Curve Question Forum

[abbygator]

I am attending a top 25 law school with a mandatory mean of 3.2 for 1Ls. Class ranks just came out, and the top 50% begins at 3.29. Last semester, the top 50% began at 3.25. Does this seem off to anyone else?

[RodneyBoonfield]

No. Look at ranks for previous classes. the median should change similarly.

[abbygator]

This is not typical though. Since the the median changed a few years ago, the top 50% typically stayed near 3.25. The highest it was ever been following the second semester is a 3.27. The way I am calculating the math is that the top 50% came out this semester at 3.3. This is way off from the standard mean. Feel free to correct me if I am being stupid.

[09042014]

This is not typical though. Since the the median changed a few years ago, the top 50% typically stayed near 3.25. The highest it was ever been following the second semester is a 3.27. The way I am calculating the math is that the top 50% came out this semester at 3.3. This is way off from the standard mean. Feel free to correct me if I am being stupid.

If the professors gave out more B-'s and more A's and A-'s distributed broadly amongst people near median this could happen. Mean and Median being off .1 is large but not unreasonable.

[Humpty Dumpty]

The mean (the average) does not equal the median (the middle number).

For example, professors can get a higher median by handing out a few, really bad grades and mostly decent, but not great grades.

[Danger Zone]

The mean (the average) does not equal the median (the middle number).

For example, professors can get a higher median by handing out a few, really bad grades and mostly decent, but not great grades.

Nailed it. Don't conflate mean and median, OP. It proves that law students understand fuck all about math.

[Gamecubesupreme]

It proves that law students understand fuck all about math.

Barbri's bar prep drilled this into our heads. Any time there might be a law that deals with math or statistics, you can be sure the bar would not test it.