Gargantuanly Good (okay, average) Grades

I just got my report card. Yep, that's right. Guess who's not failing a single class?! Me! Guess who has above the class average in every class except Spanish? Me! Butterflies and fireworks are mingling in my stomach, and it's not a bad experience. I'm especially overjoyed because one of my biggest fears about study abroad was not understanding the courses and earning poor grades. While the classes are difficult, they are managable and my teachers help me so much! I'm sorry to go on, but I'm proud - I was worried that I would fail a class (eek! Thank goodness that's not happening!), I didn't even consider it would be possible to keep up! I thought "Oh, I'll try my absolute best, but I can't get my hopes too far up..." But, making the class average?!? I'm ecstatic. Obviously, my curriculum is a tad different than the other students (especially in Spanish), but that doesn't dampen my mood a bit!

Here's my report card:

Heh-heh, a little closer...

And closer still.... Now you can see my grades!

Now, before you start freaking out about the fact that the class averages are around 10/20 or 12/20, let me explain. The French grading system is very different than that of the USA. Percentages are not used, thus a 16/20 is not an 80%, just 16/20. Also, tests are graded a more harshly, thus making it more difficult to earn above a 15/20. To give you some context, here are some grades and their "meaning" to students:

10/20: "le moitié" or "the half"does not translate to a 50% as it does in the US. Though it is not a stellar grade, it is acceptable and most students are content (if a bit dissapointed) by this grade. Most exchange students are very excited to earn le moitié because it shows that the teacher is grading you like the rest of the class, and that you are passing.

15/20: A good grade. If you get a 15 on a test, this usually means that you studied hard. In my class, a 15 is also given out to students who are naturally smart, but don't try very hard. Professors are generally hesitent to give anything above a 15 to these students because, though their work shows comprehension, it is often careless.

17/20: Very impressive grade. Only extremey good students (or very impressive tests) get above a 16, so a 17 is a gold star.

20/20: WOW. I was once told that a 20/20 was impossible. In fact, I have only seen this grade twice, though only in special cases. The first time I ever saw a 20/20 was when my genius friend Pierre-Antoine did a stellar job on his Chemistry test. The second time I saw a 20/20 was on my second English test (remember how, after my first embarassing English test, I vowed to impress my teacher? Well, mission accomplished!)

So, yes, this Report Card brought me much joy!