Dropping classes

[Drew2]

So through some very bad choices (mostly regarding attendance) I have already reached a point where I think I need to drop a class to save my GPA. I haven't attended psych in about 2 weeks now, and I woke up this morning, looked on the syllabus, and I have a test today. Now, on my first test, I got a C, because I missed a day or two and didn't read to catch up. Now... I've done no reading for all 3 chapters the test is over and I've only attended about 2 classes since my last test.

Fortunatly, we get to drop 1 out of 3 test grades... which means if I miss this one and get my act together, I can maybe pull off a decent grade while keeping the C. Or, I can drop the class now and save myself the possibility of crippling my GPA in my first year.

The deadline to drop classes with a "W" is Oct. 24...

(I'm asking for advice or previous experience, sorta. I know I'm a tool, just so we've covered that.)

[StrayRogue]

I missed out alot of lectures in my first year of university. I'm now having to retake them to get my degree while my friends leave to get jobs. I was lazy, plain and simple, and my priorities were not where they should have been. Suck it up, grow up and get your finger out, as my Dad used to say to me. I'm not very up on the American way of doing things, it sounds overly complicated to me, but I'd go and see a teacher or personal advisor (if you have them over there).

[Wezas]

Originally posted by Tayre

::blah blah blah::

(I'm asking for advice or previous experience, sorta. I know I'm a tool, just so we've covered that.)

Damn, was just about to cover that.

-Dropped Calc..... twice.

[Camri]

I had the same problem a couple terms ago. I ran into some personal issues that prevented me from going to classes like I should.

Instead of cutting my losses, and dropping what was going to hurt me, I stuck it out.

I had a 4.0 CGPA before that happened. I'm still trying to get back there.

Drop it if you think it's going to hurt you. It's not worth it, if you can just retake it later.

[Miss X]

Hmm, I dont really get the american university system either, but I think the principal is basically the same. I did great in the first year of my degree cos it was easy, second year got tough and I got lazy and my results that year were bad, once I got to the final year I had to slap myself upside the head and force myself to study because I would have really regretted dropping out.
A few of my friends didnt finish their degree's and all of them wish they had. Just make yourself study cos the end result will be good.
Attendance wise, at the University I went to they were very strict about it, if you missed more than 2 seminars per term you automatically got a 3rd for that course. (A 3rd is probably the US equiv of a D I think. )
Vx

[Edited on 16-10-03 by Miss X]

[peam]

Drop it.

A W on a transcript looks a lot better than an F.

I'm getting ready to pull the same thing for my Calculus class. After some research, I found a major that interests me, but doesn't require Calculus. Now that's the American way of doing things.

[StrayRogue]

Originally posted by Miss X

A few of my friends didnt finish their degree's and all of them wish they had. Just make yourself study cos the end result will be good.


[Edited on 16-10-03 by Miss X]

I am glad I am still at uni ;)

[Miss X]

Originally posted by StrayRogue
I am glad I am still at uni ;)

Ok, your the exception!
I wish I was still there, taking a year out before my masters was the dumbest thing ever! :barf:
Vx

[Grandsome]

Originally posted by Tayre
So through some very bad choices (mostly regarding attendance) I have already reached a point where I think I need to drop a class to save my GPA.

This happened to me my very first semester at college. That was also my last semester. I was completely miserable at college, didn't like it one bit, so it was hard for me to convince myself to go. So, I just enlisted in the Marine Corps instead of going through hell for the next 4 years.

Mason

[Bestatte]

Is that course required in ordered for you to fulfill your degree requirements? If it is, you'll have to take it in place of an elective later on. If it isn't, who gives a crap.

I took all my required courses in my first two years to attain the equivalent of an associates. But I was in a bachelor's program, which is 4 years...so no associates degree.

I declared my major in my 3rd year, took all the required courses in the first 2 semesters (we had trimesters til the end of that year). My senior year of college consisted of Senior Seminar in my major, which was required, and ALL electives.

That's the best way to go. Get the down and dirty out of the way, and the rest is a nice easy sail through graduation.

But if you've already fucked up with a required course, ditch it now, and work your ass off to make up for it later.

[Edaarin]

I walked into finals with a 3.7 first semester, walked out with just over a 3.1. Finals suck. I'm just giving you fair warning now, start studying for them.

I have 5 hours until biology lab, which gives me enough time to start and finish my 9 page lab report. Someone shoot me. And then we get to work with human fecal samples to test for and isolate coliforms. Gross. Ugh. I think I'm going to vomit.

[imported_Kranar]

If you're going for a graduate degree, drop it right now.

If you just want a bachelor's degree, then honestly, it won't make one bit of a difference.

[Xcalibur]

Our education system is the most fucked up here.

6 years in "primaire"
5 years of "secondaire" (high school)
2-3 years (depending) in college
3 years in university (bac)
2 years in master
3 years in doctora

We lose a lot of people in school between the college and university root

For the dropping, i would simply tell you that if you think you can get good marks after, go for it, some people after dropping really lose their abilities/desire to continue

[imported_Kranar]

You sure it's 3 years for a doctorate?

It's 6 years here.

[Red Devil]

Originally posted by Tayre
So through some very bad choices (mostly regarding attendance) I have already reached a point where I think I need to drop a class to save my GPA. I haven't attended psych in about 2 weeks now, and I woke up this morning, looked on the syllabus, and I have a test today. Now, on my first test, I got a C, because I missed a day or two and didn't read to catch up. Now... I've done no reading for all 3 chapters the test is over and I've only attended about 2 classes since my last test.

Fortunatly, we get to drop 1 out of 3 test grades... which means if I miss this one and get my act together, I can maybe pull off a decent grade while keeping the C. Or, I can drop the class now and save myself the possibility of crippling my GPA in my first year.

The deadline to drop classes with a "W" is Oct. 24...

(I'm asking for advice or previous experience, sorta. I know I'm a tool, just so we've covered that.)

Hate to say it but, drop your class, hell, why do any classes at all since a gemstone III message board is more important? LOL. tool doesn't do you justice

[Adhara]

Kranar I'm not sure if there are time restrictions but the requirements in credits are as follows:

(also what Xcalibur meant by college is Cegep, a transitory school between high school and university, not the american-type of college)

Bachelor's: minimum 90 credits
Master's: minimum 45 credits
Doctorate's: minimum 90 credits

Of course there are exceptions like medicine but that's the regular degree requirement.

[Edited on 10-16-2003 by Adhara]

[peam]

Just curious, Tayre, but what are you majoring in?

If you're just finishing up general studies stuff, you could probably find a class more interesting than psychology.

I took sociology for my gen. studies stuff. I found it to be a lot more interesting, and realistic, than psychology.

I need to finish looking at major stuff tonight. I really want to do Elementary Education because I think I'd enjoy the work immensely, but teacher's pay is usually pretty cruddy, so I'm debating going into Finance, something I dig, but I'd still be a suit monkey.

[Sean]

i would drop the class .. if your schools like mine you replace your grade in a 100-200 level class and you average your grades in a 300+ level class so if you get a W and retake the class when your more prepared for it if its a low level class the W goes away or if you retake it in a higher level the W still goes away because you cant average a W... anyways just something to look into. When your out i dont know anyone who looks at your transcripts (atleast in my field) unless you want to goto grad school.

[Sean]

Originally posted by Adhara
Kranar I'm not sure if there are time restrictions but the requirements in credits are as follows:

(also what Xcalibur meant by college is Cegep, a transitory school between high school and university, not the american-type of college)

Bachelor's: minimum 90 credits
Master's: minimum 45 credits
Doctorate's: minimum 90 credits

Of course there are exceptions like medicine but that's the regular degree requirement.

[Edited on 10-16-2003 by Adhara]

architecture is another exception .. i have 90 credits going into my 4th year to graduate with a BArch i need 164 credits, its also a 5 year program where i attend

[imported_Kranar]

Grad school is the only time I know of when anyone looks at your transcripts, and no, drops are not favorable. I doubt anyone hiring is going to look too much into either your grade or what you dropped, but mainly that you put in the time and effort required to get whatever degree it is you got.

As for time restriction, the one we have here is that you must get your Ph.D within 10 years of starting grad school or within 3 years if you're going for a Master's.

[Xcalibur]

3 years bac
2 years master
3 years doctorat, sure that last step depends on your subject of studies.

Adhara, CEGEP (C.E.G.E.P.) means Collège d'Enseignement Général Et Professionnel (Not sure for the second E though) So a cegep is a college ;)


There's isn't many exception, I'm almost sure to be a doctor (medecine) you need 3 years (bac) and 2 years (master)

anyway, our education system sux

[HarmNone]

A lot would depend on whether the course work is easy for you or difficult for you. If it is difficult for you, you might want to drop it for now so you can get caught up on everything else. If it is easy, just buckle down and get the job done.

Either way, you are going to have to change your ways, hon. Your education is important. I cannot stress that enough. :)

HarmNone

[Drew2]

Yeah that's the thing... I'm one of those people that anything is easy for me if I try. I never have to study if I read the material, pay attention, and do the classwork. If I do all that, I don't forget anything so there's no point in studying. I don't have a photographic memory or anything, i just recall things easily during tests.

So basically, yes I believe if I actually got my act together, read through the chapters, starting attending class, and maybe went to an SI session or two, I could get caught up and then some. I guess the question really is do I have the motivation to succeed.

Thanks for all the advice (excluding Red Devil).

[Edited on 10-16-2003 by Tayre]

[Edaarin]

All nighters suck. My fault for pissing away my weekend. Comme on fait son lit, on se couche. Ugh. Watch me quote French Lit on my econ midterm and discuss the market failure and competitive strategy on my Lit composition....

[longshot]

Originally posted by Tayre
Yeah that's the thing... I'm one of those people that anything is easy for me if I try. I never have to study if I read the material, pay attention, and do the classwork. If I do all that, I don't forget anything so there's no point in studying. I don't have a photographic memory or anything, i just recall things easily during tests.

So basically, yes I believe if I actually got my act together, read through the chapters, starting attending class, and maybe went to an SI session or two, I could get caught up and then some. I guess the question really is do I have the motivation to succeed.

Thanks for all the advice (excluding Red Devil).

[Edited on 10-16-2003 by Tayre]

One of the big questions that hasn't been asked is if the final exam is cumulative or not.

The Psych class that I took sounds very similar to yours. There were 4 tests... three plus the final exam. You could drop one of the tests, but you could not drop the final. The final was NOT cumulative, so after my first two tests went well, I took three weeks off. I was not responsible for the information on the final.

If the final is cumulative, then I would drop. If it's not, you have time to get your act together. There's no doubt you're capable of doing well from here on out. If you were accountable for the things you've already missed, then it's best to cut your losses.

Is there extra credit available? We got some extra credit for participating in experiments. (I had a laser beam bounced off the inside of my eye-ball... I was NOT happy about it, but that's another story...)

Also, how many credits will this leave you with? Do you have scholarships and or loans that are dependent on your course load?

Are you paying for school? Taking a light load will push you towards five years, which can be quite expensive.

I would disagree that your GPA is trivial. It is extremely important for graduate schools, but that doesn't mean you should not care if you have no intention of going.

Take it seriously.

Tayre, a lot of really smart people fuck up in college. I've seen it many times. You have to learn to beat the system.

End good advice.

Other advice.

I quit gemstone in college.
It was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Grades aside, there's too much to do and see. This will all be here if you decide to come back to it.

There are a lot of people here who would kill for a chance to go back to school. Don't waste it in Icemule! This is not a knock on you... just some advice.

[i remember halloween]

Originally posted by StrayRogue
I missed out alot of lectures in my first year of university. I'm now having to retake them to get my degree while my friends leave to get jobs. I was lazy, plain and simple, and my priorities were not where they should have been. Suck it up, grow up and get your finger out, as my Dad used to say to me. I'm not very up on the American way of doing things, it sounds overly complicated to me, but I'd go and see a teacher or personal advisor (if you have them over there).


hahah on the 5 year plan?.. pathetic..

[StrayRogue]

5 year plan? Wtf is that you nerd?

Duration of the course here depends wholey on the degree, not how much cock you suck.

[i remember halloween]

thats a good thing for you otherwise you'd be in school forever.

[StrayRogue]

Only to rape you Mr. American Beauty.

[i remember halloween]

that's the best you can do?....