Should Professors Give Extra Credit in College?

A student beginning college twenty years ago would most likely not have the option to do extra credit to bring up their grade in a college class. Students would have to either do well on their exams or fail the course. This is how it was for my own parents. Now, extra credit is given for nearly every college course offered at many universities. But should extra credit really be an option for students today?

The Educational Advantage

From my own experience, professors who give extra credit do a really great job incorporating the extra credit into course topics. In order to get any bonus points, a student has to actually do the reading, come to class and take notes, and keep up with the homework. Often times a professor will include the extra credit at the end of a homework assignment, for example. This is a productive way to give and receive extra credit.

Students’ Laziness

When a professor tells the students in the very beginning that extra credit will be given throughout the course, some students develop laziness. They think they can do badly on the exams because the extra credit will ultimately save them in the end. If professors are going to give extra credit in order to “save” their students’ grades, they should give it as a surprise. This way, students will not rely on the extra credit but when it does come around, they will be grateful for it if they did not do well on an exam.

The Amount of Work

Professors who give the simplest assignment for extra credit are not doing the students any educational good. They are simply saving themselves so they don’t have to explain why so many students failed their course. If a professor is actually interested in the quality of their students’ education, they will give an extra credit assignment that will make them think and be creative. Students need to be forced to use their brain. The perfect example would be a 6-7 page paper on something related to the class. This will force them to spend some time on it.

Ultimately, it is up to the professor whether they want to provide their students with an extra credit assignment. The older generation looks down upon this academic practice because it gives students an excuse to be lazy and not try their hardest throughout the semester. However, if done properly, extra credit assignments can be very beneficial to the student in providing them with a thorough education.


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