History Main / TheBGrade

* In ''Film/TwothirtySeven'', Marcus freaks when he learns the score on his science test is 87%. He goes to his teacher Mrs. Jacobs and frantically demands that she go back over his test and find 3 extra marks. She closes the door in his face. Marcus responds by [[HeadDesk slamming his head against the door in frustration]].

--> '''Willow''': ''740?'' Verbal? I’m pathetic! Illiterate! I’m Cletus, the slack-jawed yokel!
--> '''Xander''': That's right. [[SarcasmMode And the fact that your 740 verbal closely resembles my combined scores in no way compromises your position as the village idiot.]]

--> '''Alex''': We're this close to getting Justin to cry and not because of a B.

-->'''Thomas''': I don't think that's[[note]]He had been asked the name of Archduke Franz Ferdinand's assassin, which triggered World War I(Gavrilo Princip, for the record)[[/note]] on the test.
--> '''Father''': That attitude is the difference between a ninety-nine and a one hundred percent!

-->'''Him:''' ''(in complete shock)'' "Well, I'll be darned."

A straight A student has just received a report card... along with some distressing news: there is a B in one subject. This makes the student disappointed at having their perfect record tarnished, while others wonder what the big deal is, since they'd usually be content to get a B. When they truly understand how upset the person in question is, there usually is a pep talk reminding them how great they are and offering AnAesop about how [[MistakesAreNotTheEndOfTheWorld an occasional stumble is nothing to be ashamed of]]. Their overreaction is often caused by an EducationMama.

TruthInTelevision, as anyone who has seen high school A.P./I.B. students receiving their grades can attest. With the onset of the Internet and teachers posting grade updates online, this usually happens well before the report card actually arrives. Also pops up in VideoGames with end-of-level ranking systems, especially when multiple scores are given across an entire stage; ending with twelve S-Ranks and one A-Rank means an A-Rank for the entire stage.

* This is Ami's great fear in ''Franchise/SailorMoon''. Aliens coming to take all the energy out of their bodies? Ami's on it. {{Yandere}} not quite over the heroine's LoveInterest and will stop at nothing to MurderTheHypotenuse ? Not a problem. MadOracle from the future manipulating a prince into doing his bidding, and eventually goes after Crystal Tokyo's princess? No problem. An A-minus on her final? Ami's crushed.

[[folder: Fan Fiction]]

** "Imperfection": Tish shows her report card to the gang, and her straight A grades. She is then surprised to read a negative comment concerning her perfectionism, which, ironically as she points out, tarnishes her report card.

* ''WesternAnimation/FlyingRhinoJuniorHigh'': This is the StartOfDarkness for Earl P. Sidebottom. Once a straight A student, his reaction to getting a D in shop class was to flee to the school's boiler room, build a reality-altering super computer, and terrorize the school as [[BigBad The Phantom.]]

* ''Literature/TheLangoliers'': Toomy had a rather uncompromising father who had this attitude toward grades. It goes [[FreudianExcuse partway]] towards explaining why he's such a monster.

** {{Justified|Trope}} with Harry; he gets the B-equivalent grade in Potions, and since Snape will only take A-equivalent student into his advanced class, it means he wouldn't be able to become an Auror. Luckily for Harry, [[spoiler:Snape became Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts (on which Harry DID get the A-equivalent) and the new teacher is more lenient. It's also worth noting that Snape was apparently ''not'' allowed to enforce this rule when it came to teaching the N.E.W.T.-level Defence class, as Hermione was allowed to take the class as well]].

* In ''Bollywood/ThreeIdiots'', Chatur can't stand coming up second in exams to Rancho.

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicStrip/Peanuts https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bplus.png]]]]

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicStrip/Peanuts https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bplus.png]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bplus.png]]

-->'''Thomas''': I don't think that's[[note]]He had been asked the name of Archduke Franz Ferdinand's assassin, which triggered World War I[[/note]] on the test.

** Similarly, ''VideoGame/ReflecBeat'' goes up to AA, but requires an A rank (70% achievement rate)to clear. Unfortunately, failing here does in fact cause a Game Over...

* Similarly, one of the villains on ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' was a kid whose mother wouldn't tolerate him being second in anything... Which prompted him to try to kill Max when she got a perfect score on a test that he got a ''very nearly'' perfect score on. Highest Score? Perfect 2400. The loser kid who's never going anywhere in life? ''2391''.

* In an episode of ''Series/ICarly'', Carly was distraught over the B+ she received in history class, leading her friend Sam to hack into the school's computer and change the grade without Carly's knowledge. However, once Carly found out, the guilt consumed her and [[HilarityEnsues hilarity ensued]] as she tried to change it back. Probably an [[ExaggeratedTrope exaggeration]], since the only reason Carly got a B+ was because she handed in her report on three hole paper, and the teacher doesn't like three hole paper. Another reason it was so important to her is because if it weren't for that B+, she would have had her first all A report card.

* Exaggerated on ''Series/{{Glee}}'', where Mike's [[EducationMama strict Chinese father]] flips out over him getting an A- on a test (an "Asian F", providing the episode's title), and wants him to drop football, Glee Club, and dating Tina to focus on his studies. Even Principal Figgins (who is also Asian, mind you) thinks Mr. Chang is overreacting.

** Plus, in ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince Half-Blood Prince]]'' when the gang gets the results of their O.W.L. Exams, Ron notes that Hermione got the top grade in everything ''except'' Defence Against the Dark Arts, wherein she got the B equivalent in the only class Harry got an A-equivalent in.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* ''[[TimeGuardian Toki No Shugomono]]'' has Miu get a bad grade on a psychics test because she was adjusting her watch. This sets off the whole plot of the story.