Can you ask your prof to RAISE your grade (How to ask)
How to ask your professor for a grade bump
Is your grade just out of reach?
You worked hard.
You are so close to your desired grade, but just aren’t quite there.
Or you might be the student who just didn’t put in enough effort and realize that you’re going to fail the class.
If you don’t get a better grade, you face losing a scholarship or financial aid.
Maybe you will be placed on academic probation, or worse, expelled from college.
But you are a little nervous to start the conversation about your failing grade.
As a professor, I know your desperation and desire for that one letter grade higher.
I am going to share with you some information, from the perspective of a professor, so you can know how to approach your professor about your grade and if you should even try.
Why students need a better grade
Money : Some students must meet certain requirements for financial aid or scholarships to be eligible. You might be the student who needs that ‘C’ to pass the class and remain eligible. This could mean that your college career is going to be much more expensive and out of reach if you don’t continue receiving these funds.
Sports : Some students could be playing college sports and might be ineligible due to lower grades. In most of these circumstances, the coach will require the players to get academic progress reports signed throughout the term to understand where a student is before it’s too late. And if the academic report shows any concerns, they’ll address it by recommending tutoring, assistance, etc. They have a lot at stake. So, they try and prevent athletes from being ineligible. It’s probably not a surprise that you’re not doing well if you’re in this category.
Disappointment : You could be the type of student who will get disappointment from your family if you don’t achieve a certain grade. So you might be seeking a better grade to continue to impress your family and friends rather than a necessity to pass the course. Maybe you must maintain a certain G.P.A. to continue to live at home while attending college.
Academic probation : If you are already on academic probation, you might face further consequences and be concerned about your college career if you don’t pass the course. Or you’re afraid you’ll get placed on academic probation for the first time.
Transfer credit : Some students may be transferring to another college that may only accept a 2.0 or higher for transfer credits and you’re worried that the course won’t transfer. This could be problematic because you might not be able to transfer the course and will need to re-take it. Or you might get denied admission altogether.
These are usually the reasons why I see students concerned about their final grades.
Which category are you in?
If you don’t find yourself falling into one of these categories, ask yourself why you want a grade bump then.
Types of students seeking grade changes
After many conversations with professors, I find that there are a few different types of students who ask for a grade change.
Those who never came to class : Sometimes students never showed up, never did the work, or put in little effort. And at the end of the term, they are desperate. You are scared about failing and what that means for your transcript. Based on these circumstances, I’d suggest that you are the least likely to get a grade increase.
A mistake in your grade : It can happen. Maybe you turned in that assignment, but it shows a zero in your gradebook. Or a grade was entered incorrectly. Perhaps you had accommodations through your college’s disability office and realize that your professor deducted points for absences that should have been excused. You know your grade is wrong, but you don’t know how to approach your professor. If you find yourself challenging your professor regarding a grading error, make sure you have legitimate, founded, and arguable evidence to present.
Perfectionist : You just can’t live with a ‘C’ or a ‘B’ and you need that higher grade so you’ll ask your professor to help you out because you know you’ve put in a lot of hard work and surely they’ve noticed. And it’s really hard to see a higher letter grade just within reach.
These are a few types of students who are likely to ask their professor for an increase in their final grade.
What type of student you are, will impact the outcome of this conversation with your professor.
Should you beg your professor for a passing grade?
As a former professor, I do not think that students should beg their professor for a passing grade in the class because it diminishes the academic credit they get awarded, and students should have to earn the grade they receive in a course.
Honestly, I do not give grade changes to students for any reason, unless there was a legitimate error.
I would take the grade you earned and focus on improving.
Figure out what went wrong.
Take some time for reflection.
If your professor were to give you a higher grade that was unearned, is that really setting you up for success if it wasn’t deserved?
Surely when you get into the workforce, requests like this won’t always be obliged by someone.
You won’t always get that good performance evaluation and no amount of pleading will help.
Or maybe you expect to get an extension on a deadline for a project, and you think that you’ll get a pass.
I would focus on taking ownership of the grade you earned, and not blame your professor or anyone else for your circumstances.
But you may be desperate and still want to ask your professor for that one point you need.
I’ll tell you how to do it professionally.
But remember, it might not happen.
Should you go in-person to ask for your professor for a better grade?
I would go in-person to talk to your professor about getting a grade bump.
I know this is going to seem terrifying. You don’t know how you’ll be able to get the confidence to ask for a grade bump in-person!
But this is going to be your best bet.
Just know that you may not be able to convince your professor to change your grade, so be prepared for rejection.
However, it is going to be harder to turn down a student who took the time to approach you in person.
So, schedule an appointment and go in-person.
When you do visit with them, you should be honest about your circumstances.
And be polite. Even if your request is denied.
How do students politely ask their professor for a grade adjustment?
When a student wants to talk to their professor about a grade adjustment and wants to ask for a few extra points to pass, I would talk to them as early as possible and ask if they would allow you to redo or makeup assignments for a better grade, even for a penalty.
Talk to them as early as possible.
Don’t wait until final exam week. This won’t be as effective.
You need to find ways to improve your grade well before the end of the term.
Put your desires for a better grade on your professor’s radar early on.
If you keep reminding them of your goals, and show determination, maybe they’ll remember that and adjust your grade without you asking.
If you find yourself at the end of the semester, and are shocked by your final grade, you can still discuss this with them.
But instead of directly asking them to just round up your grade, think about how far you are from the desired letter grade.
Are you a point or two? If you are more, I wouldn’t ask. A professor can’t justify increasing a student’s grade 3 or more points unless there are some unforeseen circumstances.
Otherwise, when you approach your professor, go in with the mindset that you are talking about your performance instead of grade.
You might start the conversation with “I reviewed my grades, and I was working toward a ‘B’ in this course all semester, and seem to have fell short. Can you help explain where I went wrong?”
Let them follow-up instead. They might offer you something.
Or at least you’ll know where they stand.
If they don’t seem to take the bait, you might say something like “I would appreciate an opportunity to show you I can earn a ‘B’ in this course. Here is where I fell short and would like to try and makeup those shortcomings.”
I wouldn’t mention extra credit. I wouldn’t propose a makeup assignment but rather let the professor come up with a solution and respond.
This way you seem like you are owning your grade but are willing to earn a higher grade by doing more work.
Your professor knows where this conversation is going and can take it from there.
Make sure you let your professor know that you are disappointed in your performance and what you did during the term to try and avoid it.
If you went to tutoring three times a week, mention it.
If you studied for hours each week, say that.
You want them to know what you tried to accomplish.
Who shouldn’t ask for a grade bump?
I wouldn’t ask your professor if they will raise your grade and give you a few extra points if you don’t truly deserve it. If you didn’t put in the effort, I wouldn’t ask because your professor won’t think it is fair that you pass the course.
Honestly, focus on strategies to improve in the future.
If you have never spoken to your professor, or rarely participate, your professor is unlikely to give you special treatment because they don’t know your academic rigor, sincerity, etc.
It might be a harder sell.
Remember, your professor likely has hundreds of students, and will have many near a higher letter grade.
They can’t give everyone a grade bump that asks.
It might be worth a try, but don’t expect it.
What to do if your professor refuses to round up your grade?
If your professor denied your request to round up your grade, take the high road. Thank them for their time. And determine how you can increase your success in your future classes so you aren’t in this situation again.
And they’ll remember your reaction to this conversation.
As a former professor, I had lots of students who asked me for a few extra points every semester.
And some students seemed more entitled while other students said that they understood that I was under no obligation to offer them any extra credit or points but they just thought they would ask just in case.
It was always nice when students acknowledged that they earned their grade but wanted to see if there was any hope in getting a higher grade.
How to avoid the need to ask for a grade bump or extra points?
When you are taking classes the next semester, remember what this moment feels like.
Every assignment, every exam, every extra credit opportunity, excel. Go beyond your expectations. Make sure you rise to the occasion so that you can earn higher grades throughout the term by doing your absolute best.
Sure, everyone isn’t going to earn an ‘A’ but at least you tried your best.
How do professors feel about rounding up students’ grades
I have the perspective that students earn their grades, and I don’t ever give grade bumps.
I grade students fairly throughout the semester and provide plenty of opportunities for success.
So when a student comes to my office and asks for a grade bump, or emails me for extra credit at the end of the term, I always suggest that something should have been done during the term to learn more about their difficulties so we could have brainstormed a solution.
But you might have a professor who believes in subjectivity and thinks that it won’t hurt to help you out.
I’ve seen both perspectives.
Some professors refuse to alter grades, while others might allow for it.
What I see most often is that professors will allow students to complete some extra credit or make-up a missed assignment or re-do a past assignment.
You likely have an idea of what type of professor you are dealing with to know if it’s worth your time.
Key takeaways
The grade you got is likely the grade you earned.
It might be tough to accept it, but you might be stuck with your grade.
Try to improve for the future rather than asking for a higher letter grade.
Be polite, honest and go in-person.
Don’t ask for a grade bump outright. Instead let your professor know what your goals were, and that you fell short and wonder why and how it could have been avoided.
Let them know you are disappointed in your performance.
And if your professor wants to help you out, they will.
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