I’m currently a junior at a decent engineering school taking 15 credits.
My concern is that I’m already not doing well, to the point where I can’t follow my professors, can’t even figure out where to start the home works, and have no idea about anything academic in any of my classes. I’m to the point mentally where I can’t even look at a textbook long enough to learn anything. At this point I’m basically incapable of learning. Most of this I realized over the past two days, and my parents know about it, and found out that if I drop out by the third week I get half my tuition back, but after that it goes down to 25% for a week, after which it’s zero.
My question is: should I drop out for this semester? I would intend it to be temporary, but I don’t have any way to guarantee that, and it would probably have to be a snap call on my part. Are there any other, better options?
What do your parents think you should do? Have you been evaluated for a health concern? Seems like withdrawing and figuring out what is wrong and what you really want to be doing would be a good idea right now rather than flunking out and having poor grades on your transcript, not to mention the high financial cost.
If you can’t even look at a textbook due to the emotional distress it causes you, go to the health center. Do withdraw - perhaps medical withdrawal if the center finds you depressed or ill and in the past you weren’t list&feeling so distressed.
You have some options. You could withdraw now. Or you could stay. I know it seems obvious to state this, but it can sometimes help to lay things out like this. So you do have a choice. The next step is to lay out the pros and cons of each one.
In terms of withdrawing now - that would preserve your GPA. But can you afford to pay half your tuition (and perhaps all of your other costs, including housing) if you withdraw right now? Any aid you have will be returned to its sources, and you will have to pay this bill before you can return to school at this school or elsewhere. If you can handle this, then withdrawing may be your best option. If you do this, then I’d suggest that, once home, you talk to a doctor to rule out any health issues that may be contributing to all this. Then take some time to decide your next steps.
If you cannot afford to do this, or really don’t want to leave, then another option is to stay and try to pass your classes, knowing that if you do fail them, your aid will cover those Fs. You’d then retake these classes next term. For this, you’d talk to your professors and let them know you’re struggling, but getting tutors. You’d get tutors for every class, and work with them to get caught up. I’d also suggest you talk your situation over with a doctor, to rule out/get treatment for any health issues that might be impacting you. You’d want to talk to your advisor to find out if your school offers a grade substitution policy or something similar.
Regardless of which choice you make, give some thought to what’s going on with you, why you’re so overwhelmed, etc. Perhaps a change of major would help, or some time off, or some counseling… whatever you need, take the steps to get it. And know that you can come back from this, no matter what path you decide to take.
If you don’t have any health issue related, do you think the engineering major isn’t for you? When my son visited one university last fall to attend an information session at engineering school, the rep. said students need really like an engineering major and work very hard. The engineering major has an average of 11% drop out at the school. You may re-consider your major.