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A student's grandmother is far more likely to die just before an exam

pike.psu.edu

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Re: A student's grandmother is far more likely to die just before an exam

#21

Post by dredmorbius »

btilly wrote: post #4

This is indeed a strange and worrying phenomena. I am in fact aware of cases where a student has managed to lose 3 or more grandmothers while pursuing an undergraduate degree. This leaves the student with a negative number of grandmothers. The underlying mechanisms allowing this is highly mysterious and is certainly deserving of further research.

As a friend of mine once commented, "I get along well with most of my parents".

Perhaps there are recent advances in sexual reproduction leading to greater allele recombination at a time of crisis for our species.

Re: A student's grandmother is far more likely to die just before an exam

#22

Post by Matti »

rflrob wrote: post #16
kenthorvath wrote: post #10

Of course, students have no reason to report deaths of relatives when there are no consequences to missing class. So, deaths most likely only get reported during exams.

Furthermore, more conscientious students are more likely to grin and bear it, thus giving the A students a lower rate of reporting.

Along the same lines: for a young college student the death of a grandparent might very well constitute the first experience of losing a family member. With little experience, it's not always clear how these situations should be handled with respect to work or school. More mature individuals are more likely to handle deaths within the family with discretion.

With increasing age it is also more likely that you've already had your grandparents die.

Re: A student's grandmother is far more likely to die just before an exam

#25

Post by jiggy2011 »

michaelt wrote: post #20
rflrob wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Furthermore, more conscientious students are more likely to grin and bear it, thus giving the A students a lower rate of reporting.

I agree, but that still doesn't explain why the reported death rate for grandmothers is 24 times higher than that for grandfathers. I suppose it's possible students care about their grandmothers more than their grandfathers.

Men also die earlier than women so it's possible most students grandfathers are already dead before they reach college. I know this was the case for me.

Re: A student's grandmother is far more likely to die just before an exam

#27

Post by FooBarWidget »

mblake wrote: post #14
droithomme wrote: post #12

Yes, every teacher has experienced this. A lot of teachers have become jaded and will assume every student who brings this up is a liar and a cheat. The problem though is that although the majority of the cases are made up to get out of exams or assignments, a small number aren't. These students, in addition to losing their beloved relative then can become very distraught to find themselves unexpectedly saddled with…

Sadly I have experienced this. I was in mourning after losing a relative and refused to participate in an overtly cheerful activity.Not only was I reprimanded for it, but later heard the professor felt the need to complain to other people as well about yet another kid 'whos grandma had died'. It just so happened that my grandma had not died, nor would have I cared much if she would've had, but a much more cared for r…

Isn't it quite easy to present proof that a relative has really died?

Re: A student's grandmother is far more likely to die just before an exam

#29

Post by josephagoss »

Last year my granddad died the day before an exam. I'm not sure if the point of the paper is that students use this as a excuse or that we just don't mention relatives dying at times when they do not conflict with other major events in someones life.

Re: A student's grandmother is far more likely to die just before an exam

#30

Post by mpl »

jiggy2011 wrote: post #25
michaelt wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree, but that still doesn't explain why the reported death rate for grandmothers is 24 times higher than that for grandfathers. I suppose it's possible students care about their grandmothers more than their grandfathers.

Men also die earlier than women so it's possible most students grandfathers are already dead before they reach college. I know this was the case for me.

For me as well. And I have three grandmothers, courtesy of my stepmother. Two of them died while I was in college, the third is 97 y.o., and I've got two more semesters to go, so there's a chance I may be one of those people who dips into the "negative grandmothers" category.
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