What were your class averages for exams/grades in science/math classes?

[Seijou]

Some of you guys are over-analyzing my question, which by the way, only one person was able to answer.

You don't know how many classes and which classes I have taken or what my major is. The 3.0 science GPA is only for the few prerequisites that are needed for PA schools. The list that I have provided does not reflect my grades or my averages. Trust me, my overall GPA is much higher than that. I have two more years of college left and for those two years I will be taking only science classes.

Again, I am not here to rant about my professors or how hard the classes are. No **** it's not going to be easy.

I posted a little bit of background info so people wouldn't have to ask why I want to know this. I didn't ask for advice or how to improve my grades/GPA. I SIMPLY WANTED TO COMPARE CLASS AVERAGES. Got it?

No need to respond to this thread anymore as none of you bother to answer my question.

 

Obviously, I picked the wrong forum.

 

To the OP - You're right. Maybe this isn't the right forum for you... People are trying to help you (regardless of if they're giving you the answers you want) and you're just flat out rude. Now I feel like a moron for sticking up for you - way to go.

 

To Steve - Sorry for giving you a hard time in when you gave the jerk a reality check.

[DrCats]

You guys are a trip! Why get cable or watch soap operas? LMAO!!!

[taotaox1]

That sounds like my school. My orgo professor said at the beginning of the semester "I write my exams so the average is in the 40-50 range"... The first one averaged a 62 - we paid for it the remainder of the semester (2 more exams) with the averages of 39 and 32.

 

It appeared to bother him greatly that a 900 student class could accomplish a 62 average.

 

When I went to him to request an appointment for some clarification on something HE SAID during lecture, he said "thats what the TAs are for, I do research"...

 

This is why a good community college will often provide a better education than many a large university. Hell, my CC was harder than the expensive private university I graduated from, even though the university had a 94 or higher to get a 4.0

 

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[laifalove]

I went to a large state university as well, heavy emphasis on research, future pre-meds by the bucketfuls in every class. Same averages, if not even lower, especially in the biology classes. A couple of the other state universities in the same system have the same kind of averages, it's pretty common actually.

 

My suggestion (if you're looking for those)? Retake a few classes at a CC after you've graduated. If you have to, resort to some online courses as well for those that don't have a lab component. That's what I'm doing right now to rescue my GPA. You can work and do it at the same time, I work 8:30-5 with an hour commute each way, but take a bio night class twice a week plus two online social science courses right now for pre-reqs. I also volunteer+shadow on my day off.

[Hoosier1]

I had the same experience 20 years ago at a large state school. Much depends on the professor as my experience was some seemed to think it reflected poorly on them if people got A's. I still think it is stupid to make a test so difficult that a 20-30% is considered a C. I didn't do well but that was mainly my doing. It's more than just putting in time studying. You need to learn how to study correctly. Are you studying the material everyday or just a few days before an exam? Are you studying in front of the TV or in a quiet room that simulates the environment that you will take the test in? It may seem small but these all make a difference.

 

With that being said some are just better at science courses. Sorry but I can't tell you what the class average is but I am the person that everyone hates now since I "blow the curve". In anatomy I finished with a 99%. Physiology a 99.5%. I spend at least 20+ hours a week outside of class studying. For anatomy I went to all the open labs and review sessions I could. I had friends who did not put in the same amount of work for various reasons and they were B and C students. I had a friend with an attitude similar to yours. She studied but couldn't understand why I did so much better.

 

You didn't say what your degree is in or if the PA pre-req's are required or electives. If they are not needed for your degree then I would suggest taking them during the summer or after graduation at a community college. I'm lucky to have an excellent community college local and I have learned much more than I did at the larger state school while also maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

[kbarsness]

Where do you go to school? It sounds like the University of Minnesota! HAHA.

[kbarsness]

I'd say I'm in the same position. I'm a junior at the University of MN. I struggle in my sciences classes, but I work hard and always make sure that I'm comfortable with the material. By no means am I trying to come off arrogant, but I feel that their standards are high, and they expect a lot from students. With that said, I have never attended a community college, and I am by no means trying to assume a university is better than a community college. I am just referring to the college I have attended.

What is frustrating to me is, I've learned so much in the last two and a half years, whether my B grades demonstrate that or not. I wouldn't want to try and transfer to an "easier" college so my grades are better, even if it did help me get accepted into a physician assistant program.

[cinntsp]

I wouldn't want to try and transfer to an "easier" college so my grades are better, even if it did help me get accepted into a physician assistant program.

 

While CC classes being easier is sometimes the case, it's not necessarily about that for many people and/or the ease comes via other factors rather than the material just being outright easier. Some students don't function well in the 300 student lecture hall environment. It's much easier to get personal attention or interact with the professor or the rest of the class when there are only 20 people in the room. That can make the course easier without the material itself being easier.

[rev ronin]

One of the nice bits about being an older student is that you're simply not expected to have a "perfect" undergraduate career, with a 3.5+ GPA in Biology from a name-brand university. Not once did I have any school to which I applied question my community college or online classes.

[mktalon]

For me, I just don't see the point in paying $500+ per credit for a graduate student to teach 300 students.

[mackjacks]

In answer to the OP's original question (and hopefully nothing more or I might get chewed out) my school's averages were right around the percentages mentioned. On a Calc II exam, the average was 21%, so my score in the 50's was an A. I found this system silly, that by getting half the exam wrong I got a great grade. However, my boyfriend is an engineer math genius and would always score in the 90's on these exams. Exams with such low averages serve well in that they are able to challenge exceptional students like my bf who otherwise would have 100% on everything, and the curve serves to stop everyone else from being screwed or getting complacent.