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[gennimom]

I have to agree with lihtox. I had some Cs in undergrad that I was very proud of because they meant I passed the class the first time through. Many of my classmates didn't. I knew one guy that took one course four times before he passed.
On the other hand, it might not be academic death to get a C in grad school, but people look at you funny and you'd better not get another.

[yemaya]

On the other hand, it might not be academic death to get a C in grad school, but people look at you funny and you'd better not get another.

I imagine this depends quite a bit on the program.  In my PhD program, anything under a B+ was cause for dismissal.  The grad director was quite fond of telling us that anything under an A- would render us unemployable.  (Not sure if that was actually true as I never got anything under an A-, but she wasn't the only one telling us this.)  MA students were expected to keep at least a B.  (Sorry gennimom - not looking to pick on you personally here, just making an observation)

I sometimes give extra credit, but it depends quite a bit on the class.

[fizxdude]

The grad director was quite fond of telling us that anything under an A- would render us unemployable.  (Not sure if that was actually true as I never got anything under an A-, but she wasn't the only one telling us this.)

I think that it is another one of those urban myths that people are so fond of repeating.  Most hiring committees are interested in what a candidate has accomplished.  A high GPA is nice, but it does not in itself guarantee competence.

[yemaya]

It makes sense that it's an urban myth - I'd certainly agree that a GPA doesn't guarantee a successful scholar, which is what I think gennimom was getting at.  This is much like how the GRE is not a good indicator of success in grad school.  In my program, I think it stemmed from a bit of insecurity on the part of my grad director.  (It was a smaller R1, but not a brand-name R1 like Harvard.  My program - again, I think this was an insecurity thing - liked to pride itself on the intensity of the training.) 

[gennimom]

It is frowned on around here to get Cs. It is in our university handbook how grades are handled. As and Bs are acceptable, 1 C can be forgiven, 2 puts you in serious danger of being booted. An F will get you booted, and a D will make you a "graduate not in good standing" which can cause you to lose assistantships, amongst other things. Because the university has a universal retake policy, though, you have the ability to retake up to 2 classes that receive an unnaceptable grade. You just won't have any monitary support. The grade will be replaced by the better one, but your GPA will still reflect the bad one, as in both grades received will be averaged into the GPA.

[rowan1]

I give extra credit on tests, they can choose to answer one additional essay question, they get to pick two out of five and opt to answer a third.

Midterm last week, class average was a 71%, primarily due to one student getting only 32%.  Pulled the average way down.

What amazes me every single time is the students who opt not to do the extra credit.  I had several who wrote great essays but choose not to take on a third (BTW - they had plenty of time it is a 3 hour class and most finished the test in an hour).  In each case, that choice cost them a letter grade.

I look at extra credit as an incentive for students, they can take or leave it, but I will never understand the mentality of not even trying for it.  That said, in my experience, the ones who take advantage of it are generally A students anyway.  The students with lower grades want extra credit that is easy, simple, and takes little or no effort - which I don't give.

[oldadjunct]

On the other hand, it might not be academic death to get a C in grad school, but people look at you funny and you'd better not get another.

A "C" in grad school?  There is a message in that "C".  Keep your day job.

[crazybatlady]

Never have, never will.

[gennimom]

I believe anyone can have a bad class/semester. Since my university and others don't kick someone out at the first C, I'm assuming the schools realize that as well.
I had one C in my PhD. Admittedly I did end up having a baby in the middle of the semester, and if I had to do it over again, I would have taken that class the next time. In my own defence, at least I passed. Half the class made Ds and Fs. I didn't have to take it over. My department frowned at the grade but didn't crucify me for it. I wasn't the first person to have trouble with that class.

[dr_stones]

I had a "C" in grad school, but my U didn't recognize C's for credit.

I had a cow that term, at least after I saw the grade . . .  ;)

[cc_alan]

On the other hand, it might not be academic death to get a C in grad school, but people look at you funny and you'd better not get another.

A "C" in grad school?  There is a message in that "C".  Keep your day job.

I'll argue that there's another message- pull your head out of your a$$ (not you, whoever got the "C").

Writing from experience...

Alan