Grade Change

[CrazyCatLady80]

Haven't been around the past couple of weeks, because I have been majorly depressed. It is a very long story and extremely difficult to explain over the internet, but my advisor changed my grade from an A to a B without notifying me. This lowers my GPA from a 3.82 to a 3.74. I could complain all day about this, but right now I am trying to figure out what I should do and move on. 

 

Do you think this would seriously hurt my chances for getting into a PhD program? I am trying to change my advisor, but I might be stuck with him, because the other person in my field is retiring. The rest of my application should be pretty strong, but I feel this ruins any chance I had at getting into a top program. For the record, the paper that he hated is probably going to be published.

Edited February 10, 2013 by CrazyCatLady80

[TMP]

Let it go.  There is no significant difference between a 3.7 and 3.8.  Just make sure that he will STILL write a STRONG and POSITIVE LOR.  If he won't, just change advisers, period.

[This is my Screen Name]

That sounds terrible.  I'm sorry that happened.  But I agree with TMP, there's no difference between a 3.8 and 3.7.  I don't claim to know how many applications schools receive, but one of my POIs (at the highest ranked school I'm applying to) said they are expecting 300 applications this year, and another POI said they were anticipating 100.  Considering most applicants are going to have high GPAs in their MA programs, a 3.82 is going to make you standout in a field of 300 applicants, just like a 3.74 is going to make you standout in a negative way.  Both GPAs show that you can do history at the graduate level.

 

What’s more important is to have this advisor on your side, so that he’ll right you a strong LOR.  You said this article may be published.  Is your teacher helping you get it published, or encouraging you to publish it?  If he is, then I’m assuming you are still working on the paper with him.  If not, I think your best approach would be to set up a meeting to talk about the paper and how to improve it.  Show him that you can accept criticism.  Show him you that you are a proactive student and desire to improve.  Don’t let him know that you are fazed by the grade change at all.  Tell him that you plan rewrite the paper with his suggestions and ask if he’ll read it again, not to get your grade changed, but because you want the practice and to improve your writing.

 

Now, if you don’t trust him anymore, you don’t need to make these changes for the version of your paper you’re submitting for publication.  This is more about keeping him as an ally so he’ll write you a strong LOR. 

[CrazyCatLady80]

The whole situation with the paper is very strange. Basically, he loved it and told me that I should publish it. Based on that information, I agreed to do an independent study. A week before I was to present it at a conference and mid way through the semester, he decided he hated it and needed to move on to a different topic. Of course, I couldn't change the topic a week before the conference and mid-way through the semester. He never puts anything in writing so I have no documentation of this except my word against his version. I presented it at the conference and heard a lot of good feedback. I presented it again at another conference and it is being considered for their student publication. I am going to submit it to another editor after I get another professor at my university (not my advisor) to look it over. The paper has also been reviewed by other faculty members and they loved it. The grade change is a long story. He said he gave me an A by mistake, but I doubt his story, because he has done stuff like this before to other students. 

 

Honestly, I don't know what kind of letter he would write me. He is very unpredictable. I really want to stay clear of him for other reasons that I can't post here. I am trying to change advisors, but that might not happen. 

[aec09g]

The whole situation with the paper is very strange. Basically, he loved it and told me that I should publish it. Based on that information, I agreed to do an independent study. A week before I was to present it at a conference and mid way through the semester, he decided he hated it and needed to move on to a different topic. Of course, I couldn't change the topic a week before the conference and mid-way through the semester. He never puts anything in writing so I have no documentation of this except my word against his version. I presented it at the conference and heard a lot of good feedback. I presented it again at another conference and it is being considered for their student publication. I am going to submit it to another editor after I get another professor at my university (not my advisor) to look it over. The paper has also been reviewed by other faculty members and they loved it. The grade change is a long story. He said he gave me an A by mistake, but I doubt his story, because he has done stuff like this before to other students. 

 

Honestly, I don't know what kind of letter he would write me. He is very unpredictable. I really want to stay clear of him for other reasons that I can't post here. I am trying to change advisors, but that might not happen. 

 

 

Wow. He sounds like a very unpredictable advisor. I have a professor at my school's department of history who has a very, very similar style of attack. He likes to be incredibly vague in his requests. Gets things and loves them. A week later hates them and wants something completely different. 

 

I'm very sorry. The good news is that the difference in grade, though frustrating, isn't huge, and you can fight for publication, because you know and several other professors have told you that the quality of the paper is there. Publication I think is a great win, if you can get it. 

[TMP]

Strong LOR from Adviser > Publication for consideration into a PhD program x 10.

 

I am sorry as well about your situation but remember this equation.  You can also discuss this issue with the DGS... if there is one. If not, go to the chair.

[CrazyCatLady80]

Thank you everyone for your support. It really means a lot to me. These past two weeks have been hell. Even though the professor is disliked by the department, I know if I took further action I run the risk of pissing everyone off. The department's whole attitude is that this was a simple grade mistake and sorry I wasn't notified.  There is nothing that I can do, except change advisors and get the paper published. I've thought about approaching him for a grade change if the paper is published. He has the biggest ego and the fact that he gave a B to paper that ended up being published doesn't make him look good at all. In fact, when I told him that it might possibly be published last week his expression was priceless. 

 

I know everyone tells me a 3.7 from a 3.8 isn't a big deal, but I have a hard time believing that. The fact is that I don't know anyone who has gotten accepted to a top 50 program with a GPA less than a 3.8. My undergrad grades aren't that good either. I do have a MLS and got a 3.7. I know the GRE will be difficult since I am horrible at standardized tests.

[remenis]

 

I know everyone tells me a 3.7 from a 3.8 isn't a big deal, but I have a hard time believing that. The fact is that I don't know anyone who has gotten accepted to a top 50 program with a GPA less than a 3.8.

I got into a top 10 history program with a 3.7 GPA and I think you are obsessing way, way too much about a minor difference. Your GPA is a very tiny part of your application, considerably less important than your letters, writing sample and fit.

That said, I had a 4.0 in the last year of schoolwork before I entered gradschool and, your grades in a MA program count for a lot more than undergrad level grades (I did not have an MA). While I think you are worried about entirely the wrong issue, I do think you may need to worry. (I say this not to scare or panic you, but only in the hope that it might be helpful).

The following is a quote directly from Gregory Colon Semenza's book Graduate Study for the 21st Century (page 86):

"In the institution in which I currently profess and the one in which I completed my Ph.D., grading breaks down in the following, undeniably strange way: an "A" means excellent, an "A-" means satisfactory or "B"; a "B+" means "C"; and a "B" means "F" (and, in the case that it is earned by an MA student, it also means "do not admit this student into our PhD program")."

(If you have not read this book, I would strongly recommend that you pick a copy up.)

This grading system may not be the case at your MA program, but it certainly seems to be the case in my graduate program and it may be considered that way at PhD programs you apply to. You should probably speak with some professors who you trust about the situation and how they think it will (or won't) impact your graduate applications.

Edited February 11, 2013 by remenis

[aec09g]

Thank you everyone for your support. It really means a lot to me. These past two weeks have been hell. Even though the professor is disliked by the department, I know if I took further action I run the risk of pissing everyone off. The department's whole attitude is that this was a simple grade mistake and sorry I wasn't notified.  There is nothing that I can do, except change advisors and get the paper published. I've thought about approaching him for a grade change if the paper is published. He has the biggest ego and the fact that he gave a B to paper that ended up being published doesn't make him look good at all. In fact, when I told him that it might possibly be published last week his expression was priceless. 

 

I know everyone tells me a 3.7 from a 3.8 isn't a big deal, but I have a hard time believing that. The fact is that I don't know anyone who has gotten accepted to a top 50 program with a GPA less than a 3.8. My undergrad grades aren't that good either. I do have a MLS and got a 3.7. I know the GRE will be difficult since I am horrible at standardized tests.

 

I've talked to a lot of professors who didn't give two shits about a GPA or GRE score. Most of the ones I talked to focus on three things: (1) quality of research writing and interests (does it fit their work? does they like your style? Etc), (2) language levels (how long? how fluent? how frequently do you draw upon primary sources in that language, or in other words, how much experience?) and (3) are you the type of person to withstand the punishment that the graduate program will put you through? (often decided based on by LORs, SOP)

 

Not to say all programs regard the GRE and GPA that way. Some do take it seriously, but that your 3.7 isn't a deal breaker for a PhD admission. If you have strong LOR, SOP and a good fit, then a .1 difference isn't going to tear you away from a program. 

 

In fact, if a .1 difference makes any POI turn up their nose... well, it might not be the right program. 

 

But do tread carefully. An adviser (Dr. Y) once told me that sometimes the most petty of people can be the faculty, and they hold grudges. He had a story about how his predecessor (Dr. Z) who ran the archives part of his position managed to anger another faculty member (Dr. X). Something very petty, and even though the archives would be a great resource for Dr. X's students, he refused to acknowledge the archives and send students over. About ten years later, as soon as Dr. Z retired, Dr. Y became the new head of the archives. So Dr. X became super friendly again with the archives. 

 

Point of story: I really sympathize with your situation, because I had a shitty semester a while back and lowered my GPA to something I'm not proud of. But since the grade has already been changed and the department is cranky, do what you can to redeem those LORs and better that app! The GPA is already lowered, but you still have plenty of time to talk to your POIs and write your SOP.   You should definitely focus on that. 

 

Good luck! 

 

Edit: Wait, I may have misread your information. If you are applying to enter this Fall 2014, then you haven't gotten through the application cycle and received all your decision notices! Definitely getting ahead of yourself. Just let the pieces for this season fall where they may, and you can come up with a plan after the decision notices have all been released.   

Edited February 11, 2013 by aec09g

[TMP]

Get yourself out of those department politics by changing advisers.  I'm not kidding.  You don't want to deal with this guy.  Find another faculty member who will support your work.  You're ONLY an MA student, not a PhD, so another faculty member may be able to work with you even if your interests don't necessarily align.

 

Graduate students can sometimes be victims of department politics and it is is our job to stay out of them as much as we can.

[CrazyCatLady80]

reminis - I have heard of a couple of grad students getting Cs in my program. I think that is the lowest it goes for grad students. It isn't the most difficult nor demanding program. Most of my grades are As and A-s. I do have two B+s when I first started grad school. I was working full time on a major archives grant project. I didn't have that much time to dedicate to my school work so I perfectly accept those grades. 

 

aec09g - I am applying Fall 2014. Didn't apply this year. I do agree with you just sitting back and letting the pieces fall where they fall, but that is super difficult. Part of me feels that at the end of the day the grade will be changed on my transcript and everything will be ok. If the guy is no longer my advisor and I have my letter writer's support, I might go to the Head of the Department and complain. I do have a pretty solid case against him, but right now I am doing nothing. 

 

TMP - I am trying to change advisors. The problem is that might not happen. The other person in my field is retiring and can't take on any new people. I sent out an email to someone else this weekend. If I change my topic slightly, she might be able to take me. I might be able to survive with him, but he is just so unpredictable that I am worried what he will say in the letter. 

Edited February 11, 2013 by CrazyCatLady80