Because there is no "13" in Harvard's 15 point grading system, students who cannot move from a B+ to an A- end up with a 12 rather than a 14.
Justice for All?
"It helps students to see their weaknesses and encourages them to keep up," he says. That's a bigger effect than the small bump in the grade."
Most students openly acknowledge that they don't understand the system, though they are grateful for the checkup and any opportunity to raise their grade.
"It keeps me accountable in the class, and of course I'll take any bonus points," said Steven Kim '03. "Most people take them because they think they'll help their grade."
And as long as everyone is graded by the same system, most students believe the unit tests' impact is fair to all.
But some students are frustrated at having to take the unit tests just to make sure they get the extra points, when they feel like they are already keeping up with the material, and others feel like the unit tests are actually counterproductive.
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