How to Negotiate a Better Grade

Ah, the end of the semester. How good it feels to be done! I don’t know yet what my grades are, but you might. And you might not be happy about it.

You’ve got a reason to be unhappy, too. There is a conspiracy against you.At the end of every semester, the professors and TAs get together in their favorite dreary cave, stir a steaming cauldron of the bitterest brew, and cackle together about the C they’re going to give you for your term paper. If you feel like fighting it, here’s some ideas.

Figure Out What Went Wrong

First, you should assess the problem. Did you:

•  miss class? Tell your instructor why you missed. Gather up doctors’ notes or whatever proof you can find that you didn’t miss because of a hangover.
• do poorly on a test? Write out the reasons why you did poorly. If it was an early test, be able to show your instructor that you made progress after your poor grade. If you have test anxiety or a documented disability that hurt your performance, gather your proof.
• write a sub-par paper? Think about why you didn’t do well. Did you address the topic exactly as asked? Did you use enough (and the right kind of) research? If you can make changes that show you’ve really learned the material, make them and print out the paper.

Whatever the problem is, gather your evidence that you know the material. You’re going to meet with your instructor to make your case. Consider their office a courtroom. Bring solid proof.

Determine What Your Grade Actually Is

Check the syllabus to see exactly what your grade will be. Look at your grades from each quiz, test, project, and paper. Find out exactly how much each is worth, and calculate. If your instructor took attendance, find out how many points you’ve lost for missing classes.

The reason you do this is that it’s further evidence in your case. If most of your points were lost on the first test or because you had the flu, you have a stronger argument.

Make an Appointment

E-mail or call your instructor to find a good time to meet with them. Remember that it’s a busy time for them, and be courteous. Tell your instructor that you’d like to sit down and discuss your grade and how you can improve and/or prove to them that you’ve learned the material.

• Avoid saying or even hinting that the problem was not your fault.
• Avoid seeming lazy. Your instructor hears lazy people ask for good grades all the time.

Ask Nicely

During the appointment, present the materials you’ve gathered and make your case. It should sound like this:

[Dr. Meanie], I came here to ask you to reconsider my final grade for the course. As you can see, I missed several points on the first test of the semester, but I’ve been steadily improving since then. I’ve turned in all of my assignments on time, and I’ve only missed two lectures. I’ve learned so much about [Boring Subject] in your class, and I want my grade to reflect what I’ve learned. Is there any way I can convince you that I’ve earned [an A] instead of [a B plus]?

Focus on what you’ve learned and the things you’ve done right in the course. Under no circumstances say that it wasn’t your fault (even if it wasn’t) or that you deserve a grade because you’ve never gotten such a low grade before. Your instructor doesn’t owe you anything but what’s laid out in the syllabus. If he asks you to do something to make up the points, do it and be happy about it.

Readers: Have you ever had to negotiate a higher grade? What worked? What didn’t?