You Can Formally Appeal Your Bad Final Grade

Sometimes when someone says, “That professor was so unfair. I should have had a higher grade,” what they really mean is “I didn’t get the job done and got what I deserved, but I blame someone else.” However, in other cases it is true: you can read a professor’s reviews before enrolling in his course, review the program, turn in all your assignments on time and still get a grade below what you think you deserve. If you think you should have done better than you did, there is a way out, although few people know about it: most colleges have a grade appeal process that you can use at the end of the semester if you think you can justify your decision. best mark.

When can I appeal the final grade?

If you just didn’t do your job during the semester, you’ll have a hard time convincing those in power that you deserve a higher grade. But there are other reasons why the assessment can be challenged. According to the best colleges, these include :

• The professor applied unfair or unequal standards.
• The professor didn’t spell out their grading policy.
• The professor made grade decisions based on something other than academic performance (such as behavior, personal feelings, or discrimination).

While it is best to address these issues directly with the instructor during the semester, this is not always possible. You’re busy, they’re busy, and some teachers don’t grade until the very end – which means you may not know you have a problem until you think it’s too late.

First, talk to the professor.

The actual appeal process at most schools is boring and serious, meaning you and your professor will have to deal with paperwork if you make it through. It’s in your best interest to both try to come to a decision privately first, so make an appointment if you can. Provide documentation, such as a syllabus that lacks a clear statement of the teacher’s grading policy, or emails you sent about overdue or incorrectly graded assignments during the semester; then ask directly if your rating can be changed.

For the most part, educators can change grades on their own, and forums like Reddit are full of students and educators who say they’ve seen it happen . Usually the instructor should provide some sort of internal rationale, but the grade should change quickly after it’s submitted.

Formal Appeal Process

If you can’t speak out, in most cases you have a more radical option. The first step to making a formal class change is to familiarize yourself with your school’s policies. Google the name of your school and “grade change policy”. Some schools, such as NYU Tisch School of the Arts , have a deadline for filing an appeal. Some of them are really simplified, such as the state of North Dakota , which provides you with a form to fill out in advance. Some, like Emerson , require you to file a petition with written support from a teacher or counselor. Others, such as UCLA , have strict rules about which grades you can appeal (one is for “non-academic reasons”) and which you can’t (“you don’t agree with it”).

Knowing the exact process required by your school is key, but almost every university has one. Gather your documentation and evidence again, including any correspondence in which the professor refused to change the grade himself, and contact the department head before submitting. Their job is to resolve disagreements between faculty and students, so if they see that you are serious about submitting documents, they may intervene before you have to.

If all else fails, apply. Try to do this as soon as possible after receiving a failing grade, as some universities only allow this for a certain period of time after the end of the semester. Be professional and courteous in your correspondence, and remember that even if this appeal is not successful and your board denies your application, some schools allow you to also appeal this denial to the Provost.