Grades...

I have made it very clear on my stance regarding the retarded policy of the +/- system of our grades. That aside, I will rant about a recent grade I received. My semester goes like this:

• STDEV 358R (R.A. Class)

  - This is a no brainer. You show up, you get paid in scholarships to be there, and you get an "A". I got that "A".

• IS 350 (Database / Oracle SQL)

  - I had to do work. I had to do my homework, and do well on the tests. I put very little actual study time into it. I took very good and precise notes. I received my expected and deserved "A".

• Math 221 (Principals Of Statistics)

  - I was reluctant to even take this class. I don't like Math all that much and as far as I can figure, it does not like me much either. I tried pretty hard in this class. The majority of time I spent studying and doing homework this semester was in this class. For all of my labor I was on the verge of getting a "C" or "B-". A "B-" is like slapping someone in the face for being just not quite above average enough. Toward the end I worked harder and got an even higher grade on the final than any other test in that class to date. The teacher, which I have to admit I genuinely liked (I recommend Hyde if you have to take it), gave me an "A-" by the skin of my teeth. This time, the "-" was mercy. I still think that I'd rather get a real "A" but I dare not push it.

• REL 235 (Achieving Eternal Marriage)

  - Next we have a real kicker which I absolutely want to vomit over. I joked that the only way to score an "A" in the class was to actually achieve Eternal Marriage. I didn't realize that I was right. This stupid teacher, Jeffereies, only had two things we were graded on. The first was the midterm. The midterm was 3 pages we had to scribble down in one class period on three subjects he chose from the book. He wanted us to be as thurough as possible. I read the chapters and used quotes and contained every morsel of information he asked us to. I got a low "B". I felt his completely useless, arbitrary and subjective scale of grading us was ridiculous. I was not wrong. Our final was similar. This time he wanted us to pick a subject from the second half of the book and "run with it". I chose the chapter of finances. It had to include footnotes (which I did) and cite at least three other sources other than our manual and the scriptures. I did that as well. It had to be typed and exactly four pages long. Three and a half he reminded us was not four. It also could not run over the page. If it did, he would stop reading at the fourth. My paper was exactly at four and perfectly to specifications. The (dare I call my seminary teacher this) shmuck didn't think my paper was good enough. I got a "B+" in that class. This was likely the worst institute teacher has to be the worst I have had to date. He spent most of each hour kavetching about his senile dad, his deadbeat ex-son-in-law or some other person in his life with flaws, and I think he missed a few too many as he could not see clearly beyond his beam. I rarely felt an increase in the spirit if at all. Thanks for a whole semester wasted and a lowered GAP. If you like institute, stay away from Jefferies.

• CS 202 (Computer Programming III)

  - This was the class that concerned me the most. I was in a real fret over this for some time. I was leery of my chances of even passing it. I did go to the "lab" occasionally. Not enough. Many people take the class over. I was about to be one of them. I went to virtually every class. I listened. The problem is that the programs we wrote were completely different from what we were doing in class. It was the same subject, but purely theoretical in nature. We didn't even have a computer to take notes on or practice what we were learning on. This made it difficult for me. Toward the end our teacher heard our complaints and we did get some computer time. It was a shy too late for that semester, though. I have to admit here that I was in possession of each of the programs that he wanted from us. Each was ill gotten and not ethical. I also had a few of them done by my sweat and tears. The day of the deadline I sat at my computer and debated over taking the stolen code and altering it so as to make it appear as mine. I tinkered with one and then decided it was best to take it over, and earn my grade. I was prepared to take my "F" and a re-do. I checked my grade today and low and behold, to my astonishment, I had a pretty "C" waiting for me. What's more, it was a "C+"! Again, a "B" is always better, but a "C+" is better than just a "C". It is a far cry from failing, so I was pleasantly suprised. It appears that the programs that I did finish and effort I put into getting high test scores were enough to compensate for my lack in a few other programs. It was mercy. I feel better about an honest "C+" than a stolen "A".

There you have my Fall 2004. Winter 2005 promises to offer me more things to complain about and whine about. Until then, I'll spare you another rant about the horrible idea of a +/- system of grading.