Assessing your current class standing

The one question that I know is on nearly everyone's mind from the day of the first exam until the end of the semester is "Can you give me some idea of how I'm doing in here?" Therefore, I thought this information might come in handy. If you STILL don't understand how to assess your approximate class standing, then I suggest you (1) read the syllabus and then (2) make an appointment to see me during my office hours.
 
 

Table 1. Example of how to estimate your class standing after first exam. 
 
Exam  score #1
Divide by  available exam pts. & multiply by 100
= Percentage (%)
Current standing 
(based on course
grade scale)
Example only:
22
(for example)
 (22/30) 
x 100 = 
73 %
C+

 
Table 2. Example of how to estimate your class standing after second exam.
 
A. Exam  score 
#1
  
B. Exam  score
#2
  A+B 
total/60 
= %
Current standing (based on course
grade scale)
Example only:
22
+
26
= 48
80%
 B-


 
 

Table 3. Example of how to estimate your class standing after third exam. 
 
(Drop Exam  #1)
A. Exam  score #2
B. Exam  score
#3
Total = A+B
(exam points)
total/60 = %
Current standing (based on course
grade scale)
Example only:
-
(lowest score)
26
28
26 + 28 = 54 
90%
B+

 
 
 
 
Table 4. Example of how to figure lowest 
possible score for a "target" grade.
 
A. Target point total 
(based 
on course
grade scale)
B. Earned exam points
(see Table 3 for example)
 C. Figure # of pts. for "target"
(A - B = C)
Previous exam average vs. target grade 
(i.e. how realistic is my "target"?)
Example only:
93 (A)
54
93- 54 = 39 pts.
Exam 1-3 avg. = 80%
=[22+26+28]/95*
39/40* x 100 = 98%
(40 available)

*  more on this later; NOTE: 39/50 = 78%; 39/45 = 87%.