Current Harvard Student Asking for Advice from Older Harvard Students

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
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<p>Hello,</p>

<p>This is not related to admissions at all, but I desperately need some counseling and consolation just to get all my beans in a row. I'm a freshman at Harvard. I just completed my first term, and I've been on this board before under a different username, but I wanted this to be anonymous.</p>

<p>This semester, my grades were looking REALLY good. I got a "Satisfactory" in my seminar and two "A's" in upper-level departmental classes.</p>

<p>But then my last grade came in a couple of days ago, and it's kept me up at night: a C+. I didn't even know they gave out grades that low here. I discovered a bombed my final and my last project for this class, and I feel devastated. </p>

<p>The class was considered notoriously tough, was out of my league, and not something I should've taken this soon at Harvard, but none of my advisers knew enough about the course or discipline to make any recommendations at the start of the year, and everything felt fine at the add/drop deadline, before testing began and my problems began.</p>

<p>My dilemma is that now, I have an otherwise stellar academic record (albeit only one semester long) blackmarked by a C+ that will be dragging down my entire academic record for the next four years. What makes it hurt so bad is that I KNOW I'm a smart student and that if I had had ANY other class there, I could've gotten an A as well. I'd be on track for academic prizes this year and honors and the sorts. I feel like I've gone from being able to step side-by-side with the top of my class to being stuck in a rut that I will forever be clawing out of.</p>

<p>What do I do about this grade? Is it something I just have to accept? Or can a grade like this be changed by ad-board approval to a pass/fail? (Or is it ludicrous to ask the ad-board to do that?) On one hand, the grade is certainly my mistake. I didn't slack on studying. I put in the time, oftentimes 3 times as long on the problem sets as my colleagues. But once we got deep into the semester and I realized the sheer preparation the other students in the class had, there was NOTHING I could do to overcome this except put in my time and hope for the best. And even when I put in time on things like projects, grades came back miserable. So yes, on one hand, the grade is certainly my mistake, but on the other hand, I am a first semester freshman who did not have the knowledge available at the add-drop date to know this course was a bad idea, who did not have the advising available to provide that information, and who had not spent enough time to undertstand the difficulty of the class.</p>

<p>At the add-drop deadline, everything seemed on track to a B+/A-, and I had NO way of knowing any better what was coming down the road. I'm not a slacker student. I got two A's in other tough courses. I didn't screw up this course because I got lazy. I screwed this course up because I got bad information, and now, I'm forever bonded to my grade for it.</p>

<p>How can I fix this? What are my options?</p>

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<p>At this point, you only have 2 options: (1) Suck it up and accept the grade, or (2) follow these instructions: [Grades</a> and Honors Handbook for Students 2013-2014](<a href=“http://handbook.fas.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k95151&tabgroupid=icb.tabgroup162919]Grades”>http://handbook.fas.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k95151&tabgroupid=icb.tabgroup162919)</p>

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<p>Kid, a C+ isn’t punishment, and it’s not going to ruin your life. You should be proud of yourself for accepting a big challenge and doing your best at it, even when you realized that your best wasn’t going to be very good. You should learn not to be quite so cocky about your ability to jump over steps in a progressive discipline, and that just being very smart and a Harvard student does not mean that you know everything you need to know.</p>

<p>My guess is that there are tons and tons of really successful people who got Cs at Harvard, and not just once. I had a really smart friend in college who got several Cs her first semester. It made her change her idea of what she should do, but it didn’t keep her from getting a scholarship to Oxford when she graduated, or going to Stanford Law School, or becoming a fairly prominent public intellectual. My first semester in law school, I got a C+ in a course I thought I had done really well in; it didn’t keep me from graduating near the top of my class and getting to do some very cool things that top law students have a shot at.</p>

<p>So . . . learn from your experience (and don’t call it a mistake). Your goal in life should be to learn things, to become more effective and more competent, not simply to rack up high marks. Out in the real world, if you don’t get a C+ once in a while, it means you have stopped pushing yourself and growing.</p>

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<p>It happens. Move on. I have a single “C” on my transcript. It never made a difference. Given that it happened to you as a freshamn, it’s even less important.</p>

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<p>One C will not kill you. Suck it up. It builds character.</p>

<p>I got a C in my first semester at Harvard 20-ish years ago. I balled my eyes out. Thought about transferring out because I thought I was not good enough. In hindsight, it was a silly over-reaction. Your worth is not tied to grades. I had a friend who actually got 2 Ds and was asked to leave for a year… she came back, switched to a major she enjoyed, ended up with honors. I had another friend get a D in a science class… still got accepted to Caltech for grad school.</p>

<p>One or even 2 bad grades will not derail you, unless you allow them to.</p>

<p>If you need to… cry it out… LOL… it helps. And then move on.<br>
You have only 7 more semesters, so take advantage of them and don’t worry about it. In 20 years, you won’t even remember that one C grade. But you will miss all the great people you met along the way.</p>

<p>On a more serious note… A C may indicate a weakness in your preparedness in a particular area… in my case, it was in a writing intensive class, and it revealed to me that my HS preparation in writing was weak. I got some help with my writing early on, which helped me with all my future classes. It happens.</p>

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<p>I certainly sympathize with this, but unfortunately there’s just nothing you can do. A lot of people get screwed up for things like PBK, John Harvard awards, and the Rhodes/Marshall because of things like this. You can take comfort in the fact that it happens to a lot of first rate students who come from non-speciality backgrounds in any case. Depending on what you want to do it probably won’t matter in the long run though. Still, a bitter pill to swallow.</p>

<p>My recommendation is to try to get above the gpa race. If your aim is academia, maybe through publishing, conferences, and grad seminars.</p>

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<p>Thanks everyone.</p>

<p>@Gibby</p>

<p>I don’t think I’ll try and ask for a grade change. I have no doubt that I got what I deserved for the quality of work that I put in.</p>

<p>@JHS</p>

<p>Yeah, I jumped in water too far above my head. Or, rather, onto a sinking submarine. “Out in the real world, if you don’t get a C+ once in a while, it means you have stopped pushing yourself and growing.” This is true; I appreciate this maxim.</p>

<p>@Kenneth1960</p>

<p>Yeah, it just seems so terrifying in the blunt trauma of the moment. But that makes sense.</p>

<p>@harvard<em>and</em>berkeley</p>

<p>I think the C in this case was jumping into a class in which I just didn’t match up to the prerequisite experience held by other students. I will say it was a technical class, as opposed to writing. I think it just was a few steps too far up on the food chain for me. Thanks for the thoughts; I’m glad to gear of your personal experience.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone.</p>

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<p>@freefall770</p>

<p>Sorry, just saw your reply. Those were really my biggest concerns in the C+… Rhodes, PBK, John Harvard awards. I feel like I’ll be spending a lot of time doing catch-up for those… But I suppose there’s nothing that can really be changed about the grade at this point, then? Anyways, thanks.</p>

<p>EDIT: That’s what I should’ve made my username: freefall. That’s what it feels like, haha.</p>

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<p>Ok… my sympathy is dropping… LOL</p>

<p>Seriously PBK is a useless honor that no one cares about out in the real world.
Rhodes Scholarships? Really? I remember going to undergrad with people
who were obsessed with Rhodes Scholarships… they were insufferable.
(Not to mention that Cecil Rhodes was an evil, racist, colonialist ■■■■■■■… LOL)</p>

<p>Sorry, a C is apparently a good and necessary dose of humility.</p>

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<p>I am sorry about the grade. If you do Harvard right, I think, I will say that you should learn that much though some of our best, brightest, and most ambitious go for and get PBK and Rhodes, many others also don’t try. (Or they try and get rejected, which also happens.) There are many paths to success out of Harvard, and the Rhodes scholarship is not always the most interesting. So feel free to shoot for those, there’s nothing wrong with them, but neither is there something all that much more right with them just because the Rhodes is a fancy honor.</p>

<p>I am sympathetic to anxiety about grades; I think people who say you should just “learn for the sake of learning” are almost always privileged (whether by age or status) not to know how much grades matter these days. If it were me, though, as an employer, I think I would rather take a student with a couple low grades in freshman year than a student with straight As. As others have said, it showed you tried something new, and I very much hope this grade does not keep you from having that attitude in the future. Perhaps not quite to this degree–trying not to take any more classes you won’t break a B in is only wise–but you keep saying that taking this class was a “mistake.” The class was a risk, and I hope in the future you do not view it as a mistake. It was a gamble that you lost on the transcript side, but taking risks is one of the key ingredients in personal growth, and I hope you keep at it.</p>

<p>All best,
E</p>

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<p>@harvard<em>and</em>berkeley</p>

<p>Okay, so maybe I’m just totally naive about these things. Maybe they aren’t things to worry about. It’s just hard in the thick of the moment NOT to think about them, and it’ll be hard to escape from regrets down the line… “What if I had taken a different course…” Sorry if bringing up these honors sounds makes me sound conflated and pathetic.</p>

<p>@exultationsy</p>

<p>Thanks. Your advice is always very wise and sound. I just feel troubled because the risk turned out to be a lot more regretful than I anticipated. At the end of the class, I was prepared for a B or maybe even a B-, but the C+ came and it caught me off guard. I’m looking for the silver lining though. Thank you.</p>

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<p>Maybe this will make you feel better: [9</a> Presidential Candidates Who Weren’t Great Students | Mental Floss](<a href=“http://mentalfloss.com/article/28826/9-presidential-candidates-who-werent-great-students]9”>9 Presidential Candidates Who Weren't Great Students | Mental Floss)</p>

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<p>I think you need to calm down. I’m not trying to be condescending, as I remember being a nervous freshman who was obsessive about grades too - as if it were yesterday! But you really need to take your mind off of this. Honestly, I don’t think you have any options. A grade appeal will likely be unsuccessful, and you can’t switch to pass/fail after the fact. (Would that really be fair?) </p>

<p>You’re way too young to be thinking about Rhodes, PBK, etc. Rhodes/Gates/etc fellowships are a HUGE longshot for anyone, even those who have a perfect GPA; you shouldn’t be upset about your GPA in light of those awards, as it’s extremely unlikely that you’d get them anyway. PBK is a little different, as it is strictly a GPA thing, but honestly: no one cares about PBK. It won’t help you in life. Don’t worry about it. </p>

<p>One C+ is not going to kill you. It’s more than possible to compensate. One low grade won’t end up affecting your GPA that much in the end. You should be proud that you took a challenging course and (hopefully) learned a lot. In many ways, that’s a more valuable experience than an easy A course. I would recommend not jumping into courses for which you aren’t properly prepared in the future, though. Was this a case where you were missing prerequisites? If so, try to avoid that in future. If not, then I don’t see a problem with what you did, and I commend your bravery and ambition in challenging yourself! </p>

<p>Believe me: in three years, you’ll hardly remember this. And as a senior I can honestly say: if I had spent less of my Harvard career worrying about my GPA and things like PBK, Rhodes, etc, I would have had a much better experience. </p>

<p>Grades are certainly important, but one C+ doesn’t detract from the fact that you’re obviously a strong and dedicated student. If you keep working hard, this anomaly will be barely noticeable, and your intelligence and dedication will be apparent, both through your transcript and through the many other accomplishments that you will certainly achieve during your time here. </p>

<p>I know this is a difficult experience, but take my word for it: this won’t be a big deal in the end. (: Feel free to PM if you want to talk more about anything. Take care!</p>

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<p>What course was this? It wasn’t CS50 right. If it’s a large lecture styled course you should start accepting it</p>

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<p>^^ My guess is Math 55!</p>

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<p>@gibby</p>

<p>Haha, thanks. I guess there’s still hope. </p>

<p>@Elanorci</p>

<p>Thanks for the comfort–it helps a lot. I’ve had a few days to regain my composure, so I’m starting to settle into it. I wasn’t really missing prerequisites. Multivariable calculus was a prerequisite, which was something I had learned at a local college back home, whereas many of my classmates had a lot more mathematical practice with multivariable, whether from taking it at Harvard or having had multiple years of it. So I had technically met the prerequisites, and this was evident in problem sets where I could take the time I needed to. But in tests, which were graded on a curve, it showed when I couldn’t get through much at all compared to my peers, who were just a lot more well-practiced.</p>

<p>@earlyaxnhope and gibby</p>

<p>Not Math 55–I wouldn’t have the guts. And not CS50. I’ll just say it’s on this list. [The</a> Hardest Courses at Harvard | Flyby](<a href=“http://www.thecrimson.com/series/bargain-hunting-fall-2010/article/2010/9/2/course-math-social-class/#]The”>http://www.thecrimson.com/series/bargain-hunting-fall-2010/article/2010/9/2/course-math-social-class/#). It’s like the first sentence of the article was speaking right to me.</p>

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<p>Wanting to win these awards and feeling bad if you are out of the running is just an offshoot of some very good qualities, namely wanting to experience the “ultimate”. The Rhodes seems to be getting some smarter people lately, but generally the people who win them are not the top of the top. In my view, they tend not to be deep thinkers, the people that others would point to in class as the ones with the prescient insights. They are people with near-perfect GPAs who are very active with ECs, who are athletes, and who have political interests. You are probably better off that you don’t have to think about the Rhodes.</p>

<p>As for PBK, there has got to be quite of people who get this honor at Harvard, but it’s not worth taking easy classes for this. Ideally, you want to keep your GPA in the 3.6 or higher range to maximize post-grad opportunities. If you want to go to law school, then you’ve got to be a bit more careful because its hard to work as a lawyer if you’re not from a top 5 law school or if you don’t have connections. But otherwise, assuming you can get a pretty good GPA, you are better off challenging yourself and discovering your interests than trying to attain the appearance of perfection.</p>

<p>I might inquire as to how close you were to the grade cut-off, but I absolutely wouldn’t bring it to a board to overturn it. That wouldn’t work anyway.</p>

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<p>Well if he can score A’s in upper division classes his freshman year, then he probably is a top student, and will probably continue to get near perfect semester grades in advanced classes. It just doesn’t matter how good you are if you get into a class thats too far above your background. Trying to take those kinds of classes isn’t challenging yourself anyway though, its setting yourself up for suboptimal learning. </p>

<p>Just in general, its a good idea to ask a professor the first day of class what background he thinks is necessary to “get the most” out of the course. Also, I think its a good idea in general to avoid courses that have a school wide reputation for being hard, like the ones on that list. A lot of them will be hard for the wrong reasons. Better to take solid challenging departmental options. </p>

<p>Also, if you want to stay competitive for top phd programs you should probably aim for 3.8 to 3.9. For top law schools, I’ve heard the OCS say 3.7 and up. 3.6 is a good number for most career paths though.</p>

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<p>^GPA requirements for PhD programs depend on the field. For lab-based sciences, a 2nd author paper and a 3.5 or above GPA in your field probably means you get into most of the top PhD programs in the top 5. For theoretical physics and/or math, the expectations are higher. I don’t know about humanities PhD.</p>

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<p>Here, a friend of mine posted this a couple days ago and I think it might be reassuring for you to read this. I’m sure I read something like it freshman year, but not this one, and I do like this one.</p>

<p>[What</a> Are You Going to Do With That? - The Chronicle Review - The Chronicle of Higher Education](<a href=“What Are You Going to Do With That?”>What Are You Going to Do With That?)</p>

<p>Nothing wrong with the “usual tracks” it outlines - I am 90% sure I will follow one of them because it is what, I think, I really do want to do with the rest of my life. But I’m also hoping to spend next year volunteering/in a time-limited job (research assistant?) so I have time to mull over those 10% doubts.</p>