<p>I am a first year engineering student and I wanted to hear others advice on my situation. </p>
<p>So basically I slacked off this summer semester and I am doing horrible in two of my 7 classes, Physics I and Calculus II. I came into these classes thinking that I wouldn't have to study/practice much and just understand concepts to make a good grade (thats what I did last semester when I took chemistry I and calc I). I just feel like theres not enough time for all the material being covered (for a summer semester, plus I am taking a full 18 credit hour semester). I understand almost everything in Calc II but haven't been able to master the material enough to perform well on my tests. As for Physics I, the situation is basically where I thought I could teach myself from the book, and that hasn't been working. Well the semester is ending and I don't have very good test grades and the finals are coming up, I am thinking of retaking the courses in a much lighter loaded semester, but am skeptical about having to retake two first year courses when the course in the upcoming years will probably be much harder.</p>
<p>So what should I do stick out the engineering major or switch? Any advice on what to expect in the future if I do stay, and/or accounts where you've experienced a situation like mine?</p>
<p>18 credits is way too much for the summer. At the most you shouldn’t take more than 12. The summer should be s time to relax, get an internship or do research and take some class on the side.</p>
<p>Not only that but there’s only so much information you can handle/learn but also be able to process. Jeesh… I’m taking 3 and it’s pretty easy so I could probably handle another, but that would definitely be it. So really, it doesn’t mean anything if you can’t handle it as you’d probably dedicate almost all your time to studying to get real good grades.</p>
<p>Plus… how does 18 credit hours add up to 7 classes? And can you still withdraw…?</p>
<p>Well, you have to slap the person who tell you to take summer classes for 18 credits, and you are a freshman!</p>
<p>Summer is suppose to be liberal arts, or one or two courses in science / math, like calc 1, 2, 3.
I would never recommended anyone to take major science course over the summer, like physics 1 and 2. </p>
<p>You said you didn’t study. Well, learn your lesson. You probably still have one or two more exams I suppose. So start today, study it.</p>
<p>If you need someone to help you, go to physicsforums.com everyone who takes physics will go there for help :)</p>
<p>If you can withdraw one of your most terrible classes, do it. Even if it meant for an F, go ahead. It’s okay to have an F. Think about the logic. If you have 4 courses, let say. You don’t have time to study all four of them. Either you did bad in three of them, or do fine with two of them, 1 with F (if you can’t withdraw it), and 1 with a B- or C.</p>
<p>Yea I’ve taken 7 units in the summer and it was a good amount. I think summer is usually about half the length of a semester, so you usually don’t want to take more than 9. I would retake the classes while taking a regular course load if you don’t pass and see how you do before you think about changing majors.</p>
<p>The summer session time length varies from one school to another. Some school offer extended session (from june to end of july) for science and math courses. For liberal arts these schools may offer two short sessions, maybe just a month long. However I also have known a school offer short summer session for all courses, and people who take summer session just because they want to get easy A.</p>
<p>Most of them time you can only retake a course if they are F or W. Of course some schools are different…</p>
<p>The fact that summer should be no more than two classes is pretty true. </p>
<p>In our school science and math are in the extended session. So we have two months long. Some might think it’s short, but we have classes from MON - Thursday. Each is about 2 hours long.
The fact that summer seems shorter in our school is not true. The total hours in summer session is about the same for fall / spring. I think our summer session is really good, because you have the rest of the day to work on your school work, whereas in the fall / spring you have other classes to worry about.</p>
<p>This is why summer should be about 2-3 classes max, especially when you add a science / math course.</p>
<p>I only took so many credits because I had to do it for a scholarship requirement, but yea 7 classes, three of them are 1 credit classes, Can’t withdraw otherwise I won’t get the credits…</p>
<p>In my opinion, you reasoning is terribly stupid. No other way to say it. You’re going to take a chance at failing classes or even get C’s just to get a scholarship? What’s more important, getting good grades or getting a scholarship? What kind of scholarship lets you get crappy grades anyway??</p>
<p>I take some classes in the summer out of interest, but it looks like your trying to shorten your degree by taking half your classes in the summer. </p>
<p>Needless to say, I have no advice other than do not do this again.</p>
<p>I’m taking 18 credits this summer, and am fine. Though in my case only 9 credits of it are Math/Science. Not for everyone though I guess. I haven’t met anyone else taking this many, and I had about 15 people tell me that 18 credits in the summer was too much. In my case, I had 37 credits I wanted to take at this institution, and could split it up as 12, 12, and 13 credits, or 19 and 18 credits. I choose the latter.</p>
<p>So, to actually give some advice rather than just brag about myself, I’d definitely say that you really don’t need to rush through. Now, if you had to take 18 credits to get whatever scholarship, then you had to do what you had to do.</p>
<p>Now, the question here, are you actually failing (as in you will not get credit, whether that be below a C, C-, or D-) any of your classes? If not I would recommend just sticking it through, dealing with whatever C you get, and taking this as a lesson learned. If you are failing any of them, I would recommend dropping one rather than trying to make it up in all of your classes. I would recommend buckling down now though, and doing the best you can. Time to put the pressure on. If you get a C, you get a C, but do what you can to do better.</p>