How to ask a professor for grade bump? How to ask professor to change final grade? Well, if you have been wondering how to ask professor to change grade, here are the 10 Ways to ask a Professor for Grade Bump. Here you will see how to ask professor for grade bump example various examples.

Gradings are based on the output of a student in a task or examination and grade bumps are not just given at will or for effort. A student may request a grade bump to boost up a grade point average but the way the students ask the professor determines if the grade would be increased or not. Requesting for a grade bump can be a daunting task for a student and it has to be carefully thought before going through with it.

First, you need to ask yourself, do professors bump up grades? The answer is yes, depending on your approach. It is however recommended that when requesting a grade bump the request should be polite. Some of the ways to ask a professor for a grade increase in the United States (US) are discussed below:

1. Request a Remark

A student seeking a grade bump can meet up with the professor in the office or visit the course departmental office and fill a form requesting the script be remarked. In this case, the student has to be convinced that he/she did a great job in the work and the professor was the one who made the error. The downside to this way of asking for a grade bump is that in the process of remarking, a grade can be lowered. Once a student is convinced that a lot of effort was put in the work then a grade request would be a viable means to increase one’s grade. See how to email a professor about a wrong grade below:

Dear Professor Smith,

I hope this meets you well. I offered your course Drilling Engineering and I was shocked to find out that I was scored a C5 in the course. Drilling Engineering is one of my best courses and the examination was also one of the easiest I wrote hence, I kindly request a remark as I believe this could lead to a grade increase.

I would appreciate you give me time to come to your office so we can discuss further.

 Thank you,

 Mato

See Also: 6 Ways to download Mediasite videos

2. Request for Extra Credit

A grade bump can be achieved by asking a professor for extra paper or an additional assignment. This strategy is to prove to the professor that you are focused academically and are looking forward to a second chance. The extra credit is to provide an avenue for the student to improve on the performance and stage a comeback. This is not common though as only a few professors would accept the option of extra credit this is how to convince a professor to pass you. A sample email on extra credit is shown below:

Dear Professor Rice,

Trust your day is going well. I was graded a ‘D’ in the Literature assignment and I feel this would impact negatively on my Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA).

Against this backdrop, I kindly request for an extra paper or freelance writing for the Literature Society to make up for my grade.

I would appreciate it if you favorably consider my request.

 Yours faithfully,

Tutu

3. Inquire About Redoing the Assignment

This is feasible depending on if the professor is open to it. This is rare but it is worth trying as redoing the assignment is a great chance for a student to improve on performance, showcase his/her skills and get a higher grade. If granted, this is like a second chance to create a good academic comeback. An example of an email requesting for a repeat of an assignment is shown below:

Dear Professor Sharon,

I trust you had a great weekend. Sequel to the release of the first-semester assessment results, I would like to ask for the possibility of redoing the assignment. This would help boost up my grade as I would put more effort in the assignment this time. I admit I did not put in enough effort in the previous assignment as I was distracted with my personal issues.

Kindly look favorably into my request. I am committed to going the extra mile in my academics.

Yours faithfully,

Maria

4. Submit a Written Rebuttal

By submitting a written rebuttal, a student puts out a defense and states evidence why a grade should be increased. The student would also have to state how the content of the assignment aligns with the professor’s guidelines. It can also be helpful to incorporate the professor’s comments on the assignment in the written rebuttal. An example of a written rebuttal is shown below:

Hello Dr. Cavanagh,

I am one of the students who offered the Petrophysics course. I was dismayed when I saw the result as I was graded an ‘F’ in the final assessment. This came as a shock to me since I got a ‘B’ in the mid-semester test. I have also never missed any of the lectures. I contribute attentively in class and I submitted all work tasks promptly. In addition, I followed up with the assessment guidelines and calculated log results as requested in the assignment.

In view of the above, kindly increase my grade to an ‘E’ as an ‘F’ would be a taint on my academic record.

Thank-you,
Esther

5. Check Out Scripts

Requesting to check out the script with the professor is another option to get a grade increase. Checking out the script with the professor is an avenue to go over the script with the professor and check if an error was made in the grading. Most schools in the US are graded by more than one lecturer so as to minimize grading errors but the option of going over the script with the lecturer to see how it was graded is still an option to consider for a grade increase. Even if in the end the professor was right, the student would have learned better ways of handling such types of questions because of the review with the professor. Below is a sample email to a professor asking to check out scripts with the aim of getting a grade bump. This is how to email a professor about a missing grade

Dear Professor Mike,

I hope this meets you well. I write to kindly ask that my exam script be reviewed with you. I was disillusioned when I saw my final scores and I would like to go over the script with you.

Kindly fill me in on a suitable time and date when you would be available for the review.

Thank you,

Mato

6. Approach The Professor Quickly

Approaching the professor before the grade is out might be a viable option. This shows that such a student is proactive and is academically focused. By approaching the professor early, the student can be able to highlight the challenges faced in the examination or assignment and can also explain compassionate reasons why the final grade should be bumped. The professor might consider the students’ reasons when marking and might be a tad lenient when marking. Here is a sample email asking the professor for a grade bump. This is how to ask professor to round grade;

Dear Professor Sanders,

I hope this finds you well. I write to notify you of the challenges I faced during my Reservoir Engineering examination.
The equation sheet did not contain all the expected calculations and it had a bearing on how I answered the questions in the examination. Also, my eyeglasses broke the morning of the exams and I had to strain my eyes to read and answer the questions.
I kindly ask for leniency in the marking of the scripts.

Thank you,

Beulah

See Also: 5 Tricks to Bypass Respondus Lockdown Browser

7. Be Respectful and Polite

Asking professor for passing grade is simplier than you ever thought of. Learn how to discuss grade with professor in a respectful and polite manner. This goes a long way in determining if a grade would be bumped or not. Most professors would not like to admit there was an error in the marking and also no professor would just bump a mark because of a student’s plea. It is thus important to be respectful and maintain a positive tone.

Dear Professor Mckenzie,

I hope this finds you well. I write in regards to the recently released History 101 examination result. I scored 79.6% and I was wondering if this grade which is a B can be rounded off to 80% which is an A. This would go a long way in boosting my final grade.

I would appreciate if you consider this.

Thank you,

Mato

8. Ensure you have a Case

This might help in proving to the professor that you are not just a lazy student who wants a grade increase for no justifiable reason. It is advisable the professor is aware that your attendance records have been good and you have always worked hard at previous tasks given. It should be clear that it is not your usual pattern to go requesting a grade bump. The student should also have reviewed the grading system and syllabus and be well informed before badging on the professor. In this case, you might be given a grade bump request form for fill and explain your case. Below is a sample of an email highlighting a case to a lecturer:

Dear Professor,

Trust this meets you well. I kindly request for a grade bump in my Chemistry 501 assessment.

I am a studious student and I have never missed any of the course lectures. I contribute in class lectures and my lab work was done excellently. I have performed very well in previous assessments and this is the first time my grade is not high enough.
In view of the above, I would appreciate if I am considered for a grade bump.

Thank-you,

Beulah

9. Appeal Through the Department

This is not usually advised but should only be considered in extreme cases. It can be considered if the professor is outrightly unyielding or difficult to reach thus an appeal through the department might be a faster way to get the attention of the professor. This should be the last resort and the student should have an extra-strong case. A sample appeal to the dean is italicized below:

Dear Dean,

I write to bring to your attention a challenge with my Geoscience 678 grade. I believe I should have been given a higher grade as I was given a ‘C’. I tried reaching out to Professor Daniel the course instructor via email but none of my mails were responded to. I also paid a visit to his office but he dismissed me and did not entertain my complaint thus, the reason I am contacting you.

I would appreciate if you intervene in this and expedite necessary action so that the course instructor has a second look at my paper.

Thank-you,

Grace

10. Emphasize the Desire to Improve

A student can emphasize a desire to improve in subsequent tests and assignments. This can be done by asking the professor for success tips and how the grade gotten can be built on. This can give the professor a better perspective about the student and be more favorably disposed towards the student.

Dear Professor,

I hope this meets you well. I write regarding the newly released result for the History test. I scored a ‘D’ and I admit I did not understand how to answer the questions. I would appreciate if you intimate me with a convenient time that we could discuss on a better approach to answering such kinds of questions so that my grade would improve subsequently.

Thank you,

 Favor

The above ways are not guarantees that a grade would be bumped in the US but they are some of the steps required to achieve a lift in grade.

That’s is on how to ask professor for grade bump. If any of these worked for you, kindly submit your testimony in the comments section below. Cheers.

👉 CLICK HERE to Subscribe for Canada jobs with visa sponsorship

Author: Simon RobertEasyInfoBlog is a multi-author blog. We have experts and professionals in various fields who share their ideas and expert knowledge to help you with your daily information needs. Thanks for reading!