PLEASE READ!!!!Fighting Appeals for Final Grade

x_factor · Dec 25, 2012

I had to speak with a nursing instructor about a mid-term exam one time, as I was given a 98% on the exam, but it was then deducted down to a 90% when it was posted online. I went to her office, she pulled the exam from the file, and we went over it together. What happened was human error, her answer key had the wrong answer on it when she graded it, so it appeared at first that our answers were correct, until she went back over them and realized they weren't. And they weren't, she was correct, my answers were indeed wrong, and she was apologetic to the students that thought they had gotten a higher grade than originally thought.

Have you went to the professor's office directly and asked to see the answer sheet, and to go over the test together? Most teachers have no problem meeting with a student privately to discuss an exam and the answers, to determine where the student went wrong on the questions that were missed. You say you spoke with her over the phone, but didn't mention anything about speaking with her in person. That would be my first bit of advice; to schedule a meeting face-to-face to review the exam together. Without you seeing the exam and the answers that were missed so that the number of correct answers can be calculated, it's hard to determine if you are indeed correct in your calculations, or if she is.

RNnme3j · Dec 25, 2012

We do have test review a week after exams. On this particular test instead of holding the review on our last day of week class, which was a Friday we got out really early, the instructor held the review on a non class day. That day I had another class which I had to leave early just to attend this review b/c I wanted to know what happened with our grades. So I ended up getting there around question 23 & it was never mentioned in my presence. I leaned over & asked another student what was said regarding the issue & it was told to me that on question #5 the answer could have been 2 options so a point was given for either answer………???......So that really meant my grade should have never changed AND I was told by another instructor before the test review that students grades were changed because of “scantron answer key being keyed in incorrectly” (instructors exact words). There should not be this many discrepancies within a program with so much significance. (And I self calculated grades using the same format given by instructor!)

After we took our final and had to come back to the institute I was called prior to appointed time (not by my advisor) with a “message” that I had failed the semester. I was asked would I like to come the next day to talk about the situation but I was never sat down & shown anything or discussed the breakdown of how things were calculated. That next day visit I sat down & reviewed my appeal letter with a trusted instructor who just advised me to turn it in the Department Chair

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Dec 26, 2012

This is all hearsay. You hear what you want to hear but you need factual information, in writing.

Don't expect them to hand it to you. Go and ask. They aren't supposed to chase you, anticipate your questions, or "sit you down" to feed it to you. Turn in your written appeal, with as many facts as you have (not "she told me..." or "they said...") to the chair and see what happens.

You're not going to like this, but my experience is as a former instructor and as a legal nurse who has been asked to work for the very marginal student on a legal case regarding grading. I am always willing to give students the benefit of the doubt...sometimes there are system errors or Scantron glitches... but that does NOT mean that I automatically agree with their interpretations or accede to their demands. In both circumstances, overwhelmingly, the marginal students are actually wrong. Their answers were not correct alternatives. They were not mis-graded. It doesn't matter how much they get explained to-- they have their minds made up and they feel they have been wronged. Alas, the main reason they failed in the first place is the reason they don't understand why they failed: their level of understanding and practice of nursing is just not where it needs to be.

The very, very few people who win their appeals almost always go on to fail the next semester, because they just didn't have enough going for them to pass the higher level of expectation. This is especially hard when people fail the last semester of school, but remember: prior passing is not a free pass to graduation. You do not deserve to pass just because it's close and you want it so badly. The level of professional practice expectation rises every semester, and sad to say, some people cannot get through that last set of hoops. Many will make excellent nurses, but as LPNs, not RNs.

The very few whose last semester appeals succeed by a fraction of a point almost always fail NCLEX. But they still have to pay their loans.

Good luck with your appeal. Whatever happens, commit yourself to working a lot harder so you won't be so close to the line next time.

Skips, MSN, RN · Dec 26, 2012

This is really confusing to me. So your instructor told you over the phone, and didn't want to meet with you about your grade? Seems odd to me. You really need to try to meet with your instructor about this and work your way up to the dean if you think it was graded unfairly.

Annachu512, BSN, RN · Dec 26, 2012

I would LOVE to be able to pass with a 77. We have to have a 79 in all our nursing classes but we can round up..so anything 78.5 and up is acceptable. I'm sorry you seem to be having such a hard time. All of the instructors at my school are very approachable and I have asked them to explain issues I had.

I wish you the best of luck when you talk to the Dean! :nailbiting:

kaydensmom01 · Dec 26, 2012

This is all hearsay. You hear what you want to hear but you need factual information, in writing.

Don't expect them to hand it to you. Go and ask. They aren't supposed to chase you, anticipate your questions, or "sit you down" to feed it to you. Turn in your written appeal, with as many facts as you have (not "she told me..." or "they said...") to the chair and see what happens.

You're not going to like this, but my experience is as a former instructor and as a legal nurse who has been asked to work for the very marginal student on a legal case regarding grading. I am always willing to give students the benefit of the doubt...sometimes there are system errors or Scantron glitches... but that does NOT mean that I automatically agree with their interpretations or accede to their demands. In both circumstances, overwhelmingly, the marginal students are actually wrong. Their answers were not correct alternatives. They were not mis-graded. It doesn't matter how much they get explained to-- they have their minds made up and they feel they have been wronged. Alas, the main reason they failed in the first place is the reason they don't understand why they failed: their level of understanding and practice of nursing is just not where it needs to be.

The very, very few people who win their appeals almost always go on to fail the next semester, because they just didn't have enough going for them to pass the higher level of expectation. This is especially hard when people fail the last semester of school, but remember: prior passing is not a free pass to graduation. You do not deserve to pass just because it's close and you want it so badly. The level of professional practice expectation rises every semester, and sad to say, some people cannot get through that last set of hoops. Many will make excellent nurses, but as LPNs, not RNs.

The very few whose last semester appeals succeed by a fraction of a point almost always fail NCLEX. But they still have to pay their loans.

Good luck with your appeal. Whatever happens, commit yourself to working a lot harder so you won't be so close to the line next time.

I agree. It seems that you are only hearing what you want to hear. JMHO.

Devon Rex, ADN, BSN · Dec 26, 2012

I have to agree with GrnTea whole heartedly and I don't say this lightly.

I failed two semesters in nursing and was given the opportunity to redo them, and for that... I am grateful. The experience made me a better student nurse.

You are too upset right now. Take time to cool off, regroup, and repeat the semester. They don't have to take you back if they don't want you, so watch your temper. I've been there... it's not worth it. I was given opportunities, others in my class ended up leaving.

We are all going into the same field... watch the reputation you are building now, cuz you never know who you will run into in the future and the things they might say about you (good or bad). Keep your eyes in the bigger picture & what is MOST important to you... becoming a nurse.