Grade Questions and Answers

Q: Who is allowed to submit or enter final grades?

A: Final grades must be entered or submitted online via myPurdue Faculty Self Service or BrightSpace by the instructor of record for that course.

Q: How do you know that you're an instructor of record?

A: Log into myPurdue and look in the My Course channel from the Faculty tab. If you have access to course lists, you will see your course offerings. If all do not appear, select the more link under your visible courses.

Q: What if I make a mistake or need to change a student’s final grade after I have submitted it?

A: Grades can be resubmitted through myPurdue or BrightSpace as often as you need up to the deadline. Corrections after that will require a Form 350 or a change submitted using the Grade Change Workflow in myPurdue.

Q: I keep getting the same final grade roster when I click Final Grade entry.

A: Scroll to the bottom of your final grade page and look for the link called "CRN Selection". Click on it and a drop down for all the courses you are faculty of record will display. Click on the arrow for a full list. Select your next CRN, then hit Submit.

Q: When can students see grades in Banner/myPurdue?

A: Students will be able to view grades after they have been rolled to academic history. That process should be complete by 8:00 a.m. the morning after the grade entry deadline.

Q: Can grades be printed?

A: To print a copy of grades for your records, click on "download course roster" from your final grade page.

Q: How can grades be viewed after grades have been rolled to history?

A: Faculty may view their grade rosters again after the deadline has passed and all end of term processing has completed in myPurdue. This is typically by 8:00 a.m. the following day. Grade reports are available using Cognos – Public Folders-Validate-Grades through the schedule deputy in each department for faculty.

Q: What if I have a Pass or No-Pass class?

A: A grade of Pass (P) or No-Pass (N) may be used if the course was originally set up with that grading criteria. If you are assigning an incomplete grade for a Pass or No-Pass class, the grade of PI should be given. If you are pushing grades from BrightSpace, the letter grade you push will automatically convert to a P or N based on the rules in university regulations.

Q: How do I handle regular incomplete grades?

A: Incomplete grades are assigned when a student has attended class, but has not completed work and has been allowed time to do so. As before, a Registrar Form 60 must completed for each student with an Incomplete or (I) grade submitted..

Incompletes are not to be used for students who never attended class and are still on the class roster. Failure to complete the class or turn in passing coursework is noted as an (F).

Q: How do I know if I should assign an "F" grade or an "FN" grade?

A: A grade of F (Failing) is awarded to students who complete the course and participate in activities through the end of the term but fail to achieve the course objectives. A grade of FN (Failing/Non-authorized Incomplete) is awarded to students who did not officially withdraw from the course, but who failed to participate in course activities through the end of the term. The FN grade is to be used when, in the opinion of the instructor, completed assignments or course activities or both were insufficient to make normal evaluation of academic performance possible. Note that once the FN grade is entered, the instructor is required to indicate the date the student last participated in course activity at an academically related activity, i.e., the last date the student completed an exam, quiz, assignment, paper, project, or attended class (if attendance was taken).

Second Interview Questions You Can Expect And How To Answer Them

Second interviews are cause for celebration, but also for plenty of preparation.

When you get to a second interview, you’re in a positive position to make an impact and secure the job you want. It’s evidence that you’ve passed the first hurdles for the role and the organization sees potential in you. But while it’s cause for celebration, it’s also cause for continued effort, intention and determination.

It’s a tight job market and there is plenty of competition—so your ability to demonstrate your commitment, current skills and future growth will be essential to setting yourself apart and putting yourself ahead of other candidates for the role.

When you get a second interview, it means the company sees something in you that they find interesting and see you as a possible match to the job and their culture. It’s an indicator you’re being seriously considered—so you’ll want to make the most of it.

Depending on the job, the second interview could be the final stage of the process, but you’re wise to keep your expectations realistic since there could also be additional rounds of interviews. For any job, there are significant numbers of applicants, so the interviewing process is designed to obtain increasing amounts of information and be increasingly selective—narrowing toward the most ideal person for the job and the organization.

As the pool of candidates is reduced, the number of people you meet with will typically increase. You’re likely to be interviewed by team members and senior leaders as well as HR and your hiring manager. And second interviews are usually longer. They can range in length from an hour to even a full day—as the company seeks to learn as much as they can about you from multiple perspectives.

In the second interview, you’ll be asked to respond to more specific questions which go deeper, are more specific and which are typically tougher.

The bottom line: You’ll have the opportunity to shine with a variety of interviewers, and the process will increasingly seek to dig into who you are and what you’re able to contribute to the organization. You’ll want to research, prepare and plan for the process in order to demonstrate your best.

This is what you’ll likely be asked—and how to respond.

Be specific about why you're interested in the role and the organization.

You will certainly be asked more about what interests you about the role and the company. Interviewers may ask you questions like these.

You’ll want to be specific about elements of the job that match your skills as well as aspects of the company that attract you—especially based on what you’ve learned in the process so far. Be sure to balance your enthusiasm for the role and the organization. If you overemphasize the company over the job, the hiring leader may be concerned you just want to get your foot in the door of the organization and lack commitment to the job itself.

You’ll also be wise to demonstrate the research you’ve done on the position and the employer, but balance it with an understanding that you will have more to learn. If you come across as presumptuous in what you know about the job or the company, that can be a turn off.

You’ll also be asked about yourself—in multiple ways. The interviewers will be seeking to learn about your strengths, weaknesses and the impacts you’ve had. Examples of interview questions include:

You’ll want to answer these questions with plenty of detail and examples of your impacts, rather than generalities about your skills. This is the time to provide specifics about what you encountered, how you handled things and the outcomes. Interviewers will be looking for details and they’ll be turned off if you are too superficial in your answers.

Interviewers may ask questions to discover how you handled challenging situations.

Companies are also especially interested in learning about how you interact with others. They may ask questions like the following.

In this case, be sure to talk about how you build and maintain relationships. Employers won’t be looking for perfection in your work relationships or sailing that is always smooth, but they’ll want to hear about how you worked through disagreements constructively or handled differences of opinions for positive project outcomes.

Be sure to share information about how you work on a team, the ways you collaborate successfully and the constructive influence you have on others.

At this stage, you’ll likely also get questions about your judgement. You may be asked:

Here, you’ll want to share examples that show your integrity as well as your ability to reflect, consider and take the best action in a situation. You’ll also need to talk about the impact of your actions and choices.

Another line of questioning in a second interview is typically related to what you want and need from the experience. Interviewers may ask questions like these.

Obviously, you’ll want to tailor your responses to your preferences, but also to what the job offers. If you expect a salary that is much higher than what the job offers or you expect to work remotely from an island paradise when the job is onsite, the employer won’t see a match—so be sure you’re realistic about your expectations and that you balance your desires with the options the job provides.

Also be authentic and clear about what you need from a culture and a leader. When people are happiest in jobs and companies, it’s typically because there is a good match between what’s most important and what the organization offers—so being real about your needs puts you in the best position to land something that will satisfy you.

You may also receive questions which seek your opinions on your last company or job. Be careful in answering these questions, ensuring you’re constructive and diplomatic in your answers. Interviewers will be turned off if you disparage a previous employer or job.

Do plenty of preparation so you can set yourself apart in your interview.

Interviewers will also ask you questions to determine how you’ll contribute immediately and to determine your future potential with the organization. They may ask:

For these questions, you’ll want to share specific ways you plan to hit the ground running—how you’ll ask questions, seek learning, build relationships and make contributions—based on what you know about the job and the company. And you’ll want to share your interest in contributing to the company over time, demonstrating your enthusiasm for today’s role and your future growth.

Here, you’ll want to balance your answers as well—showing you’re interested in the current role and also that you’ve given thought to your future, your goals and your desire for growth.

Overall, your preparation for a second interview should be as much or even greater than for your first interview. Research the job and the company, and learn as much as you can about who will be interviewing you.

Be ready with examples, stories, specifics and the themes that you want to emphasize. Consider what the organization wants in a candidate, and prepare your content with that lens in mind—talking about aspects of your experience which is most relevant to this particular role.

And prepare questions as well—since these will send a message about your priorities, interests and commitment.

Also be confident as well as authentic. You are more likely to be evaluated more positively when you’re self-assured and demonstrate you’re capable. Candidates who spoke more—and more quickly—and who gestured more and complimented others, were perceived as more confident. As a result they tended to be rated more highly by interviewers, based on research from the University of Nebraska.

At the same time you’re confident, also be yourself. Interviewers will be more likely to evaluate you positively when you’re both honest and authentic. If you’re overly polished, they may perceive you as inauthentic or misrepresenting yourself and rate you more negatively, according to research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

With the strong job market, your opportunities are both plentiful and positive—so prepare yourself thoroughly and put your best foot forward through your second interview and throughout the selection process.

Questions and answers from the ‘Car Doctor’

Q. My car a Genesis does not start, and I get a message that the key is not dedicated. I have been using our other car and public transportation. I left the car unlocked, but if it were locked how would I get in if the key is not detected? We only have one key, what is wrong?

A. This a classic example of the key fob battery is dead. Nearly all key fobs have a removeable physical key made into the fob. Although you may not see a door lock, near the door handle there is usually a removable cover. The key will get you into the car. On this vehicle and any others, if you push the start button with the key fob the engine will start. The key fob battery is inexpensive and easy to replace and depending on the vehicle changing the battery every couple of years is money well spent.

Q. I am interested especially in plug-in hybrids (like the now-discontinued Chevy Volt), and would use it almost exclusively as an electric, with trips of less than 100 miles and charging every night. Any gasoline in the tank would go bad before it was used. How do you manage the gasoline in the tank? And does the oil need changing every 3000 miles, even though most of those miles are electric?

A. There are different configurations of hybrids, Plugin hybrids that use a series drivetrain only receive mechanical power from the electric motor, which is run by either a battery or a gasoline-powered generator. In hybrids with parallel drivetrains, the electric motor and internal combustion engine can provide mechanical power simultaneously. Series/parallel drivetrains enable the engine and electric motor to provide power independently or in conjunction with one another. In all these applications there is some internal combustion use. Some plug-in hybrids run the engine to use up gas, so it will not get stale. This function is built into the programming of the car. Using the very capable Hyundai Sante-FE PHEV as an example, Hyundai still wants the oil changed at 8000 miles and is recommending a fuel additive at 8000 miles-presumably to keep the combustion chamber clean.

Q. You had a question about how to get bumper stickers off a van and I have a suggestion. The best product out there is Un-Du. Have used it for years. I got a bunch of bumper stickers off my daughter’s car with it. It is designed to keep the adhesive on the sticker, so leaves little residue behind. This is a great product, loved by crafters and has a slew of household uses.

A. Thanks for the suggestion and this is one product I never heard of. Always appreciative of reader suggestions, comments and even some criticism.

Q. I was watching YouTube and many car videos I watched had an ad for a plug-in device called ECO. In the ad it said it worked so well it was like stealing gas. In fact, they said they were getting sued by oil companies and car companies because it worked so well. What do you think?

A. I do not know this product, but my first thought is do not waste your money. The idea that car companies do not want to deliver better fuel economy is just silly. Car companies literally will look to save grams of weight to improve fuel economy. If I believed everything, I saw online I would be rich and good looking.

Q. I have a 2016 Subaru Outback 3.6R with 53,000 miles. The spark plugs have never been changed; I see no symptoms that would suggest a problem. The maintenance schedule calls for spark plugs at 60,000 miles (or 5 years I believe). The mileage is lower than 60,000 but time is past 60 months. Do you suggest using time instead of miles in my case for the 60,000-mile service (includes brake fluid change too)?

A. It would be a good idea to replace the sparkplugs. Leaving them for too long can sometimes cause the sparkplugs to become seized in the cylinder-heads. This can lead to a whole host of additional problems. Subaru also states 60 months or 60,000 miles whichever comes first. Changing brake fluid every three or so years is also a good idea.

Q. I have a 2018 Mercedes Benz C300 4matic; currently 21,500 miles and I am the original owner. Should I get oil change and have fluids checked before winter sets in? The last service was done in October 2020 at 12,300 miles.

A. According to Mercedes (not a dealer recommendation) you should have the oil changed every 10,000 or once per year whichever comes first. At the same time, the technician will check the other fluids and filters. I agree with this once per year recommendation, it is just an effective way to keep up with potential issues that can crop up as the car ages.

Q. I own a 2013 Honda CRV with 65,000 miles on it. The car has always been maintained by Honda. The Honda dealership keeps recommending that I change the radiator hoses and the fluid due to it being 10 years old. What would be your recommendation for when to replace the radiator fluid and hoses?

A. Changing the coolant in this model definitely makes sense at 10 years old. The radiator hoses typically have a very long life but at 10 years old, it is worth considering. As an example, If I were driving cross country in this car, I would want to replace the radiator and heater hoses. If the car were used locally, I would have the coolant changed and have the hoses evaluated by the mechanic who was performing the service.

Got a car question, email the Car Doctor for a personal reply. jpaul@aaanortheast.com