<p>I wrote a long, informative, well thought out argument for my poll above but this website decided to jip me of everything I spent 45 minutes typing and now I'm left with this. Nothing. Oh well, I'm used to being cheated. Anyways, to sum up what I spent 45 minutes describing, I have two choices; Drop out of University and get training in something specific or fail out of my college to show my parents that University isn't right for me. And by right for me I mean that I can't handle the course load of university. I'd guess more than 75% of the people on my campus are brighter than I am. I honestly don't belong anywhere near a college campus. And yet here I am on a college related website. /cry </p>
<p>Here's a condensed version:
-Stay in college: get mediocre grades/possibly fail, show parents that University isn't for me
-Drop out of college: Keep my decent G.P.A, get yelled at by my parents until I can move out, get training in something that makes decent cash.</p>
<p>Maybe you are in the wrong major. Go see an academic advisor and see. Another option would be to request a leave of absence from your current school. Go home and work a minimum wage job for a year…you might decide returning to college is a good option…and maybe not.</p>
<p>It sounds like you want to be vengeful. Really, if you fail “to show your parents” the only person you will be hurting is yourself.</p>
<p>I personally would suggest withdrawal if you can still do it, and if you are really in danger of failing. However, over the years, neither option will affect you as much as you think, if you can later demonstrate that you can do the work and this was some kind of blip or crisis of motivation and confidence.</p>
<p>Have you talked with an advisor or counselor at your school?</p>
<p>I am actually a firm believer in alternatives to (four year, residential) college. One of mine withdrew and has flourished. Community college two year programs, geared to specific careers, may be a godsend for you. </p>
<p>Your worth as a person is not measured in how well your current college fits you or you fit your college.</p>
<p>I hope your parents are supportive, and I hope that, if you need it (I cannot tell) you seek counseling or coaching to help you with this transition.</p>
<p>You can leave now with GPA intact? That means you are doing ok this term, but don’t want to go next term, because you "know " you will do poorly. I think you should take a personal leave of absence for the next term and give yourself some time ot contemplate what you want to do next. My neighbor’s daughter did this when she just so hated college. She found work at a catering company, and decided to go to a culinary institute instead of back to college, and she is doing just fine now at a job she loves. Others have gone back to school after taking a hiatus as they found out that the alternatives are not any better, and in fact, worse. So, YMMV, but you need some time to take a breath, find something else to do and consider the situation.</p>
<p>Lighten up. 12 credits is full time. Are you taking more? If you want flexibility - sign up for 6 classes (ie 18 credits), try out the classes dropping your least favorite after the first week or so. Later in the semester - if you are struggling and one particular class is dragging you down, drop it (even if it’s recorded WP/WF) You are now down to 12 credits and you are still full time status. Make sure you choose a major which has as many electives as possible. It will take longer to get through- add summers if needed, but you will keep your sanity.</p>
<p>I wonder if it’s possible for you to withdraw (keeping your decent GPA) and then apply for transfer to a less rigorous school. Go where you’ll thrive. If even that’s unbearable to think about, then go to community college for a year and figure out what you want to do.</p>
<p>If you drop TOO many courses, you could run the risk of NOT meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress…which would result in loss of your financial aid.</p>
<p>Honestly, you aren’t mature enough to be in college or in the work force if you think that failing your classes intentionally in order to “show your parents” something is a viable alternative. Why don’t you simply try having an adult conversation with them? Finish the semester and do your BEST. Get a tutor for help right now. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot, here. You might want to go back some day.</p>
<p>Then, if you still feel the same way, talk to them about it on the holidays when you are home. Simply tell them you have decided that you are going to take a break from college and work for a year and then re-evaluate your position. Or go to community college for a time. </p>
<p>I hope they didn’t put out a huge amount of money for you to go to college.</p>
<p>Have you discussed with a dean or someone in authority at your college? You need to trust that the “grown ups” at your school want you to succeed and are going to work to come up with a plan that allows you to do that.</p>
<p>Proving a point to your parents seems a little childish- this is YOUR life you’re messing with, not theirs.</p>
<p>I’m confused. If you have a decent GPA now, why do you think you don’t belong in college?</p>
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<p>If that were true, you wouldn’t be doing well now. There’s a difference between just being unmotivated and being unfit for college.</p>
<p>I agree with others that you will hurt no one but yourself by immature self-sabotage designed to hurt your parents. There is nothing wrong with not wanting to go to college at a particular time, but you don’t want to burn your bridges. You may want to return some day, if not to this school, then to another. And you’ll want those credits.</p>
<p>First, if you checked the record at any college, you’d quickly learn that there is no 1:1 correlation between IQ and college GPA…or in life for that matter. There was a Nobel Prize winner in the sciences, a professor at MIT, whose IQ was tested several times. His highest score was 115. </p>
<p>Second, even if there were a 1:1 correlation, do 25% of the students flunk out of this college? If not, why do you think you can’t finish if you want to?</p>
<p>It’s just plain stupid to intentionally mess up your GPA to “prove” something to your parents. If you want to quit college for some reason, then quit…but don’t pull a stupid stunt. You never know…10 years from now, you may change your mind and want to get a degree. </p>
<p>Moreover, does the “training” you want to do cost $? I’d be much more willing to help my own kid if (s)he had made a good faith effort. If (s)he just blew school off, I wouldn’t assume (s)he’d take the training seriously…and I’ll be darned if I would help financially.</p>
<p>College isn’t for everyone, but that’s no reason to self-sabotage.</p>
<p>Do your best and get out of there with a good enough gpa. Then, if you don’t want to continue, figure out what you DO want to do and take that to your parents, if you will still need their support and help.</p>
<p>But, don’t quit on yourself. You can gut out another month or so and when you get older you might find you want to finish up anyway. People change as they get older. I’ve known several people who didnt have the patience to sit still for college, but who later went back when they wanted to get into management, or whatnot.</p>
<p>Take the long view and finish as strongly as you can.</p>
<p>I’m not actually in danger of failing this semester. I’m doing decent but that is only because the classes I’m taking now are the lower level courses for my major and I’m trying 110%. It’s just that I know the coming years would be absolute mental torture for me especially getting into the more complex material. I honestly do not believe I can handle the intense academic workload and trying when I know I will do poorly will depress me more than if I didn’t try at all. </p>
<p>I have not talked to a counselor or academic advisor because I think that they cannot tell me anything that I don’t already know. But maybe I should schedule an appointment with them to get their point of view on this situation or, if anything, to find out about the withdrawal process. </p>
<p>I have told my parents before that I am probably suited towards a more non-academic type of work not requiring a bachelor’s degree. My mom, more so than my dad, just won’t have it. She wants the best for me but doesn’t understand the amount of stress and the amount of doubt in my ability as a productive member of society this university is causing me. I am not happy any longer in the classroom and the only way I can re-lift my spirits is if I’m out. </p>
<p>The fear factor is present within me but I have to find the courage to stand my ground, make firm choices and somehow appease my parents at the same time until I get my rooting into the ground of this society. Thanks for all your posts and I chose to reply to this one because I really liked your advice and encouragement; and I think it covered some of the confusion surrounding my question. I also appreciate all the others as well.</p>
<p>EDIT: I replied to compmom. In case it doesn’t show. Could’ve sworn I hit the “show in post” button.</p>
<p>Go speak with your advisor, and with the mental health counselors at your college/university. They have heard all of this many times before, and they will have useful ideas for you.</p>
<p>You probably need mental health counseling. If you are doing “decent”, what gpa is that? Your fear of the future - your future grades and struggles - may not be rational. You can graduate from college with a 2.0</p>