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Just took the most important exam of my life, needed a B. Only got 60%...but the average was 55. Curved to a B. Only one reaction. (gifsoup.com)

submitted ago by runningtowin

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[–]Snow_Goon 4 points5 points ago

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I tend to have this reaction.

[–]searine 2 points3 points ago

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O chem. It has GOT to be O chem.

[–]runningtowin[S] 1 point2 points ago

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How did you actually know? Incredible.

[–]0100010001000010 0 points1 point ago

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It could be any class really. I've had tons of classes like this (math, economics, physics, you name it).

[–]yoyoscrape 1 point2 points ago

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What exam?

[–]MotherFuckahJones 1 point2 points ago

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Love this feeling. recently took a test, got an 80 on it. my actual grade? 38.

[–]ccsparrows 1 point2 points ago

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The fact that the gif loaded so slowly on my computer actually enhanced the experience

[–]tashbarg 0 points1 point ago

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So, I understand grades in the US are relative to the people you took the exam with?

What kind of sense does that make?

[–]ACHILLESiii 2 points3 points ago

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It's called a grading on a curve.

I put a sample curve in response to cultofman.

[–]tashbarg -1 points0 points ago

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I take that as a yes, to my first question. But what about the second? What sense does this make?

A grade should reflect the performance of the student and should not vary depending on the other students in the course.

[–]ACHILLESiii 0 points1 point ago

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It's usually only done in entry-level classes that have a lot of students in them. The smaller the class, the less likely that the grades will be curved.

So, no. Not all grades are relative to the grades of those that you took the exam / course with.

The reason that universities do this is to ensure a reasonable grade distribution and prevent grade inflation because, in theory, the majority of students should be average ("C").

[–]biteableniles 2 points3 points ago*

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Well, let's take something like the EIT exam (engineer-in-training). The test is curved every year to account in variations in student exam scores year-by-year. The theory is that by keeping the average student score about the same every year (EDIT: given by a certain passing percentage of students), they can eliminate any score bias that can occur when a given test is either easier or harder than previous tests.

This does mean that they can curve the grades downward. They try to go for a specific percentage of passing, and if too many are passing then that may mean that the test was too easy for a specific year.

[–]tashbarg 1 point2 points ago

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I understand the concept and slight adjustments are no problem. But, like the OP, from 60% to a B?

That's just horrible. What if all of them were bad? Good grades because everyone else was stupid too? Of course, the teacher could have failed too and wrote a bad exam.

[–]ryankrameretc 1 point2 points ago

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The only purpose of grades is to distinguish the students. If the exams are easy, and everyone gets an A, then the grades are meaningless. Therefore, it is useful to use a grading system that distinguishes the students relative to one another, instead of relative to some absolute intelligence scale.

I had a thermodynamics class where our professor wrote an impossibly difficult final, for which the class average was 38%. In my opinion, this was a poor decision on his part, however it still tested the students understaning of the material, problem solving ability and abstract thinking capabilities. Although the high score was only 60%, that student distinguished himself as the top tier of the class, earning him an A.

TLDR Grades aren't always intended to reflect your mastery of the material, but instead to rank the students in a particular class.

[–]biteableniles 0 points1 point ago

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I agree, tests should only be used to grade students relative to other students, never to gauge general intelligence.

If I were writing a test, my goal would be to write it such that the average grade is a 50%. If you write a test that people can get 100%'s on, or 0%'s on, then it would be impossible to curve the test to eliminate difficulty bias.

[–]tashbarg 0 points1 point ago

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So, a B says something else every year and does not allow a recruiter to compare applicants? Great.

[–]tashbarg 0 points1 point ago

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Then your thermodynamics teacher does the wrong thing. I know how hard it is to write fair exams, but it's possible. The purpose of an exam is to test how well a student understood the things that were taught.

What use is a ranking for the particular class afterwards? When you apply for a job, you don't apply with the same set of students, you apply with random people. Some may have better grades than you because they were in a class with more stupid students. That's, IMHO, unfair.

[–]ryankrameretc 0 points1 point ago

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But you see, each class represents a large enough sample size so as to be a good indicator of how you rank against your peers as a whole. If I can achieve a high GPA relative to my class in a respectable university, its a good bet I'll be in the top tier among candidates from all universities.

That said, I'm not saying I'm in 100% agreement with the system. To be perfectly honest, I would prefer to be tested solely on my mastery of the material, and to use some other means to distinguish myself (i.e. extracurricular projects, internships, etc). However, just because this is the method I'd prefer doesn't make the status quo "wrong" as you suggest.

[–]Cultofman 1 point2 points ago

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I was wondering the same thing. How do you compare exams done by students last year to the ones this year?

Any one from the US willing to explain?

[–]ACHILLESiii 2 points3 points ago

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Some classes will curve the grade relative to the results of everyone else in the class.

  • 10% receive As
  • 25% receive Bs
  • 30% receive Cs
  • 25% receive Ds
  • 10% receive Fs

In my experience it is only done within one class, and it does not go from year to year, either.

[–]mandrsn1 2 points3 points ago

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That is pretty much how all my engineering and law classes are.

First year of law school, it was:

  • 5% of the class gets A

  • 10% A-

  • 20% B+

  • 20% B

  • 20% B-

  • 15% C+

  • 10% C or lower

Engineering classes had a bit easier of a curve.

[–]tashbarg 1 point2 points ago

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So, if you get into a class of idiots ... bingo?

[–]mandrsn1 1 point2 points ago

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Pretty much, but it is across the full student body, so it is ~250 students.

[–]Cultofman 0 points1 point ago

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That is a really weird way to do things seen from how it's done where I live in Denmark. But I'm sure it works out in the end. :-) But then again... Our system is an f'ed up mess since we changed the system a few years ago.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

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It makes sense when you're classmates are competitive. You either put in the necessary time and work yourself or you get left behind by those who do.

[–]suckseggs 0 points1 point ago

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Sadly, ive had this same reaction my whole life, on all test if i got anything better then a c-

[–]uhm_no 0 points1 point ago

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So... you can be a straight A student if you are in class with a bunch of idiots? Well that makes sense!

[–]hitchup 0 points1 point ago

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This is exactly what I wanted to see. Fantastic display of humor my friend!

[–]killaboot 0 points1 point ago

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Congrats!

[–]kvachon 0 points1 point ago

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So...you failed, but because everyone failed, you pass? Yay American School System!

[–]mathan1234 0 points1 point ago

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I hope this wasn't an Air Traffic Controller exam.

[–]grandplans 0 points1 point ago

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Maybe just me...but there is no way in hell I would ever get anything less than a 90 on "the most important exam of my life". But I'm old and have figured a few things out.

[–]useless103 -5 points-4 points ago

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So... You're proud of the fact that you suck at your exam? Idiot! Study harder next time. I hate people who are so egoistical that they can't get their shit together an study more...

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points ago

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Looks like somebody is bitter about their life choices.

[–]grandplans 0 points1 point ago

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I feel the same way as useless103, and I'm in the top 1% (well maybe 5% this year, fund is down).

[–]datusernameistaken -1 points0 points ago

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I laughed way too hard at this...

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