<p>I'm a freshman in my second semester, my major is Electrical Engineering. I'm near failing my math and science/physics classes. I was top of my class in high school, I always loved math and was rather good at it, but that's changed now. I'm honestly doing my best, working hard, putting the time in, but I'm guess I'm just not getting the material. I got a 64 on my Calc II midterm, mostly due to stupid mistakes. I'm not really interested in any major other than engineering, but I guess I'm too stupid for that. Since my grades are so bad they're probably going to take away my scholarship. Should I just save myself the effort and leave now? I don't want to get C's and D's on all my important courses for 4 years and then look like a joke when I go to apply for a job after graduation. I just need some advice right now, so if you have the time I'd appreciate it. </p>
<p>First of all, you sound like a good student in a nerve-wracking situation. It could be as simple as switching your major a bit…still with math & technology but perhaps away from electriclal engineering (I have a sympathy for you because my husband - a very smart guy - almost flunked out of Carneige Mellon before realizing that metallurgical engineering was not the right direction for him). Do you have a guidance counselor of sorts that you could sit down and discuss this with? Colleges want to keep all of their students so it’s in their best interest to help you.</p>
<p>bottom line - you sound like a smart guy. </p>
<p>Please don’t “assume” anything. Every college has resources to help. You are not the first smart person to struggle, and they have helped many others like you. Ask for help. It is humbling, yes, to admit you need help. But to quit without ever asking for help, that doesn’t sound smart to me.</p>
<p>I go to the learning center, ask friends for help, I’ve seen my advisor. I’ve asked for help a million times, most of the time everyone is to busy to help me anyway, even when they’re not it clearly hasn’t done much. </p>
<p>My son, also a smart guy, started college as an accounting major. He struggled during the first three semesters, taking the 10 lower level business classes needed to continue into the major, Calc 1, ECON, ACCT 1, and I don’t remember the others. He felt bad about doing so poorly, and was really down on himself, like you. He did not have the GPA needed to get into the business school after 3 semesters. So rather than try another semester to continue with accounting, he realized he really didn’t like accounting, and switched his major to CS. He continued to work hard, did better, and he kinda realized that he was really not suited for accounting, which was probably why he was not doing well at it. Not about being smart or dumb, just was not for him. So, he worked hard, graduated with a BS degree in CS, raised his GPA to a 3.0 had two job offers and is working and happy now.
What is it about EE that you like? Because he picked accounting not because he liked it, but because it pays well, and did not really consider what accounting really entailed, and if he really wanted to do it.</p>
<p>If you want to stay with EE then see if your school offers tutoring in the math and physics. You are taking really hard classes as a freshman, don’t be so down on yourself.</p>
<p>And maybe look at the other majors that might interest you. You are in your second semester, anything is possible!</p>