What do grades usually mean?

[Happy_Weasel]

For example, in my undergrad:

A- Well done.(the prof was impressed)
B- Adequate.(the prof thought the job was done)
C- Unprofessional (the prof was dissappointed, but the work is done)
D- Incomplete in terms of objectives
F- Missed the objectives completely

Is this what the average(low, but regular 2T to regular 3T) LS exam grade really means? Basically, that an A means they were blown away, a B means that they were satisfied and not impressed and C means that they were dissappointed while a D or F means that you really f**cked up?

[J D]

It really does depend on the specific grade distribution (or "forced curve") put in place at your school.  Without knowing that, it's really hard to generalize.

[Happy_Weasel]

What is general for a school that is 2T/3T?

[dft]

My school's system makes no sense.

A "B" is "superior" yet an "A" is excellent.

I tend to think of the word "superior" as indicative of the highest level of achievement. While "excellent" is still a high level of achievement, I doubt it connotes a higher level than "superior." Thus, this "grading key" makes no sense.

http://www.law.suffolk.edu/offices/registrar/grades.cfm

[Bobo]

My school's system makes no sense.

A "B" is "superior" yet an "A" is excellent.

I tend to think of the word "superior" as indicative of the highest level of achievement. While "excellent" is still a high level of achievement, I doubt it connotes a higher level than "superior." Thus, this "grading key" makes no sense.

http://www.law.suffolk.edu/offices/registrar/grades.cfm

I kind of agree w. your schools grading characterizations.  Superior just means that it is better than some, higher.  So a C is superior than a D, and an A is superior than a B.  So, if you have a B- curve like my school, then B is superior to most people.  So it is appropriate.

On the other hand, excellent tends to imply that someone excels. They do above and beyond what was called for, not just above.  I think an A would be reflective of this.

I don't know if people agree.  I have nothing to back this up, it is just my personal understanding/interpretation of those terms.

[dft]

I see what you're saying, but...

"Superior just means that it is better than some, higher."

I see "superior" as meaning not just higher than some; I view it is higher than (almost) all. You're right that a "B" grade is significantly higher than a B-, and it's really a pretty good achievement on a B- curve; but still, a B average will put you in probably the top 30-40%, while I think of "superior" as like top 10%.

When I was younger, "B" meant "good" and "A" meant excellent. Maybe my school thought "good" was not indicative of the level of achievement that a "B" grade suggests?

I kind of agree w. your schools grading characterizations.  Superior just means that it is better than some, higher.  So a C is superior than a D, and an A is superior than a B.  So, if you have a B- curve like my school, then B is superior to most people.  So it is appropriate.

On the other hand, excellent tends to imply that someone excels. They do above and beyond what was called for, not just above.  I think an A would be reflective of this.

I don't know if people agree.  I have nothing to back this up, it is just my personal understanding/interpretation of those terms.

[Happy_Weasel]

Although what I found interesting was the fact that my writing professor-to-be said that there will be no curve in her class. Is this to be understood as a positivie thing?

[Leaf2001br]

I suppose it goes without saying that even with the curve, it depends on the professor.  Some will give almost no A's at all.  This is why ranking is a better assessment of performance, though rankings are quite flawed in their own right.  If my section has the professor who gives no A's, it has no relative bearing on my section rank, but my class ranking is against the other sections who may have a professor who gives A's more liberally.   I think this is the justification for having a curve.  But we hat 2 professors who just decided independently to set their curve median lower.  Very frustrating.