Normally I’m an A student, and the lowest I’ve ever made is a B is a math and and my intro to Chem class. I understand it is ok to get a c or a b in a hard class and I’m fine with that but this is the first class where I’m actaully worrying if I will pass or not. The class is Chem I, I don’t have a very strong chem background. I’m trying to do everything I should reading the book, working practice problems l, and I’ve went to a tutoring session but after reading the latest chapter in my book I am overwhelmed. Some stuff I’ve never even heard of before and it looks really hard. I get frustrated in lecture becuse my professor just clicks through slides instead of explaining them, not to mention his lectures consist of about 180 sildes. When I went to my tutoring session I wasn’t that impressed, the girl helping me couldn’t figure out some of the practice problems I had and if she coulld she didn’t explain them very well. Today I went to the lab for the class and got even more overwhelmed, it’s a lot busier than bio lab and the TAs explain nothing to you and the grading is a lot stricter. I swear I’ve never had more thoughts about dropping a class than I have now.
Do you complete the readings before the class? That is what you should be doing. Make sure to work your way through the readings before a topic is to be discussed in class.
Does your school have any other academic assistance available? You might be able to get some help there for chemistry tutoring.
Spend more time studying and preparing for the class.
If that doesn’t work then try getting a tutor.
You are probably competing with a lot of pre-med students who already took AP Chem. I am sympathetic, that class ate my lunch in freshman year of college for the same reasons. Can you afford a paid tutor? That is what I would suggest. Do the TAs have office hours? Use them.
My son aced Chem 1 but worked extensively on tutoring and SI sessions (supplemental instruction). It’s one of those classes that you have to get a game plan early and execute the plan well. He had very little chemistry background prior to this first class at university (he’s a dual enrolled high school student) but he does love chem (surprisingly). The professor makes a difference too. Meanwhile he ended up with a low “B” in the lab - difficult TA and lab professor who didn’t really mesh well. Sometimes it’s just luck of the draw.
How are your other classes and activities? Try to look at your schedule and see if there is something you can move off your plate.
I completed all summer readings before the class and was feeling confident this week. As for me, it’s all about your attitude. If you have some bad feelings about how this semester will be going, have a lack of belief in yourself, it’s not a surprise that you have troubles.
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Go to Professor’s office hours early in the semester. Ask this question: “I know this is a really difficult class-- what are some of the common mistakes students make and how can I avoid them?”
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If you have problems with the homework, go to Prof’s office hours. If they have any “help sessions” or “study sessions” or “recitations” or any thing extra, go to them.
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Form a study group with other kids in your dorm/class.
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Don’t do the minimum…for STEM classes do extra problems. You can buy books that just have problems for calculus or physics or whatever. Watch videos on line about the topic you are studying.
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Read the chapter before the lecture.
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If things still are not going well, get a tutor.
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Read this book: How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less by Cal Newport. It helps you with things like time management and how to figure out what to write about for a paper, etc.