Grading Curve Question

[multiple choice]

[...]

For instance, it's pretty much a well-known fact that many students randomly use, say, 3X30 mg tablets of Adderall everyday during the exam period and 2-3 coke blowns on the day of the exam!

It's coke BLOWS ... not "blowns"!

[emc]

I've heard a horror story where a professor was beaten up by a couple of disgruntled students who were told their exams were missing and were given Fs.

I don't think this is true -- I mean, this sort of thing may happen in a thirld world country, but here in the US?!

[Roadscholarus]

My school categorically denies there is a curve, but if you get a prof to open up after a few cocktails, they'll tell you there is no other way to grade. This is largely because of the firms that hire students based on grades, and the school wants to ensure the firm has not made a mistake > thus so more students from that school will be hired.

[execstyle]

I've heard a horror story where a professor was beaten up by a couple of disgruntled students who were told their exams were missing and were given Fs.

I don't think this is true -- I mean, this sort of thing may happen in a thirld world country, but here in the US?!

Well, if you talk about "L" worlds I guess that can well happen in a first world country

[qui tam]

u mean "Looney" worlds?

[tacojohn]

My school categorically denies there is a curve, but if you get a prof to open up after a few cocktails, they'll tell you there is no other way to grade. This is largely because of the firms that hire students based on grades, and the school wants to ensure the firm has not made a mistake > thus so more students from that school will be hired.

You can grade without being on a curve, but then class rank means a lot more.  Firms want to look at the top X%, which at a school normally works out to a pretty steady GPA because of the curve.  If they wanted to, schools could do away with the curve, but then firms wouldn't hire a lot if they couldn't find class rank.  At that point, considering how bad grade inflation is these days, an A might becoming just treading water and a B would be the kiss of death.  And you would need to study a lot harder, since getting 50-60% of the issues (as in some tests) would not be enough to pass.

[NotReally]

I think class rank means less and grading on a curve is the only way to go. if there were no curve it would be like undergrad wehre easy professors have full classes and hard professors can't fill a seat.  no good for anyone.
I go to a school with a b+ mean distributed however the teacher wants.  He could have all B+s or he could have all As and b-s it ends up the same.  mostly there are a lot of b+'s and a a-s and b's and a few outliers. 

No class rank at all.  You only know the class mean because it is the same for all classes and I have heard top quarter is around 3.48 or something, but that is unconfirmed.  The weird thing is also that the school doesn't calculate GPA.  So basically our transcripts have a bunch of grades and no class rank and no gpa......... most people calculate it themselves. 

[NATUREBOY]

I'm curious...what kind of grading curve does your school use, if any?  My school uses a 9 level grading system.  It is a mandatory curve for all 1L classes.  I'd like to know if other campuses have similar grading systems.  Thanks in advance!

Our grading system:

A
B+
B
no less than 10%, no more than 20% of students receive the grades above
*****
B-
C+ (median grade)
C
******
no less than 10%, no more than 20% of students receive the grades below:
C-
D
F

I'm starting at St Mary's this fall and they have the exact same curve.  I was afraid at first, but if you think about it...80% of the class MUST at least pass.  So that's some reassurance.

[lincolnsgrandson]

NotReally - why does your law school have such a sh-tty policy?  Not even calculating your GPA or giving you a placement?  No GPA or class placement on resume. That seriously p-sses off firms.  They'll assume the worst.

[favor24]

Question

I will be starting law school in the fall and during the forum this weekend they talked about having forced curve.  From my understanding of their explanation this means that only so many people can get an A and only so many people can get a F and there is distribution between that.  If anyone out there is graded like this can they let me know if I am understanding this correctly and if this system of grading is fair (if there is such a thing).

Thanks