Pullout Sep 18, 2013 at 4:00 am
(Left) Model: Ian Jagel. (Center) Model: Joseph Park. Bolo tie: Sodo design studio Studio Arno. Western shirt: personal collection of Terry Jouper. Cowboy corduroys: Belltown’s Ian. Snakeskin cowboy boots: Fremont’s Tyranny + Mutation. S&M-inspired bootstrap: Capitol Hill design studio tenth&olive. Rugged suede bag: Ballard design studio Jonquil & Mr Black. (Right) Model: Raven West. Searing neon blazer and blinging belt: Central District’s Semai House of Fashion. Psychedelic stretch dress: local independent designer Jamie Von Stratton for Capitol Hill’s Pretty Parlor. Aztec-print pencil pouch: International District design studio Ampersand as Apostrophe. Saddle oxfords: University District’s Buffalo Exchange. Ketchup-and-mustard-inspired book bag: local independent designer Katelyn Bailey. Photo by Kelly O

Comments

1
I would disagree with Rule 2. Professors (and increasingly, TAs) screw up grades sometimes. Or read exams or papers too quickly and miss things. Or grade your paper first and give you a shitty grade before realizing that every one that followed was worse. I'm speaking from experience here. Sure, self-worth, pride, blah, blah, and grades don't always matter as much as just getting a degree. But if you are thinking about grad school, law school, medical school, financial aid, scholarships and fellowships, etc., then yes, grades do matter and are worth arguing over.
3
@1 As someone who has been the teacher/grader, if you are going to do this, you better a) have some pretty solid evidence that your prof screwed up (it does happen, but less often then you are making out) and b) don't be a dick about it. When I teach, I hold post test office hours where I am happy to go over concepts a student missed with them, and they can sometimes even earn points back during these sessions, but nothing is more likely to receive a flat "No" than rudely demanding a change to a grade because "med school"
4
@3 Sure, of course, I wasn't saying that students should demand higher grades. I know that many college students (and their families) think that they are owed good grades because they paid tuition (I've seen it). But there is nothing wrong with following up with some humility and asking for clarification, explanation, etc., without having to have "pretty solid evidence that the prof screwed up." The notion that "grades don't matter" as written in the article isn't a good way to get through college for those who have higher aspirations that simply graduating with a 2.0 average, IMHO.
5
Especially with things like math exams, where there is a right and a wrong answer. With a hundred tests to grade, they're going to slip up a couple times, and will almost always be happy to correct your grade if it was actually right.
6
Sadly, rule 3 does apply. I once stupidly signed up for a Philosophy of Biology class at 8am. Even though I really really enjoyed it, it meant I was up at 6am. Which meant I had 4 hours sleep. Which meant I would sleep through most of the 2 hour session. Yeah, nah.
8
Also, if you're a first generation college student, this essay here might be of great help. It can help explain why some working-class, first generation students sometimes hit a wall when they're in school.
10
@3 My favorite excuse was "but if I don't get a 4.0 I won't get into [ultra-competitive major unrelated to this course]! If you don't give me an A you are ruining my future!"

The best part is that this is generally rolled out in weeks 8-10 at which point the only way for the complainer to get an A in the course would be divine intervention. Whereas if after they got a C on the first two quizzes they had come for help and therefore not bombed the midterm, they would be fine right now.

I actually once had a student tell me they felt they "deserved" a B rather than the C they got because they felt like they learned more than their test grades reflected. They sincerely believed that was worth attempting.
11
This needs to get piped to every urban Top 30 (by whatever quack ranking publication) university student. Can't stand the kids who never venture beyond the gates, or only do so in cabs.
12
@10 I get that too, but it's an easy whine to deflect: if you needed a 4.0 in my class, you should have worked harder and earned it; others did. And the response they don't get but I think: if you didn't get a 4.0 in this class that you thought you needed to get into University X's law/med/grad program, then you likely wouldn't do well there either.
13
You aren't boned if you have one or two bad semesters, or even bad years when it comes into getting into a good grad program/med school, ect. Lots of programs recognize that people change, and yes, you probably won't get in as a 22 year old, but that's hardly the end of the world. In this economy, it's common to have people go back for various career changes, for a variety of reasons. I know someone who didn't figure out what she wanted to do until late in her undergraduate career. She graduated with a 2.5 GPA and realized she wanted to go to med school. She had to get a master's degree on her way to doing so, and she had to make sure everything else was in great shape for her application. She got in. I would say to the students that "needed" the 4.0, that they clearly didn't need it that badly or they would have worked for it. If you enrolled into a prestigious program and couldn't get around to going to class, then you must not really want to do whatever it is you think you need to be doing with your life.

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