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[voxprincipalis]

Keep your options open, and I am tend to believe that you will do well in grad school. Go to professors who you find approachable, even from sophomore/junior courses, and even from tutors of   courses unrelated to your planned studies where u got A. Read some books to build your self-esteem and people skills over summer!

Again, dont give up on grad school, persist persit persist........we all did at various stages of our life (if not entry to grad school!). 

Dear Oldie,

The original post is a joke. The poster is not seriously looking for advice on grad school or letters of recommendation.

(I thought I would try to save you the trouble of writing more replies full of sincere but misdirected advice.)

Respectfully,

VP

[oldie]

OMG!.......LOLz

[alchemist22]

No...Really...a joke!!? Who wooda guessed......!

Unfortunatly, the post is all too familiar. I have heard students express similar sentiments. In fact, my 40 something, returning-student sister expressed similar views about a professor she had at a major university in the southwest.( My sympathies were with the professor - my sister has not lived a life filled with personal successes.)

A student just recently told me that a large state university in the northeast (to which the student was applying) was no longer requiring recommendations for graduate school admissions. The reason given  by Admisssion was that the university did not think rec. letters adequately reflected student abilility or performance (to put it nicely).

Consider the following (paraphrased) statements from students:

1. why did you give me a zero on this test question....I did not leave it blank. I should get some points for writing something down.

2. Why did I get a C in your class? I did not miss a single lecture....or...I tried really hard in your class.

3. This course has too much work in it. Don't you realize I'm taking 21 credits this semester (comment on Student evaluation)

These are examples of unrealistic and immature expectations. And although I really like students (and missed them when during my short hyatus in industry), I think professors should do what is best for students and not give in to their inflated expectations.

[elsie]

Speaking of unrealistic expectations, I just had a graduating senior in a literary theory class complain because the quiz, which involved the definition of terms, wasn't matching. I told her that I was offended by the assumption that it would be a matching quiz. It's not like I hadn't told them yesterday exactly where in the book the quiz questions would come from.

[conjugate]

Unfortunately I had already written the letter (they were impatientlyIwaiting on it to arrive at its destination) and could not really take it back, which I wanted desperately to do after the student acted like such a PITA.

I can guess, but remind me what PITA stands for.

Pain in the a$$

Well, duh. I was working with 'pissing in the wind'. This is much better, apart from the unfortunate association with flatbread.

I suppose "Pissing In The Attic" would explain the stains on the ceiling....

[larryc]

Tattooing a prof's name on one's butt is also good.

Oh man, if I had a nickel for everytime I was walking behind some student who was wearing lowriders and saw my name peeking out from down there...

[left_of_right]

Perhaps I am fortunate, but I have never been asked by a mediocre or not-so stellar student to write a recommendation letter for him/her; I've only written letters for students who I consider to be deserving of strong recommendation letters.  I wonder how I would react if a mediocre student to approach me to write such a letter.  Would I write one that only offers tepid recommendation, if that or would I decline altogether?

Maybe I'm perverse, but I almost would like to be asked by not-so great students to write this letter just to see how I would respond.

[smart_e_pantz]

Perhaps I am fortunate, but I have never been asked by a mediocre or not-so stellar student to write a recommendation letter for him/her; I've only written letters for students who I consider to be deserving of strong recommendation letters.  I wonder how I would react if a mediocre student to approach me to write such a letter.  Would I write one that only offers tepid recommendation, if that or would I decline altogether?

Maybe I'm perverse, but I almost would like to be asked by not-so great students to write this letter just to see how I would respond.

You're probably not at a school where the little pampered darlings think they should all get A's so they can go to law school are medical school and get on with their fabulous lives.  We have C and D students at my institution who think they are going to law school!  The time has long past for them to get a reality check!

[thundering_m]

I have been asked by mediocre students, and this is my approach: I point out to them that my direct experience with them is limited to their performance in my classes, and that my letter will reflect that. I offer to send them a draft of the letter to decide if it would be helpful.

Then the letter is a pretty straightforward account of their performance in my class ("Completed the assignments with a minimum of additional help.") compared to others ("Scored no lower than half the class." ) and relative to the position or scholarship or whatever ("Attended class punctually adn requested clarification as needed."  "XX shows potential to become competent at YZ." "XX is particularly good at completing tasks and documenting achievement.")

This has only happened a few times, and except for once, the students responded with a polite "Oh, I have several other letters so don't need this one, but thank you anyway."

[oldie]

It is always very hard to deal with students who have mixed up expectations and perspectives. In such situations, the role changes to be (almost) a surrogate parent. The challenge is to bring them around and face the reality!