<p>I am doing horrible in ME106, got more than 1 SD below the mean on both midterms, each worth 20%. The final is 50%, but realistically speaking, I doubt I will be able to do good enough on the final to make up for the two midterms, which means I'll most likely end up with a C- in the class or even fail. My question is should I devote much of my time to study for 106 and try my hardest on final or should I just fail it without trying and retake it next semester? The thing is that by spending so much time on 106, I might jeopardize the finals for my two other classes which I am doing fine in. Those two finals are immediately after the 106 final, on the same day. What are the consequences of failing and retake? I should be able do much better when I retake it. Also, in the case that I try my hardest and end up with a C-, will the professor allow me to fail instead?</p>
<p>Also, what qualifies as failing? Getting C- and below or actually getting a F?</p>
<p>I believe anything lower than a C- is failing.</p>
<p>don’t bother retaking it. study hard to ace the final and you’ll get a decent grade. Honestly 1SD below the mean isn’t that bad. I failed both my ME106 midterms and still ended up with an A- (I didn’t even do that well in the final!). So don’t give up hope! In Berkeley Engineering, you’re guaranteed to fail quite a number of midterms along the way, unless you’re one of those genuises. Besides, there’s no guarantee that you’ll do better if you retake the class. Just take whatever grade you have and move on.</p>
<p>Thank you soulkamikaze, you made me feel a lot better. I will just try my hardest for the final, but what I get in the end is not that up to me. (The grading scheme always kills me, hit or miss for key equations, no effort points.)</p>
<p>A C- is still passing. Not great, but passing.</p>