What would you do?

[jess714300]

Hello everybody, I'm coming here looking for advice on a situation that is happening with my nursing class. Basically we had a test a couple days ago and one of the questions from the test was about something we never covered specifically in class and was never covered in the chapters. Half of the answers could be eliminated by information presented in the chapter and if you use your nursing judgment you could figure out the right answer. Some students challenged this question because they got it wrong on the account of never learning the information. The problem is that the instructor decided to delete the question entirely from the exam and everyone who got it RIGHT it was reduced the point. (If you started with a 40/50 before and got it WRONG you now had a 40/49 and if you got it RIGHT you now had a 39/49). So basically if you got it wrong you grade increased by approx. 0.5% and if you got it right your grade decreased by 0.5%. Unfortunately I had gotten it right and my grade decreased and consequently I now need an extra point on the final examination to obtain the grade I want to. I am aspiring to apply to a PhD program in which my GPA must be high. This is extremely important to me and if I miss the grade I need by one point this excludes me from applying to the program. Yes, I know it is very unlikely to be that close, but in the event it does happen how do I deal with this situation? It is a 6 credit class and has the potential to decrease my GPA by 0.7. It also affects other students who may fail by one point and get kicked out of the program.

I should mention- We tried discussing with the professor, just in case somebody's grade is affected and she says it is a "non-issue".

[pmabraham, BSN, RN]

Have you approached the professor with your math and asking if the professor can make things fair?

[jess714300]

Yes. She states it's a "non-issue" then says it is the program policy to do it this way. It has never happened before- usually they just give everyone the point. And it is mentioned no where in our syllabus or course handbook.

[direw0lf, BSN]

I'd go to the dean ask to be kept anonymous and voice that it's unfair for the grades to be lowered for people who got it right. My school is small so this works..I don't know about a large school.

[jess714300]

That's what we were considering doing. I'm obviously pretty upset so I wanted to make sure my emotions weren't clouding my judgement.... I feel like the teacher is making me feel like I am overreacting, but if it came down to making a difference, I feel like I'm justified and wanted other opinions.