Hi.
I am majoring in finance and when I realized my low GPA (2.6) would never allow me to be successful, I decided to get my act in gear and really work hard to bring it up. I am taking 5 classes right now, and I have A’s in three and a B in one. The other, however, I have a C.
It’s a hard class, and I was trying really hard. I have been going to tutoring and my professors office hours, and even managed to get my professor to meet once a week for the next five weeks to help prepare for the final exam. I have been doing things like this all semester.
I calculated what I need to get a B-, and I need a 75 on the final to do it. I had a quiz recently, which really mattered in how well I did on it. After countless hours studying, consulting the professor and TA alike, and tutoring, I managed to get a 66 on it and I am crushed. This makes it even more difficult to get a B- in the class, and a 75 percent is technically a B. I know how much of a long shot this will be, considering all the preparation I do doesn’t seem to help.
“Oh, it’s just a C, it’s not the end of the world!” Well for me, and the time I have left, it’s crucial. When I have a college degree and I am flipping burgers because everyone saw my low GPA and didn’t want to give me a chance, it will be a pretty bad thing.
I tried so hard and put so much effort in this class, and I just can’t seem to do well. My professor knows this. I can’t afford C’s. All though I am trying to be positive, I might get a C in this class, and I just can’t afford it.
Sorry for rambling, and thanks for reading.
First of all, your 2.6 GPA will not necessarily prevent you from being successful. It will still get you the degree if you pass all of the rest of your classes, and that alone will separate you from a lot of students who never finish bachelor’s degrees. Will it make it harder to get that first job? Maybe, maybe not. But once you land a job, it will be what you do at that job which will determine whether or not you are a success, and after that unless you want to continue your education, NO ONE is likely to ever ask you what your GPA was again. Whether or not you have a degree will matter way more than whether or not you have a certain GPA once you are in the work world, that degree will determine whether or not you are eligible for certain positions, not your GPA. You are very unlikely to end up “flipping burgers” but, I know more than one person who started in jobs at that level and worked their way up in the big corporations that owned those burger franchises, so even that job can lead people places if they have the right motivation and openness to opportunities.
At this point in the semester, withdrawing from the class is probably not an option, and besides, you or your parents have already paid for the course, and a C is passing. It is not the level of achievement that you want, but in the end, if you gave it your all as you say you did, you did your best. And, you might be surprised. The professor sees how much time and effort you are putting in, you may just end up being the beneficiary of some scaling. Take what you are able to earn in either case, move forward and continue to work hard next semester.
What classes do you have As in? Is there a major that uses more of those types of classes that you could switch to? I think it’s best when people go where their strengths lie. If you are struggling in certain subjects no matter how hard you try, it is possible you will struggle in the real world in a job that demands excellence in those topics and related tasks. Is the subject you have a C in essential for success in finance?
Competition won’t end when you graduate. Why set yourself up for a lifetime of struggle in an area that does not come naturally to you? To the extent possible, steer your courses, major and career plans toward the subjects and skills you excel at, and away from those you don’t excel at. You’ll feel more like a winner and have better results and less stress in the process.