It seems like most professors are either zero tolerance or extra lenient.

I was in a Thermodynamics class with my college roommate and he was crushing the curve ... 95% on the first test when the average was 30%... 92% on the 2nd test when the average was 20%.

The professor said he'd take the best 2 scores on the tests and throw out the remaining test. So my roommate coasted into the last test and scored like 52% against an average score of 50%.

He was dumbfounded when he didn't get an A for the course. He went to the professor and was told that it was the best 2 tests *collectively*, not individually, so one of his 90%'s got thrown out! My roommate tried to argue with the prof but the prof wouldn't budge.