After getting my first degree from night school, I continued for another 15 years, learning for the fun of it. I was working on my Masters in Computer Science and in the first night of a new class. To be in that class I had to go back to Jr. College in a summer session to take a required language; it was cheaper. A friend of mine came into the class a few minutes late. He had the bucks so he took the same class at the University during the summer as well.
At the break we were comparing notes when I asked how he did in that language. The professor called “break over” just as I heard “Pretty good for a white boy.” I remember little about that night’s lecture because I could not figure out what my friend meant; I had never heard that expression before. At the end of the class I was jumping over desks to get to him before he left.
I was reminded that in the Masters program, less than a “B” and you were out for good. He said he always walked into a new class and counted the Asian students in the back of the room. He then asked the professor how many “As” and “Bs” were to be passed out. If there was a limit, he would total up the As and Bs and if that total was less than the Asians, he would drop the course. By the way, he got a ”B” that summer session.
He pointed out that the grades meant everything to those students. The cooperated; they got the professors old tests and shared them with anyone who requested. But if they missed their grades they were suicidal as it meant so much to their families.
I never cared about the grade as I was there for the fun and knowledge, not the paper. But I did start counting and my friend was right! Those folks were serious about it.
I was reminded of this from this headline: This should be illegal: Class did “too” good on the midterm, so now the Prof is puttin’ a cap on all our Final grades.
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