STAFF EDIT: Making the grade

It’s midterm season at Boston University, and many students are studying hard in an effort to cancel out those poor grades received while their minds were still on winter break at the beginning of the semester. When they get the results back, some students are surely going to be disappointed, and may question the fairness of their professor’s decision. It is important to distinguish between whether these grades are deserved or if students are being cheated.

Too many students seem to feel that they deserve good grades without putting in the effort. Research conducted at the University of California – Irvine, revealed that one-third of students felt that they should earn a B in a class as long as they are attending lecture. It is disheartening to see students at such a respected university have this attitude.

College isn’t high school. Students can’t expect to start studying for an exam the night before, and get a good grade. Merely showing up to class and staying awake is not going to secure anyone an A. For many classes, it takes far more effort than a student has ever expended previously just to pass the course.

Unfortunately the reality is that hard work can only get you so far. No matter how many office hours one attends or hours spent studying, a student’s best effort is not going to necessarily translate into an A or even a B. No student can be talented in every subject. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you’re not going to ace the class. It’s up to students to excel in the subjects that they are specializing in while holding their own in those required classes that may not be their best subjects.

Students should not be entitled to good grades, but they are entitled to fair grading. If students are truly working hard and mastering the material, then professors need to uphold their end of the bargain and give students the grades they deserve. Professors should not be proud of the fact that they can count the number of A’s they have awarded over the past decade on one hand. If a student’s work is truly excellent, then it should be rewarded as such.

Grade deflation may give BU bragging rights to say that it is a challenging school, but a grade deflation policy from a professor is only harmful for students. While it is not the most important part of a job application, grade point average can play a significant role, and this would put a BU student at a disadvantage. The onus is on both students and professors at BU to ensure that the grade a student receives at the end of the semester is an accurate reflection of what students truly deserve.