How Much is Attendance Worth?

           Most classes I’ve taken at two different colleges have mandated that each student must attend class as a part of the grade. Although, in my opinion, the attendance part of the grade tends to be around about 5%. This is not a huge portion of the cumulative grade, but can still have an effect on the outcome of the grade in the class. If a student receives a 92% in the class but misses out on 3% of the attendance grade, he or she would get an 89% in the class– or the difference of a letter grade. I personally think that it is important to go to class and I do not skip very many.  However, I do think that each person should have the choice to attend if they are capable of receiving their desired grade. Students I have talked to about this have agreed. Many students state that they have other classes that demand more time, and others say they simply can learn and understand the material better by reading the book and reading online notes.

        Additionally, in the past, I have been docked an entire letter grade for missing two more days than the graduate student teacher had set. My grade went from a B to a C for that reason, and I do not believe the teacher should have authority in that manner in determining a grade. The evidence of the grade should be able to dictate the notion in a situation like that–whether or not a student is attending to the material and gaining an understanding. I understand the argument that people would attend less class if this was so and teachers could wind up talking to themselves, or that more people would miss lectures and labs and grades would decline. To that, I just say that a lot of people would still attend class, plus they would feel better knowing their grade would not hurt for it. Many students want to go to class just based on the fact they pay for it, or that their parents so. Also, a majority of students get enjoyment from learning and advancing their knowledge in areas of study that interest them, which is not a bad gig in retrospect.