<p>It is not uncommon to attend the lectures, listen to what is said and feel you understand the concepts, then be unable to make the leap to applying the new information via the problems on the test.</p>
<p>Colleges will involve less step by step hand holding than high school, it becomes a challenge to determine if you truly understand the material and then to figure out how to make that leap to understanding and applying it.</p>
<p>Attending the lectures is great but it is only step one. College is not High School. The general rule of thumb is two hours of studying for every lecture hour. And that is solid study - not having the TV on or checking Facebook every few minutes. How much did you actually study?</p>
<p>Figuring out what the problems were is a big part of the remediation process.</p>
<p>I often suggest that college students take a college course at their state university before actually starting college to get a feel for what a course is actually like. This can ease some anxiety and give them a head start on what to expect when they do the real thing.</p>
<p>There are regular threads here at the end of the semester on this topic though usually it’s initiated by a parent with a student that is on probation after the first semester.</p>
<p>I found a statement from Marquette University on being required to withdraw for academic reasons, located here: [url=<a href=“Marquette Central // Marquette University”>Marquette Central // Marquette University]policy_UGacademiccensure[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Is this the right Marquette, collegeflunkie? If so, scroll down a bit on the page, to the part where it explains how to appeal the requirement to withdraw. You can continue on academic probation, with a plant to raise your grades to meet the requirements for good standing.</p>
<p>I suggest that you look into it. You needed a 1.500 for your first semester to avoid this problem. So, although you did not meet that requirement, I think most colleges do understand that the adjustment to college can be rough.</p>
<p>It seems to me that your schedule was fairly heavy on science/math. Those can be demanding courses at college level, especially if your high school was not challenging in science/math. You might want to ease up on the number of science/math credits, and add in a few courses where you can do well. An academic advisor should be able to help you with this. Some universities also offer courses for credit that have titles like “Studying in College,” or something similar, to help struggling freshmen.</p>
<p>If you can arrange to stay, but on probation, then you can tell your parents that you are on academic probation, but you understand the difference between high school and college now, and you will work hard to hang in there.</p>
<p>I suggest that you see an academic advisor right away to ask about staying.</p>
<p>PS: If it’s the same Marquette, the Jesuits run no-fooling universities. They are demanding.</p>
<p>When advising a student who had flunked out whether to try again, I would want to know what his “scholastic aptitude” was. What did he get on the SAT or ACT? What grades did he get in high school, and in what kinds of courses? The SAT benchmarks for college readiness are described at [College</a> Board - Measuring College and Career Readiness](<a href=“K-12 Educators: Preparing Students for the SAT – SAT Suite”>http://satbenchmark.collegeboard.org/) .</p>
<p>
One of my colleagues was just saying last week that freshmen especially are prone to believing that the teacher should be able to just “open their heads and pour it in”. Certainly not possible with Physics (what I teach), but I’m sure some of my students have given me stupefyingly bad reviews this semester because I failed to adequately instruct them in a manner that would allow them to learn the material without actually doing any of it. </p>
<p>I would liken this attitude to expecting to learn how to play the piano just from watching the teacher do it, or how to shoot free throws just from watching Michael Jordan. You are far from alone in your expectation that attending lectures should have been enough, and you are not alone in learning the tough lesson that your teachers are not miracle workers. The test now is what you do with what you have learned - it’s a setback, but you can pick yourself up and move on, older and wiser.</p>
<p>Hey collegeflunkie</p>
<p>Really empathise with you and your situation.</p>
<p>First thing you need to do is tell your parents. Their first reaction will be of anger, which is expected and justified. So allow them that and empathise with it. And I can tell you as a parent, that reaction will be followed by that of being “protective” and “damage control”. Trust me I am a parent. Let them know how disappointed you are with yourself and need help and guidance ASAP.</p>
<p>And at the same time walk into your advising office and meet with an advisor and better still Dean of advising and ask for help and solution on what and how you can be put on academic probation. Let them know you are sincere and willing to do whatever it takes to get another chance.</p>
<p>What is done is done. Going forward figure out how to fix it. There is nothing in this world that cannot be fixed. Sure there will be heartache, disappointment and hurt but you will get through it. The fact you are asking for suggestions and worry about how to tell your parents shows you care about the situation as well your parents. And I am sure they care about you too. </p>
<p>Once again tough times make you stronger. Best wishes and Hugs to you. You will be fine.</p>
<p>How to tell them? Here’s how my husband and I found out. Son had written an angsty “Christmas list” that included the phrase “a second chance.” We found it in his pants pocket while doing laundry, asked what that meant, and the story poured out. You could leave copy of your grades “carelessly” lying around and wait for fireworks. Or you could take a deep breath and approach the calmer of your parents at a time when he/she isn’t stressed about something else. After my son’s freshman year in college I told myself, “he’s not dead or in prison, so everything is okay.” You didn’t die and you aren’t facing criminal charges. Your parents may explode. You will need to give them time to grieve. Then you’ll allfigure out together what to do next.</p>
<p>See if you can’t get academic probation rather than a dismissal. This is part of Marquette’s policy. You don’t need to talk to a Dean–your academic adviser should be able to handle this for you.</p>
<p>Next semester, take a balanced course load with some easier classes. Take advantage of all of the resources Marquette has for academic help–go to office hours and ask questions; if there are teaching assistants, go to their office hours; if there is a “help” center, go to it and ask questions. Don’t be satisfied until you understand how to solve the problems. If some of the assigned problems come from a text, look at the other problems close to the assigned ones. Try them. If you have any doubts about the answers, see the prof or a teaching assistant and ask for help. At university level, there is nothing wrong at all with seeking extra assistance with the course work.</p>
<p>Definitely begin whatever appeals process is available to you, THEN call your parents, or tell them in person. When they see that you are upset and taking responsibility for your bad grades, they will be a little more sympathetic. And they might be able to relate.</p>
<p>I bombed my first semester in college because I was a procrastinator with terrible study habits. When I opened that grade report and saw a BC and a CD, I was shocked. I had never made anything below a B in my life. I called my parents in tears and my mother told me that she had made her first C in college, and that my dad had actually been kicked out of Tulane for his partying ways after a semester and had to transfer to a cheaper, less prestigious school.</p>
<p>The key is to change your ways because whatever you were doing didn’t work. Join a study group. Do the reading and problem sets the day they are assigned and ask for help on anything you don’t get before anything is due.</p>
<p>I, too, flunked out of my first semester of college. Twenty years ago. I know it’s a major deal right now but try to keep it in perspective. Someday, sooner than you think, it will just be part of your past and you’ll be on a good path. </p>
<p>Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>If one of my kids was going to break this kind of news to me, here is what I’d want to hear:</p>
<p>“Mom, Dad – I have some really, really bad news. I am so disappointed in myself that it’s been hard to think of a way to tell you how badly I’ve messed up. Now I really need your advice.”</p>
<p>I would start like that. If they’re human, they’ve also messed up pretty badly at some point in their own lives. </p>
<p>In the grand scale of things, this is a setback for you, but it’s not the end of your life, and it’s not a closed door to your future. I recently attended an academic conference in Vancouver and went out to dinner with several professors in my field. Over dessert, people started sharing stories about their academic careers, and it turned out that two professors at my table had flunked out of college early on. Take heart. Pick yourself up, and move forward, one step at a time.</p>
<p>My S2 did worse than you,collegeflunkie. He made a .80 his first sem. at a state u.
He was put on academic probation for Spring semester. His state u. allowed freshman to retake up to three classes in which they made a D or F. After the retakes, the new better grades took the place of the old bad grades. The F’s stayed on his transcript but only the new better grades on the retakes averaged into his gpa. See if Marquette has a grade replacement policy. Call you advisor now. Don’t wait until the holidays are over.</p>
<p>S2 took three replacement grade classes that boosted his gpa and got him off academic probation. He got his act together after that and graduated on time (in four years).</p>
<p>Yes,his Dad and I were disappointed in his first semester but agreed to give him a second chance. Just tell your parents straight out. Don’t try to blame it on the school. Talk about where you went off track and how you think you could do better if given another chance. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>Even though this was a long time ago, I also had a very unacceptable fall term freshman year. I got three D’s and failed the pass/fail freshman writing course.</p>
<p>I realized, I didnt have the study skills necessary to be successful. I returned with a plan in place for help in each class, including asking the professors who were more than happy to meet with me many times during the semester or recommend osmeone who would. I did little else but study that semester and pulled out all A’s and continued that through graduation. </p>
<p>I had to figure out what worked for me. </p>
<p>My suggestion is to develop a plan for yourself and stick to it. Contact the professors teaching your classes next semester and ask if they have a former student who would be willing to help you out during the semester.</p>
<p>Make sure you have support in each class and then contact the dean of students or whoever would need to know and present your plan and dedication to making some positive changes.</p>
<p>You can do this, but it is going to take some hard work.</p>
<p>Years ago, when I was in school, my then BF, received notification he was being suspended for academic reasons. His cumulative GPA at the time was < 2.0 (and he was either a sophomore or junior at the time). He was a computer science major, but STRUGGLED with ALL his STEM courses. He failed physics 3 times, each time hoping that he would get a passing grade that would replace the F on his transcript. He struggled with the programming coures, as well. The classes he excelled in were his literature and writing courses.</p>
<p>When he got the notification, he appealed immediately and wrote in his appeal that he was in a major that was difficult for him and that if allowed to continue he was planning on changing his major to English and could show the success he’d had in those courses.</p>
<p>His appeal was accepted and he was not required to sit out any semesters. He changed his major to English and graduated in 4 1/2 years. </p>
<p>And today… he works in IT, even without the CS degree.</p>
<p>Some great stories here! </p>
<p>Good luck to the OP. Onward and upward!</p>
<p>Waste no time. Figure out your options, and don’t be surprised if your parents don’t want to invest any more in your education (at least for now).</p>
<p>Don’t procrastinate telling your parents. The longer your hide the info, the tougher it will be.</p>
<p>OP you have some excellent advice here. I would definately contact your advisor right away. Then while waiting for a response just tell your parents outright. They will be angry but the sooner you tell them the better.
If you can go back make sure to attend tutoring, visit teachers during office hours, form study groups and read, read read your books, notes and do lots of practice problems in math etc. Stay on top of assigned reading and homework assignments. Just attending lectures will not be enough (as you found out) Also check into any resources the university might provide for study help.</p>
<p>I hope you can work out academic probation. And don’t beat yourself up to badly many people have been or are in the same situation as you. You can still have a successful college career.</p>
<p>It’s not uncommon for kids to flunk their first semester in college. Honestly, our academic system does not prepare us for college. It’s a big shock to lots of students who are used to memorizing for tests to go to college and suddenly be required to think. My advice? Start off at a smaller college, something that still has the college feel but is easier.</p>