Harsh Realities of Academic Life: A Northwestern University Student’s Experience with Tough Professors

Academic life at Northwestern University is a blend of rigorous studies and equally challenging professors. While many courses are designed to be demanding and provide students with a comprehensive understanding of their field, some professors go to extremes that can make the learning process unnecessarily difficult. In this article, we explore the experiences of a student at Northwestern University who faced such challenges in their journalism courses.

Challenging Examinations and Tsed.FlatAppearance

The first experience that stands out is the examination conducted while taking a journalism course. The professor chose to assign an overwhelming workload in a very limited time frame. A one-hour midterm exam was set for a fifty-minute period, followed by a ten-minute break for the students to get ready for their next classes. Furthermore, this break was imposed on the students without any consideration for their other concurrent exams taking place during the same block of time. Despite the alarming brevity of the exam, the professor crammed in three essay questions that required substantial time and effort.

Additionally, the professor expected students to complete such a challenging task in just 20 minutes for each question, doling out a total of 60 minutes. Unfortunately, the exams were scheduled to start at 11 am, leaving a considerable gap between the end of the previous class and the beginning of the exam. When the student tried to complete the task, they had to add an additional 12 minutes for the preparation. However, this 12 minutes proved insufficient, leading to a significant lateness for the subsequent 11 am exam. The instructor, a former journalism professor, displayed an unusually indifferent attitude towards this hardship, treating the missed 10 minutes as a minor, forgivable inconvenience.

Grievances and the Impact of Untimely Grading

The most disheartening aspect of this experience was not the length of the exam but the incredibly strict and arguably unfair grading system. The student dedicated approximately 20 minutes to each of the first two essays, and just 12 minutes to the third one. Despite this effort, the professor still deemed the attempt insufficient, providing an abnormal average grade. The professor had assigned an A for the first question, an F for the second, and an A for the third question. However, when the grades were averaged, the result was a C. Critically, the average of an A and an F is a C, which implies that the student’s disruptive performance could have been unintentionally normalized. The student, the authors, should have been given a C or even a B- for their overall performance. However, the haphazard grading system and lack of transparency led to a significant level of dissatisfaction and frustration among the students.

The Unintended Consequences on Students’ Well-being

This academic experience demonstrated a troubling pattern among certain professors, where grading becomes too harsh, disproportionate to the effort and knowledge demonstrated. Such a system can have severe repercussions on student morale, stress levels, and overall mental health. Furthermore, the absence of clear standards and consistent evaluation methods can lead to a sense of injustice and demotivation among students. It raises questions about the integrity and accountability of academic institutions and the instructors who fail to ensure a fair and supportive learning environment.

Conclusion: The Importance of Fair Grading Practices

The experiences outlined above highlight the importance of fair grading practices in academia. While challenging professors can motivate students to excel, unjust and unreasonable grading can demoralize and deter students. It is crucial for educational institutions to establish clear guidelines, regular evaluations, and transparent feedback mechanisms to prevent such harsh and arbitrary treatment. Universities like Northwestern must prioritize creating an environment where learning is fostered, and the intellectual growth of its students is valued, without compromising their mental and emotional well-being.

As educators, we must strive to maintain a balance between challenging our students and ensuring their success. Only through mutual understanding, support, and fair practices can we create a valuable and enriching educational experience for our students.

Keywords: Northwestern University, journalism courses, challenging professors