Spring Break
A second chance
Grade replacements: The policy isn't as great as you think
Lauren Collins
Issue date: 4/9/09 Section: Opinion
Considering the budget and staff cuts, registering for the upcoming semester has been quite frustrating for some. Because the number of available professors has dramatically decreased, we can all expect to have much more difficulty finding that perfect schedule. Some students are having a hard time getting into the courses they need to complete their selected major, and if a course is only offered one semester per year and is a prerequisite to the next needed course, it is unlikely that that student will graduate on time.
Although the classes required for my major are almost complete, I have been forced to select classes from a smaller choice of options. In efforts to broaden my options for graduate school, I anticipated trying a variety of classes to see what pathway might be most interesting and beneficial for me.
Because of the recent changes at the university, I assume that entry into graduate school will be much more competitive. In hopes of bettering my chances of acceptance into a number of graduate programs, I have decided to grade replace some of the classes that I did not perform so well in. Be it a lack of understanding of the course material or discrepancies that arose during the semester, grade replacement seems like the most beneficial option for students who need a quick GPA boost. That difference in a fraction of a point is not a risk I want to take when compared to another student, especially when I know that I have some control over my overall GPA.
Though grade replacement is only available for 1000 and 2000 level courses, it is still an option. It would have been much more useful if I could have grade replaced the online neuropsychology course I took two semesters ago, but because it was above a 2000 level course, I am not welcome to that option. It seems to me that if students are paying to attend the university and have the option to grade replace half of the courses offered, it doesn't make sense to me that we don't have the option to choose which courses we can grade replace.
Although the classes required for my major are almost complete, I have been forced to select classes from a smaller choice of options. In efforts to broaden my options for graduate school, I anticipated trying a variety of classes to see what pathway might be most interesting and beneficial for me.
Because of the recent changes at the university, I assume that entry into graduate school will be much more competitive. In hopes of bettering my chances of acceptance into a number of graduate programs, I have decided to grade replace some of the classes that I did not perform so well in. Be it a lack of understanding of the course material or discrepancies that arose during the semester, grade replacement seems like the most beneficial option for students who need a quick GPA boost. That difference in a fraction of a point is not a risk I want to take when compared to another student, especially when I know that I have some control over my overall GPA.
Though grade replacement is only available for 1000 and 2000 level courses, it is still an option. It would have been much more useful if I could have grade replaced the online neuropsychology course I took two semesters ago, but because it was above a 2000 level course, I am not welcome to that option. It seems to me that if students are paying to attend the university and have the option to grade replace half of the courses offered, it doesn't make sense to me that we don't have the option to choose which courses we can grade replace.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 6
bonquiqui
posted 4/09/09 @ 2:16 AM EST
You might have a better chance at getting into grad school if you didn't write like a robot making simple thoughts more complicated. Is this an attempt to sound smarter?
Don't worry, it would be hard for anyone to sound smart when they are whining about getting their bad grades replaced. (Continued…)
not bonquiqui
posted 4/09/09 @ 2:32 AM EST
what a bitch
Hmm
posted 4/09/09 @ 8:04 AM EST
LOL, why don't we just let you take the class as many times as you like, and only count the highest grade?
Here's a clue - the only reason this policy even exists at all is to allow some limited degree of latitude for classes in which you may have performed poorly during your first two years of college, due to factors such as failure to adjust to college life during that time, etc. (Continued…)
Hmm
posted 4/09/09 @ 8:11 AM EST
"What happens when a student endures a personal or family crisis and that student has a professor who is adamant about their attendance policy?"
In that scenario, either talk to the professor about your situation (they may grant you some degree of consideration based on your situation) or just drop the class. (Continued…)
C.B.
posted 4/09/09 @ 11:01 PM EST
I think ECU students are just lazy....and this article is a good example. Instead of taking college seriously and taking 5 extra mins to study for those oh so hard 1000 and 2000 level classes. (Continued…)
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