My psycho Chemistry Professor (long vent)

stpauligirl · Apr 3, 2007

:angryfire
I have to vent here...I almost walked out of my class yesterday and told my professor to shove it.
Background: Our entire class is graded on a curve against the best performing student in the class (right now, it's me)....so if the best student has a final average of 100 and you get a 60, you pass, if the best student has a final average of 90, and you get a 50, you pass.
On Friday, we had a major exam. Another professor gave us the exam b/c ours was out to a conference. I am always the last to finish, and actually, usually take an additional 30 minutes to finish my exam because they are so long and detailed. The exam has about 20 points worth of fill in the blank questions and the rest are Chemistry calculations.
Well, on Friday, at the end of class, 4 of us needed more time, and the person proctering the test said that they could not stay, and we would be allowed to finish the exam in Lab on Monday. I COULD have stayed, but I didn't have a choice...I turned in my paper.
This is our third exam in the class, and the same thing happened with the first exam but not with the second. The rule was that we could FINISH anything that wasn't complete, but we could not go back and make any CHANGES....we were told this before we turned in the test...copies were made to ensure this was adhered to.
Well, on Monday, during Lab..we were told if we had not finished the fill-in-the-blank portion of the test....we were NOT permitted to go back and complete that portion. :angryfire As a matter of practice...these are always the most difficult questions for me...so I always save them for last.
I raised my hand and said, "That isn't what we did with the first exam, we weren't allowed to go back and make changes, but there was no restriction on what portions we were allowed to go back and finish."
I also reminded him that I COULD have stayed to finish my exam, but I was told that the proctor could not stay.
I was TOTALLY expecting him to remember what he did with the first exam, and allow us to finish...but that isn't what happened.
His answer to me? "Life isn't fair...and since you have the highest grade in the class, you really don't need the points."
Ok..so I am being PENALIZED for being successful? He went on to say that I, "Should have completed that portion first anyway."...Since when does a professor get to dictate the ORDER in which you complete your exam?
This is what I think is happening: This professor has a history of people not doing well in his class....it is heavily weeded out at the end. About half the class is in serious danger of not passing the class because I have got 100's on the last two exams and perfect scores on all of my homework and quizes..so the curve is not helping anyone..I think he is using this opportunity to deliberately bring my score down so other students will pass. I mean, in the LARGER scale? It doesn't matter now...but we still have TWO exams and a final...what if I need those points myself? I may not do as well on those.
I have just never heard of something so nutty!

Oh Dear, I am so sorry that this is happening to you. I hate to be in a class (and have been with my Chem professor) where you don't feel like you are even in the United Sates anymore... where your "right to Life, Liberty and Justice" seems like a joke and there is not a thing you can do about it. I argued with my professor so much because he was so unprofessional and unfair and even tried to rip me off points on more than one occasion. He said I'd make a good lawyer. I had to remind him that I had no intentions to go to law school and just wanted my points that I rightfully deserved. I would definitely schedule an appt with the Department Head and explain the situation. Unfortunately if you encounter weak leadership from the top he will be allowed to continue....despite many complaints my prof is still at my school and allowed to continue to make people's lives miserable.

Good luck to you and hang in there!

justme1972 · Apr 3, 2007

Oh, I sent the Dean another e-mail..I sent her one earlier in the semester, and last week, the student that he badgered so badly she had to leave class complained, and another student that had a GED (this is a CC...didn't they tell him that at the interview?)...basically told her that her GEC was a "Good Enough" diploma, and that she had never done any real work.

He constantly bashes the American Educational system...talks about how it's run by the almighty dollar...and the Chem that I am taking is supposed to be a HIGH SCHOOL level developmental class...he actually admitted that it was "on paper" only.

Hopefully I'll hear back from her today.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Apr 3, 2007

I was never given extra time on tests. I don't really see that what he's doing is unfair.

gigi15 · Apr 3, 2007

I have to say I agree with Suesquatch, no one is ever given extra time on tests that have a time limit, also to come back in next day to finish, that is not a test, with someone being able to go home and look up the answers, seems unfair to the other kids who have studied and finished their tests on time!

luvmy3kids · Apr 3, 2007

I'm going to try not to be mean here... but I've never been given any extra time on an exam before.... I mean... I may be the very last person out of there and I might be there down to the last second... but once the time is up... time is up...

Now it is unfair for you because he did allow this to happen in the first place... and changing the rules during the middle of the semester without notifying anyone is totally unfair... But in the BIG scheme of things... to have any extra time at all seems very strange to me...

I'm sorry you are having to go through this... FWIW... hopefully you'll still keep your awesome grade and get through it without having too much more crap from him...

Good luck!

MB37 · Apr 3, 2007

Yeah, getting extra time sounds weird to me too, but if that's his policy it's not right to change in the middle of the semester without warning. All of my exams are timed, and we take them on the computer so it shuts you out when your time is up and you get a zero. In one class she'll put your grade back if you were only off by a couple minutes, and in the other one you're stuck with it. At least you're doing well so far, and it's never fair when they change policies without notifying students.

karmic_architect · Apr 4, 2007

It's possible another student complained about the fact that you (and other students) were allowed the extra time. If you're the curve-killer, any kind of extra help you get (such as extra time) is going to draw a lot of negative attention to you and seem unfair to the students who are struggling.

WDWpixieRN, RN · Apr 4, 2007

I'll just add that once you're IN nursing school, the tests are ABSOLUTELY timed and when time's up, it's up -- period. And while we were given 1.5 hours first semester for our tests, this semester it's one hour -- period. And they've upped the ante from 50 questions to 60+ in that same hour.

It sounds like he changed up the rules, however, it'd be best to learn to work within the given timeframe -- and SOON.

justme1972 · Apr 4, 2007

None of the classes that I have at this particular school are timed. I have no idea about what they do in the nursing program portion of it yet, but I'll find out this Fall.

In this class...ANY of us can get the extra time...I'm just the last one that finishes and takes the additional time. So I'm not getting extra time that has or would be denied to other students.

The issue that I had...is the FIRST test that we had..took 2 class periods to take...and he didn't have any restrictions on what we could go back and finish...the problem is with THIS test...he changed it, and wouldn't allow us to finish the fill-in-the-blank portion of the test on the 2nd day...a restriction that we never had before...in other words, it's in consistent and we had no prior warning...that was what I was upset about.

If he had told us PRIOR to taking the test that if we couldn't finish it on Day one, that we would not be allowed to go back and complete the fill-in-the-blank portion...fine, I would have done that first...but he didn't tell us that in advance...only after-the-fact.

.....I'll just add this little side-note. One of the major reasons why I have the highest grade is none of the students except for me and one other girl, are doing the homework...as you know from Chemistry, you have GOT to practice on the equations to work them with ease. The test above? I got a 77 on it...that sounds bad...until you take into account that the NEXT lowest grade to mine was a 38....yeah...a 38....the lowest grade in the class was a 10. So, the majority of the students can finish the test on time...because they don't work 1/2 the problems on the exam..but if you work them all, it's such a huge test.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Apr 4, 2007

You're still getting your A, and you're learning the stuff.

Calm down, curve-killer!

:)

justme1972 · Apr 4, 2007

HA! I know...I actually figured up that I could pretty much not take the 3rd exam at all, get an 80% on the Final...and still end up with an A...that is how far ahead I am...which was the goal...I was so terrified I was going to fail this class...this is LITERALLY what I am doing with every second of my spare time.