational systems of "memorization," in which students memorize material for an exam and get a high grade only to forget it all in a month. It is true that some students don't put in the effort necessary to receive what they desire. But for those of us who do, we expect more reward.
Amidst all of these issues, there is another unfortunate truth about the educational system in the U.S.A. and it's that numbers matter. Your GPA matters. A lot.
While it should be the case that people are more than a number, and are evaluated more holistically, that just isn't how the majority of application processes work. Application reviewers first look to the numbers; GPA and your transcript. They then separate the applications into two piles; a "yes, review more of the application file to determine acceptance/approval" and "no, read no further." Once in the "yes" pile, you stand a chance. But if you don't even meet their minimum GPA cutoff requirement, you're toast.
Some applications even have a pre-announced minimum GPA requirement to apply. This was the case when I wanted to apply to the Cater Society of Junior Fellows at my school.
This society provides funding to students with a clear research project to be studied, with a clear methodology, in any part of the world. I had all other credentials necessary, and a killer research project already outlined, typed, and crisply fit into my portfolio folder ready to propose. I worked my ass off for two semesters, night and day, among all other outside obligations, to raise my cumulative GPA to the 3.6 minimum requirement. This schedule was rigorous and time-consuming, especially since it was all upper-level classes, and 6 of them in my second language. I got all A's in that first semester, and had over a 100 average in multiple classes. In the second semester, I got A's, with over 100 averages, and....one B+.My heart sank into my stomach when I saw the grade on my Web Advisor. I had missed the A- by 0.52. This translated to a cumulative GPA of 3.59. My professor refused to round up, insisting I received the grade I deserved. The advisor of the Cater Society refused to accept a cumulative GPA of 3.59; no rounding would be adequate enough. I cried for 6 days. I couldn't afford to go where I needed to in order to do my research. I couldn't do the research project.
I was especially upset because for the class I had received the B+ in, I had attended every. single. class. The professor gave me a 99% in participation, because I read every assigned reading, and discussed thoroughly in class while others were silent. It was clear I had put in effort above and beyond any expectations. My parents always told me "If you work as hard as you can you will get what you want." And up until that point, that had been true. But for the first time in my life, I had put forth my best effort and it wasn't enough. For the first time, what I had seen happen to so many of my peers happened to me. I didn't fall short on my own...I was shorted.
We see this happen all too often as students in the U.S.A. We work so hard, commit to various extracurriculars, sports, volunteering activities, and work to receive what little income we can; all while throwing ourselves into our academic classes. We try to engage in these things because it will allow us to grow holistically as people; it will enable us to become "well-rounded individuals". In these cases, academic numbers are bound to suffer.
We see the GPA become an issue when you apply for honor societies, extracurricular activities, study abroad programs, sports teams, greek life, housing, internships, jobs, financial aid, and higher education opportunities.
The smallest GPA difference of .01 for a student could mean the difference between:
A) A $25,000.00 scholarship or $0.00 scholarship
B) An opportunity to study literature in England for the summer, or stay home working 40 hours a week at the local Walmart
C) An opportunity to join a greek organization which promotes academic success, through peer motivation, leadership, and social engagement, or being alone in terms of academic motivation, lacking the confidence to become a leader and being alone in the dining hall.
D) Living in a healthier, friendlier, cleaner, quieter for studying suite-style environment, or a run-down, bug-infested, dark, loud, non-private, harsh first-year residence hall environment.
E) Working as an intern in the Library of Congress, or working as an ice-cream scooper in your hometown.
F) Getting accepted to a prestigious undergraduate school, graduate school program, law school, or medical school program, or being accepted to a subpar institution of the same sort, which isn't even worth the student loan debt you'll have at graduation to follow through with the program: so instead you chose not to continue with higher education and settle working in a career field available to you at the time. In worse cases, the difference could mean you're not accepted anywhere at all.
True: not every college student deserves these rewards simply for being a student. Some just show up to class, don't do any homework, and nap the rest of the day. But for those of us who are heavily involved and trying our best at everything, it is so frustrating to feel like we're being restricted from opportunities which would only benefit us as well as the institution we're a part of (or wish to be a part of) simply because we don't have the GPA we deserve. And the distinction in what type of student someone is should be clear to professors via the actions and behaviors we reflect throughout the semester.
I just urge professors to realize how much of a difference their grading can make in a student's life. I want them to realize how much they actually hinder opportunities for students by low-balling their grades, or by grading him/her with bias based on pre-conceived notions of how exceptional of a student he/she is. I urge professors to reflect on how fair they are being to their own students, and of they have not been fair historically: change that. Please.
Overall, yes, I can certainly agree it is important to show how well I've internalized and retained material learned in class. I can show how well I can apply my knowledge and experience in whichever endeavor requires it of me: an internship, a study abroad program, a higher education program.
However, the fact of the matter is I won't have the opportunity to show my knowledge and experience, nor how holistic of a person I am due to my participation in extracurriculars and volunteering if I'm not "accepted" or "approved" in the first place because of my GPA. Because of my "numbers." Numbers are the windows of opportunity for learning. Numbers are the gateway, the "means" of getting "there"... to that point of final destination, to that goal being achieved. Numbers are the most crucial determining factors that determine which path we take in life.
All that being said, I would like to thank every professor out there who already realizes their role in shaping our futures, and has thus been fair in grading. You give students faith in their education systems enough to keep moving forward towards their goals. You open life-altering windows of opportunity you can't possibly imagine.So, a million times thank you.
Students: Hang in there. Work hard. Stay motivated. Stay confident. Know you did all you could and be proud of that. We'll get there someday, and we'll be stronger when we do.
