Common Myths - Re: Grades in College (continued)

This point is somewhat akin to the one above, but as Jacobs and Hyman put it: "however valuable attendance may be, it's simply not the case that attendance will net you a good grade in college course." Just as we've all had bosses who say, "I don't care how you do it, just get it done well," so too do most professors only care about the end product.

MYTH #6: "If Only I Kiss Up Enough..."

Many professors grade tests and submissions blindly and many others have no idea who is in their class anyway. So the reality is that only in the smallest seminar type of classes is it possible for a student to gain the type of reputation that could actually help their grade. Some teachers will make clear that participation is important and sometimes even a gradable component, but unless delineated that way, the student should assume that the work product submitted will form the grade, period.

MYTH #7: "Grades are 100 Percent Subjective..."

Here, Jacobs and Hyman tend to get their dander up a bit, making the point that grading is "a system, nut just an opinion." They explain that students - and their parents - want to assume that grades are arbitrary. They go on to nearly scream off the page that students - and their parents - are wrong, and that, in fact, they are judging students' work against certain standards. The $64,000 question, of course, is how to unlock the mysteries of the "system" to one's advantage.

MYTH #8: "I'll Never Get Good Grades. I'm Just Not a Good Student"

Boy, that sounds defeatist, doesn't it? All of us have our doubts and fears and even the bravest of college students are no different. Jacobs and Hyman here tell students: "The fact that you have been admitted to college shows that the college also believes that you can do well." It's probably good to remind your child of that point every once in a while.

MYTH #9: "The Professor Could Care Less What Grade I Get"

To me, this is one of those sentences that sound plausible on its face, yet if one sits back to think about it, then it makes absolutely no sense. After all, as Jacobs and Hyman write, "A bad grade is a sign that the professor has not succeeded in teaching that student." Stretched to its logical conclusion, don't you agree that, if everyone in a certain class failed, the professor would not only feel bad but probably also be judged as unable to teach? So clearly, professors want their students to do well, not only for the sake of the students but, as Jacobs and Hyman admit, "for the sake of their own egos."

and, drum roll please...

MYTH #10: "The Professor Will Tell Me All I Need to Know to Get an A"

This is in many ways counter-intuitive, and also countervailing to the previous point. Yes, professors want students to do well, but they also do not want give away their secrets of what that means. In fact, as Jacobs and Hyman suggest: "Some professors strongly believe that part of the learning experience is for students to figure out for themselves how to get good grades." So this one is a bit of a head-scratcher, but to me it is also good training for the vicissitudes of life. Some things are hard to explain, some bosses are hard to figure, sometimes these universal truths are discovered in the context of a college course and what may be a frustrating short-term issue turns into a valuable, life-long lesson.

We hope that this information has been helpful to you and your child.