Merry Christmas

It may be off-topic, but I hope all of my fellow academics have a very lovely holiday today... Try not to think about the new semester. ;)

Stratego.

I'm betting we all get at least one of these emails every semester:

Professor,
The drop date already passed for freshmen. Can i email you before the final to see if you can tell me how much more or less I will need to score on the final to pass your class because I really want to pass. If I need a higher score, I will look over the information more for the final.

I replied, "You need a higher score. Look over the information more for the final."

I mean, that kind of request just BURNS ME UP. It's very much in line with this post from Rate Your Students:

Here's the deal. Know the shit I taught you. Read the material. Stop trying to second guess what's on the fucking examination and apply your pea-sized brains to learning what you ignored all term. I swear I could give you all the questions in advance, and that a third of you would find a way to fail anyway. Stop being so strategic about your "education."

I truly don't understand that "strategic" tendency of some students--the ones who want to know their exact numerical value in the class so they can "aim" for an exact numerical value on the final--as if that were possible!--so that they can pass the course with a bare minimum of 59.6%.

I mean, if you've been scoring 50s on all your essays this semester, and are clearly failing, in no uncertain terms, by the end, WHY would you be concerned with exact percentages on the final? Wouldn't you just want to do the damn best that you can in your effort to salvage the course???