My e-mail to my prof.

I don't usually do this..but I am damn pissed now...so I shall publish my e-mail (with the elimination of some sensitive details) sent to my prof in regards to my pathetic grade that I got for his module..I believe I have a strong case for a review..

Hi Sir,

I am Pang Yan Wei, Political Science Major Year 3. I am very disappointed at the grade(B-) that I got for your module PS(code name) (title of module) which I took last semester and I found it necessary to e-mail you to try to understand the reasons for my appalling final grade for this module. I believe my CA which comprised 40percent of the assessment for this module was either an A- or an A considering that I have gotten an A grade for the 20percent essay assignment, an A- for the 5percent test, attended all four tutorials and did a relatively ok if not impressive presentation. I understand that the bell curve for this module is understandably high with the high grades awarded both for the essay assignment and the test for most of the students. However, I do not think I performed badly for the final exam as I actually found the final exam easy and this was actually my most confident module. Though I know that quantity does not represent quality, I would like to mention that I actually used two booklets for this paper and tackled the questions with gusto and confidence.If I did not remember wrongly, I actually started my last question on the second booklet.

I have also been a conscientious and hardworking student in NUS where the B- grade that I attained for your module was the worst ever grade that I have ever been awarded in NUS so far.This is also the first time I ever received a B- grade for any module that I have taken, I must express my utter disbelief and disappointment at this final grade awarded to me upon this module. Furthermore, I have shown consistent performance in all my Political Science modules that I have taken so far. My PS Major cap score for ten modules(excluding your module) taken so far in NUS is 4.1 and besides PS2237 Introduction to International Relations which I attained a B grade,I have been consistently attaining B+s and A-s for all my other PS modules.

I hope that my e-mail to you did not (sound,* typo in original e-mail) rude or disrespectful and I offer my sincere apologies if this e-mail had offended you in any way. Though I am not in the position to question your assessment or even ask you for any explanation or clarification for my final grade in this module, I hope that you will consider my case for this grade to be reviewed. I will be submitting the application for the review of the examination result for this module through the proper channels in the next few days. However, I understand that there will not be any remarking of the examination scripts through this process and I will also not be given an opportunity to look at my examination scripts. Though I hope that there is a possible mistake in the calculation of the marks for this module, I know that there is only a slim chance of that happening. I will love to have the opportunity to meet you in person to discuss upon this issue if you are free over the next few days(except friday afternoon where I have an appointment with my mentor from MCYS Feedback Unit).

Thanks for the time and effort in reading this e-mail. Hope to hear from you soon.

With regards,
Yanwei

Sighz..in instances like this, I can only lament about the closed and rigid system of examination review that NUS operates by..why can't we be given as much transparency as overseas universities?! For instance, my friend Li Wei who studies in University of Melbourne told me that in his university, its a common practise and norm to let the students view the examination scripts. Everything is kept transparent and this should be the right way about it.

I am not going to publish my Prof's reply to me as I believe that this is not right as his correspondance to me should be kept private and to my knowledge..I just hope he will provide me with an explanation as to why I got this pathetic appalling grade and also that through the opaque examination review system(I still have to pay 10 dollars,damn it) get the grade that I deserved.

I don't like the fact that my first class honours dream is ended this way by a rude surprise and coupled with the unprofessional examination leak by NUS a couple of weeks ago(that gave me pyschological discomfort), I am appalled by the unprofessionalism shown by a supposedly world class institution.