Favorite student emails

[AvidReader]

Student: Is 87.8% a B+ or an A?

Really? You have to ask?

Well, it's a fair question.  Sometimes folks adjust the grade cutoffs.  But my guess is that you would have told your students if you had done that.

Yes. I'm familiar with both secondary schools and small colleges that divide grades every 12 points rather than every 10. I also took a class once in which each letter spanned only 8 points; an 80 was a solid C.

At many UK schools, 40 is passing, 60 is the equivalent of a B, and 70+ is functionally an A.

AR.

[downer]

Student: Is 87.8% a B+ or an A?

Really? You have to ask?

Well, it's a fair question.  Sometimes folks adjust the grade cutoffs.  But my guess is that you would have told your students if you had done that.

Yes. I'm familiar with both secondary schools and small colleges that divide grades every 12 points rather than every 10. I also took a class once in which each letter spanned only 8 points; an 80 was a solid C.

At many UK schools, 40 is passing, 60 is the equivalent of a B, and 70+ is functionally an A.

AR.

Here is a page about grading systems around the world. https://www.mastersportal.com/articles/2291/8-university-grading-systems-around-the-world-that-may-or-may-not-be-weird.html

In the US however, there seems to be remarkable uniformity that the cut off between and A and a B is 90%.

[Aster]

After final exams have been graded and final course scores released.

Stu Dent: "Professor, I have decided to take this class next semester, so the grades for my class will not be on my transcript since I have dropped."

Me: "You have not dropped the class. You are still enrolled in the class."

This one's pretty weird. I can't tell if the student has no idea just how the drop process works, or the message is so badly worded that I am not reading it correctly. But it *sounds* to me like the student thinks that he can *informally* drop the class at the end of the term, in lieu of receiving a non-passing letter grade?

Anyway, he's getting an F on his transcript.

[Aster]

Oh wait now it gets even better.

Stu Dent: "I sent emails to my academic advisor 1-2 months back about dropping the class, but I never heard back."

Wow. This person may be a candidate for my Top 10 list of most apathetic students.

[FishProf]

"Professor, I think my grade on the rough draft was unfair.  I worked really hard on that and I deserve a higher score.  I would like to schedule a meeting to discuss this"

On a rough draft.  The score they get is what they would receive if the rough draft were the final paper.

I HOPE she means a meeting to discuss how to improve the paper (extensively marked up and commented on), but I don't have much hope.

[the_geneticist]

I got this gem from a graduate student:

Thank you so much for making such nice slides for us. I just have one small problem with the slides. I am so scared of snakes. I am not able to look at the pictures of real snakes. Can you please replace the real snake picture with cartoon snakes? Some of the students may also be afraid of the pictures.

[Larimar]

Snakes! Why did it have to be snakes?!

<g>

[apl68]

Snakes! Why did it have to be snakes?!

<g>

LOL!

I guess this is a situation that requires a trigger warning.

[FishProf]

Not a voice mail, but an email.   It hit all the highlights:
1) Professor not teaching properly,
2) Other students think s too
3) I'm an A student
4) Something MUST be done immediately
5) If you won't help I'll find someone who will.

Missing
1) What class?
2) What are the ACTUAL COMPLAINTS?
3) Contact information from student

I get that something MUST BE DONE in your opinion.  But I can't without some basic information from you.

[AvidReader]

Missing
1) What class?
2) What are the ACTUAL COMPLAINTS?
3) Contact information from student

Does Stu address you by name? This may not even have been meant for you.

AR.

[FishProf]

Missing
1) What class?
2) What are the ACTUAL COMPLAINTS?
3) Contact information from student

Does Stu address you by name? This may not even have been meant for you.

AR.

They did.  Repeatedly.  They know who I am, but not, apparently, who their professor is.

[AvidReader]

FishProf, I'm reading these posts as inclusive of your tag line, which works especially well in this instance. Tough potatoes, student!

AR.

[OneMoreYear]

Not a voice mail, but an email.   It hit all the highlights:
1) Professor not teaching properly,
2) Other students think s too
3) I'm an A student
4) Something MUST be done immediately
5) If you won't help I'll find someone who will.

Missing
1) What class?
2) What are the ACTUAL COMPLAINTS?
3) Contact information from student

I get that something MUST BE DONE in your opinion.  But I can't without some basic information from you.

Well, since you are obviously not going to help, they'll find someone who will!

[Aster]

I have a boilerplate "incorrect message archived into bad email folder" response to most all student emails that are not properly addressed to me via course syllabus policy.

About half of the students who do this never email me back after receiving one of these messages.

[the_geneticist]

Not a voice mail, but an email.   It hit all the highlights:
1) Professor not teaching properly,
2) Other students think s too
3) I'm an A student
4) Something MUST be done immediately
5) If you won't help I'll find someone who will.

Missing
1) What class?
2) What are the ACTUAL COMPLAINTS?
3) Contact information from student

I get that something MUST BE DONE in your opinion.  But I can't without some basic information from you.

Well, since you are obviously not going to help, they'll find someone who will!

Can you image the next set of voicemails? 
"Other professors" won't reply to my messages!  I have a complaint about an unnamed professor teaching an unnamed class and I won't give you my contact information.  But I need help RIGHT NOW.