<p>I messed up. I'd let you guys know that I'm changing my major, but I still have no clue to what. But I think I'm out of every UC now. I think I just am no longer a math person (calculus II) and not really a physics person either (engineering). So I am/was an Aerospace Engineering major looking to transfer into UCLA-UCI or a Cal Poly. Unlikely to go out of state, but may have applied for a two year. I have a 3.2 (long story short, I've only passed 2 classes in reality so don't look into it too much I had 3.8 in High school, I took Calc I in high school/AP and retook in CC with a 3.0). When answering this question, use UC and CSU for reference.</p>
<p>Well the situation is, last semester I took Calculus IIa, I was doing pretty bad, en route to a D. So I dropped with a W.</p>
<p>This semester, i figured I have the tests from last semester and I already know half the material, I should at least get a C. Did pretty well, had like a 79%, I think, on the Drop deadline day. Unfortunately the next week was the test and I got approximately 15%. Automatically, by any ethical means, disqualifying me from getting a C (it's impossible, I'd be 2% off if I got 100% on everything else left). </p>
<p>So do I take an F or a D? Or should I drop this without a W? I thought I've heard that an F is better than a D, but I may be crazy.</p>
<p>Yeah. I think I am not so bright, but I thought I read that you can drop a class anytime over on this website. So I just assumed something that I may have misunderstood. And when I said w/o a W that would mean it’s worse than a W somehow and I don’t see anywhere on the school website where I’m able to, so I probably can’t unless I talk to the teacher, but it’s already finals week.</p>
<p>So I guess a D. I’m still able to retake the class with a D right? I may change majors to one that may require Calc II, even though it’s not the focal point.</p>
<p>I also thought I read that F’s aren’t counted in GPAs.</p>
<p>No matter how you spin it a D and a F will definantly hurt your chances of transfer unless you can repeat the course for a higher grade. Although some places will not allow academic renewal such as private universities and some out of states. The D & F will be put into your GPA in calculation for admissions as a transfer and worst of all it won’t even transfer for credit if you do get in.</p>
<p>Also its going to definantly hurt applications for Grad school.</p>
<p>Wow really bad situation…if you drop it this time, then UCs will look at you differently since you have to take it the third time, and if you take the D, you still have to retake it since they want at least a C on the pre req I would take the W and explain later so it won’t hurt your GPA</p>
<p>Drop with W if you can. Then change your major. If you cannot pass Calc II on the second try, your talents are definitely elsewhere. If you cannot drop it with W, better to get D than F (but that depends on your CC policies - some allow retake Fs but not Ds). Better yet, speak with a prof, tell him that you will be changing majors and that Calc II is going to be the last Math class for you ever, and politely ask him for C.</p>
<p>I think you can still get into the UCs if you change your major. I doubt a lot of the humanities would care if you failed Calc 2. My friend is 3rd year poli sci and he’s never done more than pre-calc and stats. He’s never seen a math problem since.</p>
<p>Just avoid all anything to do with engineering, the hard sciences, and econ.</p>
<p>If I were you, I’d try and find some tutoring/ask the instructor for additional help and/or extra credit and try my hardest on all the remaining work in the class. Get as close to a C as you can then talk to the teacher and try try try to get them to raise your grade to a C. Then I’d change majors so I wouldn’t have to take any more math classes! =) Good luck!</p>
<p>If Engineering is what you want to do, do not give up. So you don’t get into the college of your choice the first try - so what. So you’re having some trouble with Calc 2 - so what. All of these “problems” are fixable, and not the end of the world. Speak with a tutor (not your instructor) and look at past exams to see what the problem is. Somewhere along the line you are having a disconnect with the material that is making things difficult for you - this is not a reason to give up if math is what you want to do.</p>
<p>“If Engineering is what you want to do, do not give up.”</p>
<p>This is terrible advice. There is a profound difference between doing what you want to do and doing what you are good at. And most likely you would only be making yourself unhappy in the end to pursue something you will struggle in for another 2 years of upper divs.</p>
<p>Engineering is notorious for being rigorous, competitive, and mathematical. If someone is having a lot of problems with Calculus it would be in their own best interest to not put themselves through more misery. Math is such a big foundation. You would be competing against classmates who probably mathematically inclined and breezed through Calc 2 (especially at UCB and whatnot).</p>
<p>Realistically our society, economy, and world develop because people SPECIALIZE. Everyone does what they are GOOD AT DOING and get paid the most for doing that. If I could 10 donuts an hour or 2 hamburgers an hour, it is obvious that I have a comparative advantage and should spend all of my time making donuts. There is no reason to believe that you could not be happy doing something else. In fact, it would probably be more likely because you will find another major that just “clicks” and makes sense to you.</p>
<p>Comedy example: In Happy Gilmore, Adam Sandler sucks at playing hockey, but loves it and hates golf. Turns out he’s good at golf. Decides to play golf, makes millions of dollars, likes golf, happy ending.</p>
<p>I blew it guys. My options are gone. I only have begging and taking an F. I did bad on the final part I, which seals the deal for an F. If I retake the class what does that mean exactly, does that erase my F from my gpa?</p>
<p>I do plan on seriously looking into other majors. I don’t think I was given gifts in areas needed to be an engineer.<br>
I just want this to be clarified. It doesn’t matter when I do my pre-reqs right as long as their before the semester I transfer (preferably before summer). So I can change to some whack major where right now I only have maybe two pre-reqs done that would go onto my application and that wouldn’t matter?</p>
<p>I don’t have this “natural gift” in math/science courses either. I had to retake CalcII and CalcIII several times a few years ago, and I was an engineering major (~3.0gpa). But, I liked engineering and still wanted to do it so I was persistent and spent more time with the classes. The last few semesters I’ve gotten straight A’s in my engineering pre-req’s, including the Calcs and beyond, and worked my way up to a 3.4gpa.</p>
<p>I got rejected from LA and B, but other UC’s and Cal Polys accepted me. I’ll be transferring to UCSD this fall.</p>
<p>I guess what I’m trying to say is if you do want to do engineering, and you are willing to put in the time necessary, it is still possible.</p>
<p>Do i need to retake Calc II regardless? Let’s just pretend I changed my major to psychology (not likely to happen), I doubt Calc II is a pre -req. But I still have a W and an F in the class. I am almost 98% I can get at least a C, probably a B, a good shot at an A. But if I was going to retake it, I’d like to take it this summer.</p>
<p>Sorry for all the questions in repetitive fashion. But today is registration day. I don’t really have time to go major searching or anything today. Do I need to do TAP (The honors program), for every major, or just economics? I want to take English 100 this summer, but I don’t want to put myself into a corner by not taking an honors course.<br>
Also do I need to take Calculus II again if I fail it? I would like to take that class in the summer as well.</p>
<p>I think the TAP thing depends on your school. At mine, we’re required to take at least one, though two recommended, scholars courses every Fall and Spring semester prior to our transfer. It doesn’t matter which scholars course you take, but I’m sure it’d look better if you take scholars credit for pre-req courses, if available.</p>
I would take the W and explain later so it won’t hurt your GPA</p>