Curve?

[Celio_G_Dis2C]

So the syllabus says that a 50% is required o pass the class with at least a C- but at the same time, "there's no curve" is what I've been hearing from most students so if I have a 75% in the class it'll remain the same but if I get a 50% it'll jump up to 70%?

[Courtney Quan 1C]

Note that the syllabus says, "Each test and exam has a total score but is not assigned a grade. Only at the end of the class when the class average score (out of 500 points) is known are final grades assigned. This class does not use a curve." Your final grade will be determined at the end of the course, when the class average is known.

[allisoncarr1i]

Does that line in the syllabus also mean that anyone who receives over 50% of the points will pass?

[deniise_garciia]

if anyone knows more about this may they please update us, I have this similar question.

[Marina Gollas 1A]

As of now with what he stated in the syllabus, if you were to receive about 250/500 points, you will pass the class with a C-, so if you have a 75%, then that means it might average up to a B or B+, depending as the student above said, on the class average. This what is some people in the class were saying when I asked them this question. :) hope this helped.

[Jeannine 1I]

Does that line in the syllabus also mean that anyone who receives over 50% of the points will pass?

Yes, this means that as long as students get 50% (250/500 points), they will pass the class with a C- (:

[Lynsea_Southwick_2K]

Last quarter w Lavelle, same grading system, I ended with 344/500 and that resulted in a C. I think it depends on the class averages.

[Liliana Aguas 3G]

Yes, it is all just based on the class average so technically there is no curve.

[Varadhan_3G]

Once a class average is determined at the end, the grades will be adjusted, I think.

[Patricia Cardenas]

i was confused about this as well, I had assumed based off the syllabus a 50% would be a C-

[selatran1h]

The class is technically not curved, but rather scale based. So depending on what the overall class average is, the scale will be shifted and grades will be assigned accordingly I'm pretty sure.

[Yiyang Jen Wang 4G]

I think it depends on the class average at the end of the quarter.

[Megan Kirschner]

Since it depends on class average at the end of the quarter- does that sort of mean you can't calculate your grade at all throughout the quarter?

[Angela Prince 1J]

if anyone knows more about this may they please update us, I have this similar question.

As long as you receive half the points in the class, you will pass with at least a C-, but the actual letter grades will vary each quarter depending on class averages (which is why he waits until the end to decide grades).

[Jamie Hwang 2F]

I think if you do a straight scale where 450/500 to 500/500 points is an A- to A+ and so on, then you could get some idea of your grade because I'm pretty sure if there is a curve it can only help and not hurt your grade.

[805291863]

If I remember currently from the beginning of last quarter, Dr. Lavelle mentioned that there is the possibility of a curve at the end of the quarter if the grade distribution deems it necessary. Also, if there were to be a curve, it would only help your grade, not hurt it.

[RobertXu_2J]

There is no direct curve on the test, but Lavelle adjusts the grading scheme as needed depending on the performance of students overall on test

[Naren_Ramesh_4F]

Yea, there is a "Grade Adjustment Period," where grades are adjusted based on the class average from what I understand.

[Keerthana Sivathasan 2E]

Usually, even if he does help curve at the end a little bit, it's only about 1-2%, so nothing drastic. I would suggest to just keep trying your best and hope for the best.

[805291863]

Especially considering that the class average for this midterm was a bit higher than last quarter's, I think it is currently highly unlikely for a significant curve

[gabbymaraziti]

There is no specific guideline for this, Lavelle just "curves" according to the final, total class averages. Not much hope though, considering the average on the midterm was fairly high.

[JChen_2I]

I think grades are adjusted a bit at the end of the quarter based on the class averages. When I had him last quarter, my final grade ended up being a bit higher than my point total would've been.

[Omar Selim 1D]

There is no curve in the class, but points and grade correlation are not determined until after the final exam has been posted. Your scores on the tests are not indicative of what your final grade will come out to be as Dr. Lavelle might adjust it slightly at the end of the quarter depending on what the class average ends up being.

[Elizabeth Bowen 1J]

I talked to Lavelle during office hours and he said yes, 50% is a C-, and if you get something above, like 70% or something similar, it depends on the class grades when the class is over what that percentage would correlate to grade-wise, but it will most likely be higher than a C-.

[Mai V 4L]

Does anyone know if the recalculation of grades at the end of the quarter tends ro help? if so , usually by how much

[Angela Prince 1J]

So the syllabus says that a 50% is required o pass the class with at least a C- but at the same time, "there's no curve" is what I've been hearing from most students so if I have a 75% in the class it'll remain the same but if I get a 50% it'll jump up to 70%?

The "curve" is basically just the class average he uses because no letter grades are given on any tests/exams, only a final letter grade.

[jisulee1C]

The curve utilizes the total number of points that you can earn and factors in the highest student's score but I think it varies each quarter depending on the student's scores on tests, the final, and midterm.

[Brandi 2C]

Does that line in the syllabus also mean that anyone who receives over 50% of the points will pass?

Yes,,, I had a conversation with Lavelle in his office hours about this and he said that as long as you get a 50%, no matter what or how, you will PASS the class! I think we can agree this is at least comforting to know haha

[Philip]

I think it's either/or. If you end up with a C you pass or if you end up with 250 points you pass the class. Last quarter I had 444/500 points and ended with an A- so he does kind of curve but we won't know until they find the average points out of 500 of the class

[Dan M -3E]

I think that way it works out is that each individual test isn't curved, but once the class average is known at the end of the quarter, the grades are curved to reflect that average. But, included in that curve/scaling is that if someone gets at least 250 points out of the 500, they are guaranteed a passing grade.

[Esha Chawla 2E]

So the syllabus says that a 50% is required o pass the class with at least a C- but at the same time, "there's no curve" is what I've been hearing from most students so if I have a 75% in the class it'll remain the same but if I get a 50% it'll jump up to 70%?

Based on what I've heard, a 50% guarantees that you pass the class. Everything after that is slightly adjusted. This doesn't necessarily mean that your 75% will be a B, but it will likely be above a C- (because a 50% is a C-).

[chimerila]

Whatever happens, you'll pass the class if you get 250/500. Anything more than that, your grade is calculated based on how the rest of the class does. But the curve can only help you

[505598869]

This is confusing, I have heard both that the class is curved and that it isn't.

[Nathan Chu 3H]

I've heard that Lavelle has adjusted grades in the past by a few points depending on class averages. However, given that our average on the first midterm was so high, it doesn't seem like there will be any drastic grade adjustment.

[805421690]

Does anyone know what we have to score (Minimal) on the midterms and final in order to pass the class?

[Charisma Arreola 2F]

I don’t think that there is a curve, but that his grading system has a wider range for passing.

[Jaclyn Dang 3B]

I thought it was just a point system and in the end whatever you have out of 500 will be your grade...

[Mariah Disc 2C]

For right now you can use a straight scale to predict your grade and if the class average is low your grade will only improve at the end of the quarter.

[Day Preciado 1H]

I feel that the class isn't curve but I have heard both that the class is curved and that it isn't.

[Keeryth Sandhu 1H]

I believe the class is curved based on the class averages

[AmyHo2K]

I think there is a bigger range for passing and if the class average is low enough, the grades would be adjusted.

[AJForte-2C]

does anyone know if the class average has negatively affected grades? For example, is it possible to be passing the class as of now, but fail it in the end due to a high class average?

[Hannah Chang 3K]

does anyone know if the class average has negatively affected grades? For example, is it possible to be passing the class as of now, but fail it in the end due to a high class average?

the averages for the past two midterms are ~80% which still falls in the B- range of a standard grading curve, so it's probably not high enough to negatively impact the grades.

[almost_ethan]

So are the midterms curved too or just the final grade?

[805377003]

I am curious about this as well. He will probably send an email out soon.

[AliAsh 1H]

So are the midterms curved too or just the final grade?

I'm not sure if the first midterm was curved but my grade changed after a week. I'm not sure if that was bc of partial credit or an actual curve tho

[Victoria_Sauceda_1B]

Its not technically a curve but the final grades are based on a class average and it depends on the grades of the whole class at the end

[Cooper Kinne 2E]

I doubt there will be too much of a curve if any

[AJForte-2C]

So are the midterms curved too or just the final grade?

I believe that the final overall grade is the only thing that is curved, not the midterms or final. Its not determined until after the quarter is done.

[Joel Meza 3I]

I've heard that it is based on class average once final scores are complete and listed.

[Can Yilgor 2D]

I believe this class does not have a curve. The final grades are calculated out of 500 points.