How much grade deflation is there at USC? Pre-med classes?

holty001
Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:31:05 +0000

it’s not horrible, sometime it may help you, but it is a curve nonetheless. so only a certain number of people will end up with an A- or A at the end of the semester. I think for biology 20% get an A- or A (looking at the curve from one of my exams). For biology, the average grade is set as the lowest B- (so an 80 or 81). Thus, doing a little above average will get you around a B. (there are hundreds of students)

Chemistry is curved as well, i think they make the average a C+. I think they also use 20% as cut off for A (i dont think they use +/- for A,B,D,F). Next 30% is B, and next 40% is C (with some as +/-), and the rest D or F. [these figures based off of o-chem curve statistics, which i assume are same for general chem].

so in the end, its all about competition