I am hesitant to discuss grades. But on the other hand after asking you to take a personal inventory of yourself, I can hardly avoid it. So let's look at the Intermed Final.
You will recall that the grades on the last examination were, ah er well, less than what we all had hoped for. I am extremely pleased to inform you that the grades on the final exam were considerably better. Indeed, my conclusion is that you have taken me at my word that the review suggestions will in fact prepare you for the final exam. And so apparently the class did just that.
The results were a stellar improvement over the last exam. The class average was an 84. The modal (most frequently occurring grade in the series) was an 84. Two individuals got every one of the ten multiple choice about depreciation. Many got 8 or more on that and the fill in the blank question. Two individuals in particular won the Break Out of the Middle of the Pack Award with much better scores than previous efforts, one in fact made the high grade in the class on the final, a 96! There were only two or three grades below 80.
The Cost Grades were similar, I mention this as I know many of you were OK on cost but concerned about Intermed I. Now before you get your turbans all tied up in a knot about what specifically you made in the class, think about this.
As I said in the previous post, you arrived in various states of preparation and experience for the study of accounting. But you have accomplished much this semester, not only in terms of awareness but in terms of study habits and more importantly, CONTENT MASTERY. I define this as the ability to finish a problem start to finish correctly on a blank sheet of paper.
The conclusion you should make is that yes, you can conquer Accounting. There is much to learn and a great deal of satisfaction to gain in that pursuit. The demand for individuals who can do this is high. Like Hart in Paper Chase, you are coming to grips with what success requires.
One of my favorite Christmas films is the new standard, A Christmas Story . Written by the great humorist, Jean Shepherd, it describes his own childhood growing up in Detroit in the 1940s. Ralphie wants a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas. And so he writes his School Theme on what a great present that would make for Christmas. Day Dreaming, he envisions the teacher, disgusted with the other papers and then reading his. Delighted she fills the Board with A++++++++++++ as his grade. Alas, he gets a C+ with the admonition, You'll shoot your eye out!
In this case, most of you have like Ralphie, hit the target. Let's not get too comfortable in our success. Again, consider reading a business book over the holidays. Do not hesitate to begin reading Chapter 12 and 13 in the Intermed Book, ie, read ahead. I will also be asking you to review a movie with an ethical theme. I will post a list of suggestions. The point is not to so much recount the plot of the movie but to relate the theme to the Rule of Principle as opposed to just following rules that may or may not really be ethical. (Note, Jeff Skilling failed to get a stay on going to jail....)
So a very Merry Christmas. Let's look forward to our new Year in the new building.
DLE
Dr. Elam,
Congratulations to your class for passing the final. Sounds like your finals were about what they were here in San Antonio. Im proud to report that I scored a 100 average in cost accounting accomplished by scoring a 108 in final. Like you, Dr. Ariail prepared us very well for the final exams. I will be taking his Ethics course that he just finished a syllabus for and I must say I see a lot of your influence in it. I will also be taking his Income Tax class just and that syllabus looks like loads of "fun." Note the facetiousness. By the way the word facetious is the only word in the English language that possesses all the vowels in sequential order. Anyway sending best wishes over the Holidays to you and yours. Congrats again to your students on a successful semester.
By the way, you may read up on the latest news on TAMUK-San Antonio's latest endeavor in purchasing an abandoned elemntary school close by to make room for 07'.
Jerry
Posted by: jerry | December 15, 2006 at 08:14 PM