Rounding Up Grades: Advice on How Teachers Can Be Convinced to Round Up Your Grades

Is the quarter ending soon and your grade is still stuck at an 89? If so, we've all been there. Let’s face it, whether it’s an 89, 79, 69, or 59, being one point away from a desired letter grade can sometimes feel worse than when it’s actually out of reach. Luckily, I’ve researched the best methods for getting your grade up that one point so you won’t find yourself in a situation like this again!

There are the typical methods like giving excuses, but one day you’ll have a teacher who simply doesn’t buy it when you claim your dog ate your homework. There’s also the infamous classic sob story, but no one ever wants to be known as the student who cried over an 89. So if these methods don’t work and you’re in this situation, what can you do to bring your grade up?

 Even before asking a teacher about the possibility of rounding your grade up, you should make sure you truly deserve it. Teachers won’t give you the extra point unless you’ve been consistently putting effort into that class and shown you’ve done everything you could to earn that grade yourself. 

Mr. Mellon, an Honors and AP Chemistry teacher, gives students six important questions to ask themselves before requesting an extra point from a teacher:  

1. Have you done every assignment and turned them in on time?

2. Have you done all the optional assignments that are available?

3. If you were able to do a retest, did you take that option?

4. Are you in class every day on time?

5. Are you focused during class each day or a distraction to others?

6. Is your effort level high in the class?

Knowing this, if you have proved yourself throughout the quarter as being a responsible student, what is the best way to approach your teacher for a grade change? I spoke to numerous teachers at Hough, and here is what they had to say. 

Mr. Butts, an English I teacher, stresses the importance of timing: “The student needs to ask before the teacher's final grades are officially due. Once grades have been submitted, changing them requires formal paperwork, a rational justification process, and administrative approval.” Understandably, teachers are unlikely to change a grade if it requires a significant amount of extra work. Taking into account a teacher's busy schedule and asking for a grade change before the deadline shows them respect. Another way to ensure you are showing your teachers respect is by asking for a grade change in person, not in an email. 

AP Gov teacher Mr. Means humorously tells students flattery is also key. “If you go up to a teacher and suddenly say, ‘Oh wait, remember when I made copies for you?’ Or ‘Teacher A, remember when I told Teacher B that you are awesome?’”

Another tip that continued to come up when I spoke to teachers was the importance of participating in class. At the end of the day, teachers understand that you might not be the best test taker, or maybe there’s a concept that just isn’t your strong suit, but if you have proved that you’re truly interested in learning by raising your hand, paying attention, and answering questions, teachers notice and are more likely to consider a grade change. 

English II teacher Mrs. Shellenberger elaborates on this, saying, “You get back what you put in. If you neglect the daily work, you neglect the real goal of education. The grade isn't just a reflection of what you know; it's a reflection of the habits you've built along the way.” For the most part, teachers want you to succeed, not just in their class, but also in life, which is why it's so important to show eagerness to learn every day, not just test day, because in the real world, every day can be a test. “You have to consistently show up and put in the effort,” concludes Mrs. Shellenberger.

If you follow all these tips and your teacher still won’t change your grade, it is important to respect their decision rather than continuing to argue for what is unlikely to happen. Many teachers set a strict stance on this issue and refuse to change students’ grades. For example, AP Environmental Science teacher Mr. Arkfield does not change students' grades; however, he does offer extra credit in the form of study guides. This is common among teachers, and it is always a good idea to do extra credit. Even if you’re sitting at a 99 in the class, you never know when you might fail a test. And, for teachers who do bump grades up, if they see that you haven’t taken the opportunities to do the extra credit that they’ve provided, they might think you don’t really deserve the grade you’re requesting. 

In summary, if you are going to ask your teacher for a grade change, first ask yourself if you deserve it. If you do, ask your teacher politely and in person. Flattery never hurts either. And no matter what their answer is, remember to be respectful. Most importantly, the way you request a grade change doesn’t have nearly as much effect as what you do all year to show you are a deserving student. If you only take one thing away from this article, it should be the importance of class participation. If you participate in class, not only will teachers be more likely to give you a grade boost, but you might not even find yourself asking for one in the first place. You’ll find that just by engaging in daily content, you learn more and perform better on tests. With this in mind, good luck on your negotiations!