How to Get a Professor to Change Your Grade
Set up an appointment to speak with your professor., Be ready to submit a written rebuttal., Be respectful and professional at all times., Ask the professor to clarify comments., Emphasize your desire to improve.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Set up an appointment to speak with your professor.
In many countries there are laws that forbid professors from discussing grades via email.
Instead of attempting to have a conversation about your grade over email, set up an appointment to talk to your professor face-to-face.Try talking to your professor after class.
You can say, “Dr.
Johnson, I am concerned about the grade I earned on the exam.
Can we set up a time to meet?” -
Step 2: Be ready to submit a written rebuttal.
If you decide to proceed with challenging your grade, most professors will make you submit your objections in writing.
You will need to outline why your assignment deserves a higher grade, and how the evidence you submitted in the assignment fulfilled the professor’s guidelines.
It is also helpful to incorporate the professor’s comments on your assignment into the written rebuttal., You should always act with courtesy toward your professors, even if you disagree with them.
Being aggressive or confrontational is not acceptable, and can land you in a heap of trouble.
Always speak to your professor with respect, act like a professional, and never, ever threaten a professor., In many cases, you can clear up a misunderstanding over your grade by asking the professor to explain their comments in more detail.
This gives the professor a chance to talk at length about their comments, and will help you understand why you earned the grade.Try saying, “Dr.
Smith, I’m confused by what you meant in your comment about my lack of organization.
Can you explain this to me? , It’s important that your professor understands you want to improve your performance in the course.
During your meeting ask the professor to give you suggestions on how to improve on future assignments.
Try saying, “I’m really committed to improving my grade in this course.
How can I do better on the next assignment?”You can say, “Dr.
Anderson, I am dedicated to improving my grade in this course.
What are some specific actions I can take to improve my grade?” -
Step 3: Be respectful and professional at all times.
-
Step 4: Ask the professor to clarify comments.
-
Step 5: Emphasize your desire to improve.
Detailed Guide
In many countries there are laws that forbid professors from discussing grades via email.
Instead of attempting to have a conversation about your grade over email, set up an appointment to talk to your professor face-to-face.Try talking to your professor after class.
You can say, “Dr.
Johnson, I am concerned about the grade I earned on the exam.
Can we set up a time to meet?”
If you decide to proceed with challenging your grade, most professors will make you submit your objections in writing.
You will need to outline why your assignment deserves a higher grade, and how the evidence you submitted in the assignment fulfilled the professor’s guidelines.
It is also helpful to incorporate the professor’s comments on your assignment into the written rebuttal., You should always act with courtesy toward your professors, even if you disagree with them.
Being aggressive or confrontational is not acceptable, and can land you in a heap of trouble.
Always speak to your professor with respect, act like a professional, and never, ever threaten a professor., In many cases, you can clear up a misunderstanding over your grade by asking the professor to explain their comments in more detail.
This gives the professor a chance to talk at length about their comments, and will help you understand why you earned the grade.Try saying, “Dr.
Smith, I’m confused by what you meant in your comment about my lack of organization.
Can you explain this to me? , It’s important that your professor understands you want to improve your performance in the course.
During your meeting ask the professor to give you suggestions on how to improve on future assignments.
Try saying, “I’m really committed to improving my grade in this course.
How can I do better on the next assignment?”You can say, “Dr.
Anderson, I am dedicated to improving my grade in this course.
What are some specific actions I can take to improve my grade?”
About the Author
Emily Jimenez
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow home improvement tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: