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​Crafty Student Puts Avocado on Scantron Sheet to Increase Test's Value

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Photos by cyclonebill / CC BY 2.0 and Brian Cantoni / CC BY 2.0 (with edits)

Julie Robison (C '19) knows quite a bit about avocado. She knows that they charge extra at Chipotle for guac on her bowl. She knows that its increased consumption causes even more deforestation in Mexico and South America. And she knows it’s a premium topping at Sweetgreen, even if she only gets four goddamn toppings in the first place.

Let’s face it: avocados are expensive. Even if you cook at home, the fruit is $2.00 at the supermarket. So Robison, realizing that avocado as an ingredient increases the value of any food item, decided to apply that same principle to her most recent statistics exam.

“I’ll be honest,” Robison recounted. “I haven’t been to a stat class all semester because it’s at the same time as my favorite spin class. However, I knew I had an ace in the hole.” After answering the questions to the best of her ability, Robison whipped out a knife, cutting board, and a fresh, ripe avocado.

Sanjay Marketta, another student taking the exam, remembers being confused at first. “I just didn’t think it was appropriate," he said. "But then I looked at the test and thought, ‘You know what? I would actually eat that.’”

Sure enough, when Robison received her exam back, "+1.80" was written in red ink next to the original score of 58, bringing the total test grade to a whopping 59.8. That’s a passing grade if you round up! Well done Julie.

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