Sticky situation .. What would you do?

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Hi everyone!

It's been a minute since I posted a thread. Fast forward .. I'm 7 weeks into a 15 week semester. Everything has been going well. At first it was hard for me to adjust to everything but now that I have, I've been doing good... up until a couple of days ago.

I took an exam last Friday. I felt pretty confident about it. Grades came back and I got .... a 62! What?! I knew for a fact I didn't make a 62 so the first thing I did was email my professor and explain to her that there was no way I failed the exam so I wanted to come in and review my test.

Well, today I reviewed my test. Come to find out I didn't make a 62. The scantron machine didn't pick up on some of my answers. 11 of them to be exact. So I asked my professor, "Since I did get the right answers and marked them on my scantron correctly this means I can get my grade changed to what it should be, right?" She goes on to say and I quote, "I'm not sure if I'm going to give you credit because you didn't follow directions. You didn't mark your answers dark enough. I will have to think about it."

So, basically what I got out of that is even if I did get the correct answers on my scantron she may or may not give me the grade I'm really suppose to have. I'm sorry, but fair is fair. It's one thing if I had the answers marked on my actual test and not the scantron, but I have the correct answers on the scantron! It's not my fault the machine didn't pick it up.

If she doesn't give me credit I'm definitely going to go talk to someone else and fight it if I have to. What would you do?

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I would definitely take it to someone higher up if your instructor doesn't add those points to your grade. My program will not change your grade if you marked the Scantron incorrectly, but they will if the machine simply failed to pick up on your marks.

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How light were the markings? I've never had that problem and I don't press that hard when I fill them out.

I would go up the chain of command, personally.

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this happened to us as well, what you do is first give your teacher the benefit of the doubt, have an email or somethng in writing which says I have been working really hard and am really stressed about my grade and am pleading for a grade change as the scantron did not detect my correct answers. THIS WAY if she doesnt change it you can fwd proof or show proof to the assistant director of your program (it may not get ot this but definitely have some proof!).

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p.s. you did follow directions...because thinka bout it...if you didnt you would have got a zero insteaf of a 62, so clearly youre filling something in correctly ;)

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Specializes in CEN, CFRN, PHRN, RCIS, EMT-P.

Teachers like that is why I'll only do online programs moving forward

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

Just to play devils advocate here......

If you were the only person who had a scantron issue then I can see where the instructor is coming from. The directions on scantrons always clearly say to make your marks dark because the machines can't read them if they're too light. So technically she is correct in that you didn't follow directions.

HOWEVER that's a pretty jerk move to not just give you the points for questions you got right and use it as a teaching opportunity to tell you to make darker marks next time. I really hope she gives you the points, because 11 points can be huge in nursing school. And if not, then definitely go up the chain of command.

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.
Teachers like that is why I'll only do online programs moving forward

No good nursing programs are completely online. I wouldn't want to take such a hard program online even if their were more options for online nursing.

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Specializes in CEN, CFRN, PHRN, RCIS, EMT-P.
No good nursing programs are completely online. I wouldn't want to take such a hard program online even if their were more options for online nursing.

Not everyone can handle the online format, it takes a special and smart individual to learn independently. I understand some need to be cradled and spoon fed the information.

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Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.
Not everyone can handle the online format, it takes a special and smart individual to learn independently. I understand some need to be cradled and spoon fed the information.

People learn differently. Just because someone prefers a different learning method than you, there is no need to insinuate they are not as smart as you. Please refrain from condescending and judgmental remarks.

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Specializes in CEN, CFRN, PHRN, RCIS, EMT-P.
People learn differently. Just because someone prefers a different learning method than you, there is no need to insinuate they are not as smart as you. Please refrain from condescending and judgmental remarks.

I'm sorry you took offense to what I said, I did not mean to insult anyone. Have a wonderful day.

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Specializes in hospice.

How could someone not take offense? Your remark was incredibly insulting to everyone who uses traditional brick and mortar educational institutions.

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