It’s screwed me over before, but this time it’s gone too far. I mean, I knew it wasn’t reliable, but I didn’t have money to buy a new one either. For the second time this semester it failed to wake me up for my US Federal Government class. Today was midterms. I can’t even think straight right now, for some odd reason I woke up ealier enough to be pissed off, but late enough so that if I were to drive down to my school I’d only have fifteen minutes to answer all seventy or so questions, including essay questions. So, I seek the counsel of my sylabus, ready to be soothed by the assurance of a make up exam:
Sonuvabitch!
Well, maybe I can afford to miss a midterm…
What the hell kind of professor lets three tests make up the majority of a student’s score, but then won’t allow for a freakin’ missed dates? Up until now I’ve been busting my ass in his class, and now I’m reading that it will make nary a difference. I mean hell, just last night I stayed up till 3:00am studying…part of the reason I woke up late today. Sonuvabitch. Jack of all asses…damnit…just damnit.
A professor who expects his students to have a rudimentary sense of responsibility, because he’s not going to treat them like children. This is not at all unusual in college.
Well it’s a first in the classes I have taken. I always thought allowing for one retake on a missed exam was acceptable. Freaking hell…I just really hate to see my grades not reflect the what I’ve actually learned in my class.
Don’t you all think you’re being a bit hard on JoeSki? You all haven’t ever slept through an exam before? I know from personal experience that I’ve been talked to many times for being late to work because I inadvertently turned off my alarm clock in a semi-wakeful state. Joe could’ve read his syllabus a million times, but all that doesn’t amount to a hill of beans when you just didn’t wake up.
This has happened ‘many times’?
There are ways to deal with this problem. Moving the alarm clock would be a start. C’mon, are you just going to let it keep happening until you get fired? Sometimes you have to suck it up and deal with a problem rather than just ignoring it.
Joe: you need to get off the messageboard, go to school, find your professor, and beg. Apologize profusely, tell him that you will do whatever it takes in order to get a second chance, assure him that you will not ask, or need to ask, for a third chance, apologize more.
Whether you get a second chance or not, buy a new alarm clock on the way home. You’re probably paying about $20-$30 for every single session of that college class you’re in, and a basic alarm clock costs about $12-$15. If it keeps you from missing a single class, it’s already paid for itself.
But seriously. Go down there now and grovel. The worst that can happen is that he sticks to his guns, and the best that can happen is that he recognizes that you’re a sincere student and gives you a second chance.
What Left Hand said—both about the buying a new alarm clock and about the begging. “I knew it wasn’t reliable, but I didn’t have money to buy a new one” is a pretty lame excuse: basic alarm clocks are cheap, compared to the cost of college.
And if you really have been busting your ass in class so far, the prof will be a lot more likely to give you another chance than if you were a slacker who thinks he’s entitled to a break.
It will help if you accept full responsibility from the get-go with your prof. Tell him what happened, admit that it isn’t an excuse, and ask if there is some way to get even partial credit for the knowledge you have acquired. Then take it like a man, whatever the answer is.
You can always try talking to the professor and asking for an exception. I’d avoid a made-up story, tell the truth. He may just cut you a brake especially if you were doing well up until now.
Just adding to the pile-on; yeah, your alarm was unreliable, but you knew that, and didn’t take necessary steps. I missed a final exam when I was in University, by thinking it was on the wrong day. I had been an excellent student in class, participating and all, and had done well until then, and my instructor (praise be her name) let me take the final exam in her office while she graded papers.
Go to your instructor (possibly with the new alarm clock under your arm) and ask as politely as possible if there is any way for you to make up your serious error (cause it ain’t nobody else’s fault but yours).
You got a cell phone? A lot of them have the alarm clock feature in them, and mine (at least) works like a charm. keep the puppy charged and you’re never without a working alarm clock.
It’s great as a travelling alarm clock too because the time adjusts for time zones automatically.
If Joe read the syllabus, why all the shock and consternation about the “no makeups” policy this morning?
I apologize if I’m being unduly harsh, but the OP came off as whiny and immature. There are far too many college students who swan through their classes with a supersize sense of entitlement, and expect to be coddled all the way. This is a pet peeve of mine, and this:
I slept through a midterm once. As soon as I woke up and realized it, I ran like hell to the professor’s office… he let me take it right then, as he wasn’t going to be going anywhere for a while. I was so grateful.
From what I’ve noticed, it seems like people get the best outcome if they come in as soon as possible. I’ve seen a few people dash in halfway or more through an exam period, and they all got to take extra time.
Ya, I know alarm clocks are cheap, but it was only yesterday that I went grocery shopping for the first time in last three weeks. My job gives me wildly inconsistent hours (and am about to get a new one), I’m not in the right place to trade my gas guzzling GMC '89 Jimmy for a vehicle with better mileage, and I’m still waiting for financial aid to come in the mail. I mean, the alarm clock was hardly the only chink in my armor up until now, money was going towards gas and food whenever I got it. However, I should have some extra cash in my pocket within the week so there will be an opportunity to buy a new clock soon.
Anyways, the teach wasn’t there when I drove down. I headed to my next class and put together what I would say to my professor in the coming week. The presenting of the new alarm clock sounds like a good idea.
Hmm…I’m doubtful mine has one. I’ve got a prehistoric prepaid phone. It’s a pretty bare bones device, but I’ll click a few of the buttons and see if it has anything like that.
What difference does it make if I did or didn’t read it? I would have slept through the damn exam anyways. A read syllabus isn’t going to make my alarm clock work. Yes, in my current school and my last one the teachers go over the syllabses on the first days of class. I remember the kind of assigments I expect to recieve, how much reading is do be done, and wether or not there will be any group projecs and largely disregard everything else mentioned and go back periodically to see what homework needs to be done. Why disregard a bit about no make up exams? Because I wasn’t planning on fucking missing it! Make up days or not, I make a very serious effort to be on time in school and work, and was really looking towards making good grades this semester.
And get off your high horse. Mistakes happen, and this is as legitamate as most others in The Pit. If you’ve never slept through an exam, then in some time in your educational or proffesional career you’ve damn well missed some other appointment because of a mistake. Greivances happen past the age of thirteen as well, and if you don’t want to read such things than stay out of The Pit. It’s not all unicorn crapping Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies while you ride them under the butterscotch waterfall.
I was wrong to call my teacher a jack of all asses, but what the hell, I had just woken up to a suprising and ugly reality. And maybe it’s because I’m a student at a community college, but this really is the first class I’ve been in that doesn’t allow make up exams. I mean, holy hell, what a time to learn of this new foreign idea for perhaps the second time. My past teachers thought nothing of having their students come back to their class later to retake something while they did paperwork. I really wasn’t expecting what I woke up to.
In retrospect, I should have done this the moment I woke up
I see you are typing on a computer. I deduce, therefore, that there is a computer in your possession. Instead of spending money on an alarm clock that you can’t afford, hie thee hence to this site and download the free Chameleon Clock for your PC. I loved it so much in college I actually paid money for the registered copy. On big important test days and what not I’d set this up for three or four alarms each within 5 min of each other. That way if I turned off one there would be plenty more to follow. Also–I’d set my cell phone in case of blackout. (Neurotic? Why do you ask?) Never ever slept through an exam, work, or anything else important.