Thermometer of Academic Performance: Meaningful Midterm Grades
Midterm grades are due October 16. Please submit midterm grades for 100-299 level classes and for any student in an upper level or graduate class who is not performing well. It is important students are aware of their current grade so they can take action to maintain or improve the grade. They may also need to consider the W-drop option. Further, with the Starfish Student Success Network, we can outreach to those who have a D or E grade at midterm and provide support and assistance to the student.
"I would say that submitting midterm grades for 100- and 200-level courses is a requirement, but students really need to be provided meaningful grades. Simply providing students a grade, such as all As or all Cs, does not provide students with an understanding of how they are actually doing," said Ashley Ireland, Assistant Provost and Director of Online Learning. She continued, "Grades in Canvas (with timely assignment grading) are good but don't provide student support staff an idea of the full picture of how the student is doing."
Murray State students said....
- “Midterm grades are important so we can be successful and determine what we need to be doing to get good grades.” Lexi
- "Not knowing how I'm doing at midterm creates unwanted stress. It would put me at ease to be able to see my midterm grades." Arionna
- "It would have been helpful to know how I was doing along the way. Very frustrating because I couldn't make changes to improve, if necessary." Emily
- "I use midterm grades as a gauge so I know what I need to do the rest of the semester." Isaac
- “Many students see their midterm grade as a judge of their work ethic. If their grade is around a C or below, that is motivation to bring the grade up before the class ends. If the grade is a high C or above, they know that they are doing good and need to keep going in order to succeed. If there is no midterm grade, students are clueless on how to help themselves by helping their grades via adjusting their work ethic.” Madeline
- “Midterm grades are a good way for students to gauge how they are doing in the class. I always look at my midterm grades to help me decide how much work I put into each class on a weekly basis. If I make an A I might only put in an 1-2 hours, but if I make a C I am more likely to put in 2-3 hours of study and time to email my professor questions about course content.” Jill
Aha: a moment of sudden realization, inspiration, insight, recognition, or comprehension.
- When advising students, create a personal advising philosophy: How do you approach students? How do you advise students? What are your individual beliefs and experiences? Once created, you can use the philosophy as a guide when meeting with students.
- To be more student-centered, consider renaming "office hours" to "student hours."
NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising
NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising is the premier Association for student success through academic advising in higher education. Formally chartered on May 2, 1979, NACADA serves its members through a variety of professional development and networking opportunities. In addition, the Association supports student success at the institution level through its comprehensive consulting services, Outcomes of Advising Surveys, and NACADA Excellence in Academic Advising program. NACADA’s elected and appointed leadership works in cooperation with the NACADA Executive Office to lead the 15,000-member not-for-profit Association. Learn More!
Below are a important resources to view now and reference throughout the semester.
- Academic Advising Website for YOU and Students
- Academic Deadlines and Important Dates
- Mental Health Resources (Includes on and off campus resources)
- Not Sure Where to Start? Start with us! Center for Student Engagement and Success
- Registration Resources (Includes myRegistration resources)
- Student Financial Services:
- University Catalog