Can a student rarely attend lectures and still do well in a class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back in the day, I took some classes where I never went to class, only showed up for the final, and still got an A.

But those were blow-off liberal arts classes, not chemistry or physics.

It shows. You write terribly.

And too stupid to know what liberal arts means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It really does depend.

My daughter has a class that she doesn't always attend. It's late at night in a more secluded area of the campus and she doesn't have any friends in the class to walk with. The professor has something called "prime days" where if they attend, they get a hint about a question that will be on the test or some bonus points to add to an assignment/test of their choice. I guess all of the lecture notes are online plus the professor records the lectures and sends out the link to view them.

This is her second year in college and both semesters last year, with the exception of three courses, all of the others were taught by the professor's TA not the professor. She didn't even see/meet one professor the entire time.

You could help future applicants by telling us what school this is. It won’t reveal your child but will clue other families in to what student there are likely to experience there (ie, classes not taught by professors, night classes in deserted locations ). It would be appreciated!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've worked in higher ed for over 20 years. Students who do this and ace courses are usually in cheating rings.

Another higher ed veteran, can confirm. Most of the frats had some sort of cheating ring.

[Anonymous]

OP here with update. Interesting that this thread is still alive.

I checked in with DS about his classes. DS has been attending a different Chemistry lecture later in the morning with a different professor. He also likes this professor better. He is doing well in this class and all his other classes. Physics is another story.

DS has NOT been attending Physics class because it is a waste of time. There is not another professor or lecture for this class, so he is stuck with this guy. He called me the other night extremely exhausted and stressed out. He wants to do well but is having a hard time learning the material with just the textbook, lecture notes and TA's (which he claims are also not great). He is passing his exams, but considering all the time he is putting in, his grades are not great. At my suggestion, he is pursuing getting a tutor to help him through the rest of the semester. The problem is that because he is not getting good instruction, it takes a long time for him to figure things out on his own...which he does eventually, but it interferes with other studies. I feel bad that I was suspecting him of just slacking off and sleeping in...he really wants to do well.

Cheating...I doubt it. He would not be reaching out for help if that were the case.

It's really disappointing knowing we are paying full freight for this top school and he has to endure a bad professor in his freshman year.

[Anonymous]

Did he realize that attending class can tip his grade in more than one way. I am a professor, and I can't help but take student effort into account. If the kid is borderline, but known to skip classes, the teacher will have no reason to cut him any slack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back in the day, I took some classes where I never went to class, only showed up for the final, and still got an A.

But those were blow-off liberal arts classes, not chemistry or physics.

It shows. You write terribly.

And in the writing classes I thought to freshmen and sophomores, you would have failed. Class participation was part of the grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did he realize that attending class can tip his grade in more than one way. I am a professor, and I can't help but take student effort into account. If the kid is borderline, but known to skip classes, the teacher will have no reason to cut him any slack.

The OP already mentioned that this is a large lecture class in a university where attendance is not required and professor generally does not know or care who is in attendance. So there's that. Seminar classes (like writing and other humanities) do require attendance, however. Maybe you don't teach in a large university.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've worked in higher ed for over 20 years. Students who do this and ace courses are usually in cheating rings.

Another higher ed veteran, can confirm. Most of the frats had some sort of cheating ring.

Another thing my school did was "curve busting" always some idiot who had an A already who had to get like a 110 on final (with extra credit). I recall we swapped out his final so he would get a 70. But still get an A in class. He never knew but it lowered the curve to throw up grades