Low First Semester GPA..help?

<p>So first semester grades just came in and I have a 1.58 GPA. This is my first semester at college and I really didn't put as much effort or time into my classes and I've been put on academic warning for the next semester. Can anyone help me?</p>

<p>Well, I hear Burger King is always hiring. So I'd say either start filling out an application or maybe you should just try harder in school. I'd say for the most part anyone who is capable of getting into college can do better than a 1.58 GPA.</p>

<p>you need to sit down and figure out why you got that GPA.</p>

<p>then, you need to figure out what you can do differently to do better next semester. I'm sure there are people you go to school with who can offer advice.</p>

<p>
[quote]
This is my first semester at college and I really didn't put as much effort or time into my classes and I've been put on academic warning for the next semester.

[/quote]

For starters, you might want to put in time and effort.</p>

<p>And don't procrastinate. Seriously, what do you want us to help you with? A 1.58 is something that can be easily cured by just sucking it up and doing the work.</p>

<p>Sit down and figure out your weaknesses. Then make a plan to address each of those issues. Stick to your plan. Do not procrastinate, do not miss class, make sure you turn in all work and on time. Become extremely organized. Don't just abide by the deadlines and test dates--set mini-deadlines for yourself for each step of the process and stick to them. Did you study for your classes this semester? If so, you need to figure out where you're going wrong in your approach. If you didn't study, you are going to have to to get through college; it's a fact of life. If you're going out every night, restrict it to Friday and Saturday, and only if you have the work you need to do finished. What is your major, just out of curiosity?</p>

<p>forget about it....it's done....you cant go back
you have to use this as a way to help you get a better gpa next semester. try your hardest work your butt off...a lot of people do bad in their first semester, you cant worry too much, just focus on next semester</p>

<p>I've heard cases of GPA's lower than this; most of the time it's because the student thought they were going to major in a subject and took classes related to it and then lost interest in the classes and failed to do the work. My suggestion would be to take classes that look interesting next semester so you don't dread doing the work as much. Also, never give up on a class towards the end of a semester and keep trying until the final exam.</p>

<p>OP you make me feel a lot better.</p>

<p>I got a 1.7 my first semester of college. Three years later I have a substantially better gpa, so there's hope. If you're anything like me and just didn't realize how much work you have to put in...start putting in the work spring semester! The longer you wait to bring it up...the harder its gonna be. Really try and be honest with yourself and see what you did wrong, there's no need to defend anything that you did because its already done...just figure out what you need to do and get on it asap.</p>

<p>Im about as lazy as it gets and I have about a 3.4 at a fairly large state school. I mean just a little effort helps...</p>

<p>kindaslick is kinda bragging there.</p>

<p>1.58 eh? So that works out to roughly be 2 C's, 1 D+, and 1 D assuming 4 courses a semester and + and - add/subtract 0.3 respectively which would give you 1.575. </p>

<p>Well, if by "didn't put as much effort or time into my classes" you mean you skipped lectures, didn't do work, didn't study, didn't understand the material, didn't care or any combination of the above, then it shouldn't be too hard to rectify. Just do one or more of the above. If you still managed 2 C's and a D+ with minimal effort this semester, then it shouldn't be very hard to improve your grades and thus your GPA incrementally.</p>

<p>For example:</p>

<p>You get 2 C's, 1 D+, 1 D this semester: 6.3/4=1.575
Next semester you get 4 C's
Next you get 3 C's and a B
Next you get 2 C's and 2 B's
Next you get 1 C and 3 B's
Next you get 1 C and 3 B's
next you get 3 B's and 1 A
Next you get 3 B's and 1 A</p>

<p>you'd graduate with a 2.54 GPA. </p>

<p>Of course you don't have to do exactly that and if you managed to get a few C+'s instead of C's then your GPA will be higher. As long as you avoid those D's and try to decrease the amount of C's you are pulling, you can improve your GPA within reason.</p>

<p>wow... you'd better get on top of things. no employer or post-grad program is going to accept that reason for essentially (for all practical intents and purposes) failing all your classes first semester (below a C in any course in college is essentially failing, since many universities won't accept a C- or below in req'd courses). if you don't have the discipline to succeed in college, the McDonald's comment above may be appropriate, so get out there and prove us wrong!
Also, in response to SBR, a 2.54 isn't going to get you far. If you can't achieve a 3.0 in college, you might try tech school instead. Seriously. It may better fit your natural talents. College is NOT for everyone.</p>

<p>True, 2.54 won't get the OP very far but it's a whole heck of a lot better than 1.58. And I was trying to be realistic. Unless the OP is just a lazy, under-appreciated genius, I'm assuming that he won't go from 1.58 to a 4.0 for the next 7 semesters until he graduates. If he does, great, that's a 3.7 but my hypothetical plan give a rough idea of how one can improve incrementally and what kind of results it brings. The OP can go straight to earning A's and B's for all I know, but it's what I think can be achieved with just a little extra effort.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Also, in response to SBR, a 2.54 isn't going to get you far. If you can't achieve a 3.0 in college, you might try tech school instead. Seriously. It may better fit your natural talents. College is NOT for everyone.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>in the big scheme of things... a lot of people graduate with less than a 3.0</p>

<p>it depends what your course load is. if you're taking super easy classes and getting a 2.00 then there is a problem that deals with your work ethic.</p>

<p>
[quote]
in the big scheme of things... a lot of people graduate with less than a 3.0

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Yes, but do the careers they are likely to end up in actually REQUIRE a BA/BS or would they (in many cases) be better served by a technical certificate or associate's degree with the correspondingly lower debt to pay off?</p>

<p>apumic: I've seen many Ph.D's who compete with BA/BS for jobs. I'm sure they certainly didn't anticipate that they would have to do that and the BA/BS probably didn't expect that they would be competing with Ph.D's. Would those people need a Ph.D for those jobs? Probably not. Should they have gotten one? Who knows. Such is the job environment and the economy these days. </p>

<p>If the OP wants as high of an education as he can get to give himself a leg up on whatever future pursuits he might engage in, who are we to judge his choice, even if he doesn't succeed? While I don't want to offend anyone, let's try to not be too elitist in stereotyping others. This isn't the former USSR, where college education is an assignment rather than a choice.</p>

<p>I agree. I apologize. I don't want to be elitist in stereotyping. I have seen similar things to what you're describing, SBR, but I would consider that a symptom of the problem. If we have Ph.D.s and BA/BSs competing for the same positions, then why are we wasting so much money on training Ph.D.s? To me, that kind of over-training for positions is indicative of an inefficient educational system. If Ph.D.s are not being employed in positions commensurate with their training, then why are we training so many of them? In the same sense, there are many people who go through college and end up doing jobs that do not require nor even benefit from such training. I know it isn't the politically correct thing to say, but the reality is that we need people in professions that require less than a 4-year degree. The fact that such a proposition would be considered elitist in the first place is symptomatic of an underlying problem -- namely, a cultural bias against blue-collar workers. The reality is, though, that many of those people make a better living than do college graduates. They may not be the jobs that most of us here at CC would want, but if they are the jobs that one is most talented at, then a person should pursue them. I will be the first to admit I would make a lousy plummer and I've never been one for construction, but there are many people whose talents lie in those areas. Not to offend here, but if the OP's talents lie in another area, he should consider those. On the other hand, if he is truly devoted to going into something requiring a college degree, I am sure he will not be particularly bothered by the questions of others. If he is, he probably won't last through a difficult interview -- and difficult questions about anything (including low GPA, among many far more difficult ones) DO come up in interviews once you're out of college -- or the difficult economic times we are in. Successful completion of a college degree and the pursuit of a field post-college take A LOT of time, discipline, and hard work. Trust me, that's where I am and that's where many of my peers are.</p>

<p>There are simply too many homeless people on the streets with a BA (or sometimes an MA and a Ph.D.) begging for food with a $100,000+ loan hanging over their heads for me to encourage someone whose track record is weak to continue paying out that kind of money for an education he is unlikely to complete or be able to use later on. If he decides to do a 180º and succeed, that's great! If he's not so sure he can do that for his next semester, however, it might be worth considering other career paths that are better suited to his natural talents, interests, and abilities.</p>

<p>Either way, best of luck to the OP! I would encourage you to meet with your academic advisor and/or the career center at your school and get a feel for what they think would be your best option. You CAN succeed wherever you end up if you push forward from here on out, but it likely won't be easy. Good luck!</p>

<p>jesus, I was sweating getting a 3.325 for my first GPA</p>