Do Less Students Mean Easier Curve? Forum

[DiggyHopeful]

Kind of confused as to how this works. So if in a class of say, 80 students, 5 students drop out from one semester to the next, does this mean the curve is easier? I guess what I mean is, will the professor count those 5 students who dropped out as basically getting the allotment of mandatory lowest grades (in a semester long course)? Thoughts anyone?

[nickwar]

I doubt it -- they would usually get a W, which is basically a non grade. MAYBE if they were given a WF (essentially a 0), but I would think they would just redo the curve with the current # of students in the class.

[NYC Law]

I doubt it -- they would usually get a W, which is basically a non grade. MAYBE if they were given a WF (essentially a 0), but I would think they would just redo the curve with the current # of students in the class.

This, thus making the curve more difficult (but it should even out since some top students transfer out)

[09042014]

I doubt it -- they would usually get a W, which is basically a non grade. MAYBE if they were given a WF (essentially a 0), but I would think they would just redo the curve with the current # of students in the class.

For the next semester they don't even get a W. They just aren't registered.

[nymario]

Kind of confused as to how this works. So if in a class of say, 80 students, 5 students drop out from one semester to the next, does this mean the curve is easier? I guess what I mean is, will the professor count those 5 students who dropped out as basically getting the allotment of mandatory lowest grades (in a semester long course)? Thoughts anyone?

You mean the sort of students who use the word "less" when they mean "fewer"? (sorry, cheap shot...)

I'm fairly certain at my school, the professor curves based on the number of students who sat for the exam, not who enrolled at the beginning (LLMs may join the curve at their option). So you definitely don't want to lose the weaker students mid-semester.

[poprox]

Fewer. ftw.

That word seems to be quickly disappearing from our language...or maybe law school students are so indistinguishable from one another that they cannot be individually counted