Buzz
It's truly frustrating when you've dedicated so much effort to an assignment, yet the grade you receive doesn't reflect the work you put in. However, before meeting with your professor to request a grade change, you should carefully review the course syllabus, assignment guidelines, and the professor's feedback. If you still feel your grade should be higher, schedule a meeting with the professor and come prepared with evidence to explain why you believe the grade should be adjusted.
Steps
Understand the Grade You Received
Understand the grading process. Depending on the course, university, professor, and even the country you’re in, grading methods can vary greatly. However, a well-structured program will have clear standards that both the institution and students must follow. Professors assess the quality of your work based on specific criteria that are usually outlined at the start of the course. This doesn’t mean you can’t challenge your grade, but you must be sure you’ve met the established standards.
- Unless it’s clear that the professor made a grading or ranking mistake, it’s unlikely they will adjust your grade.
- Remember, grades are earned, not given.
- Your grade doesn’t depend on how hard you worked, but on how well you understood the material and followed the instructions. Unfortunately, you won’t receive extra credit for the effort you put in.
Determine if this is worth your time and effort. In most cases, attempting to convince your professor to change your grade is not worth it. This process often consumes valuable time that could be spent focusing on your next assignment and other courses. Before meeting with your professor, consider whether the effort is worth the trouble.
Review the syllabus. It is important to carefully review the syllabus before approaching your professor about the grade you received. Pay close attention to every word, especially the sections regarding assignment instructions and grading policies.
- For example, if you submitted your work late, check the professor’s policy on late submissions. This may explain the grade you received.
- This also demonstrates to the professor that you've thoroughly read the guidelines. You’ll be in trouble if the answer to your question is clearly stated in the syllabus!
Ensure that you have followed all assignment instructions. Before approaching your professor to request a grade adjustment, you need to confirm that you have adhered to all assignment instructions. Review each section carefully. Not following instructions is often the reason for receiving an unexpected grade.
- For example, if the guidelines specify that the assignment must be 5 pages long, but yours is only 2 pages, that could very well explain your grade.
Carefully review the professor's feedback. Before getting upset about your grade, take the time to carefully read all the comments your professor left on your assignment. These comments usually explain why you received the grade you did.
- If any part of the professor's feedback is unclear, ask them to clarify.
Talk to the professor about your grade
Check if the professor’s grading is accurate, if possible. Education is often an imperfect art; sometimes, professors make errors in grading. It could be that an incorrect answer was marked, the professor misunderstood your topic, or they had to grade papers late into the night, or there could be some other mistakes. You’ll need evidence to justify a higher grade, which often means proving the professor made a mistake.
- Compare your answers with classmates, check online resources, or consult other sources.
- If the feedback on your paper doesn’t make sense, the professor might have misunderstood something. (Though it could also be an issue with how you wrote it, not the professor.)
- If you don’t understand certain corrections or mistakes, ask the professor for clarification. Depending on the school or the professor, your grade might not be adjusted. However, if you approach the professor politely, they are more likely to work with you to adjust your grade.
Request an appointment to speak with your professor. Some countries have laws that prevent professors from discussing grades via email. Instead of trying to communicate through email, request an in-person meeting with your professor.
- Try speaking with the professor after class. You can say, “Excuse me, Professor, I have some questions about my test grade. Could I meet with you at some point to discuss it?”
- Be aware that many professors will require you to wait at least 24 hours after receiving your grade. This is to encourage students to carefully review their work instead of reacting harshly or defensively after receiving a low grade.
- While you may be able to email, meeting with the professor face-to-face is usually the best way to discuss these matters.
Be prepared to file a formal complaint. If you choose to pursue this, most professors will ask you to submit a formal complaint. You’ll need to explain why your work deserves a higher grade and provide evidence that your assignment met the professor’s requirements. Citing the professor’s comments on your work in the complaint can also be helpful.
Always maintain a respectful and professional attitude. You should always be courteous with your professors, even if you disagree with them. Aggressive or challenging behavior is unacceptable and could cause trouble. Always speak to your professor respectfully, in a professional manner, and never make threats.
- Your complaint will be more persuasive and more likely to succeed if you maintain a respectful attitude.
Ask the professor to clarify their comments. In many cases, you can clear up misunderstandings about your grade by asking the professor to explain their comments in more detail. This is an opportunity for the professor to elaborate on their feedback and help you understand why you received the grade you did.
- Try saying, "Excuse me, Professor, I don’t understand what you meant by saying my paper lacked organization. Could you explain that to me?"
- You can also ask the professor for advice on how to improve the areas where you were marked below average.
Emphasize your desire to improve. It’s important that your professor understands that you’re committed to enhancing your performance in the course. During your conversation, you could ask the professor for advice on how to improve your work in future assignments. Try saying, “I really want to improve my grade in this course. What can I do to perform better in the next assignment?”
- You could also say, “Professor, I’m working hard to raise my grade in this course. Specifically, what should I do to improve my grade?”
- You’ll likely have a stronger chance of persuading your professor if you show a genuine desire to improve rather than simply asking for a grade adjustment.
Christopher Taylor, PhD
Assistant Professor of English
Assistant Professor of English
"Communication is key when persuading a professor to raise your grade." Show your professor that you have genuinely been working hard and are always striving to improve the areas they’ve mentioned.
Propose feasible solutions
Ask about earning extra credit. Sometimes, you can improve your grade by earning extra credit. You could ask the professor if there are any additional assignments available for extra points. However, keep in mind that many professors do not offer extra credit.
- You could try saying, "Professor, do you offer any extra assignments? Maybe I should write another paper to earn extra credit."
Request to redo the assignment. This could be a viable solution if your professor is open to the idea. Ask your professor if you can submit a new paper, either on the same topic or a similar one.
- You could ask, "Professor, would it be possible for me to retake the test or redo the assignment?"
Consider escalating the issue to a higher authority. Think carefully before considering a complaint to a higher authority. Unless there’s a clear mistake on the professor’s part, higher authorities are likely to uphold the grade given. If you believe you have a strong case, make sure to follow the proper procedures. Check with your student affairs office for the exact process.
Let it go. Unless there’s an obvious mistake in the grading process, it may be best to let it go. Persistently asking for a grade change is unlikely to endear you to your professor. More importantly, it might be more productive to use that energy for studying.
