Man rough year...

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>Hey guys, new to this site. I just recently finished up freshman year at the University of Washington. Ended with a 2.63. Really disappointed with myself. I use to get As and Bs in highschool, and once I ended up in college my grades just been suffering from all the prereqs for engineering. I am like the only guy from my graduating class that attends UW that decided to try engineering. I managed a 2.9 my first quarter there. I thought I was going to do good winter quarter, but due to bad management of time and some drama going on with my life, I ended up with a 1.9 in Physics 121 and 0.7 in CSE 142 and a 3.5 in english 131. However, I tried to step it up a notch Spring quarter. Spring quarter i took physics 122 and got a 2.4 and got a 3.5 in geology 101, retook CSE 142 and still only managed a 2.6 (83% the midterm and finals were tough!). Now ended up with a 2.63 gpa. I honestly tried to spring quarter, i didn't party, i studied like 2 weeks before the midterms...speaking of which our class average was never above a 55 for physics 122...I am not trying to get sympathy I just wanted some people to talk to. I feel like so down this entire summer. People been telling me to forget about it. But everytime I have fun or try to do something, the idea of a low gpa just haunts me. I do not know the average gpa at UW is but everyone I talk to have a gpa of 2.8 and above. Was it wrong for me to jump into calc based physics with no physics background? Was it wrong to challenge myself? I read articles online about how internship have gpa cut offs. With my gpa I probably won't be able to get any. I do know some people that have the same gpa as me but they took easy intro 100 courses such as sociology of murder or psycology 101. As I demonstrated with my 3.5 in the geology 101. I can definately get a good grade in those classes, but when I try and declare a major such as engineering, my chances of getting in are EXTREMELY low. </p>

<p>I would like some opinion or experiences that you guys had, and hopefully that will help me feel somewhat better. I plan to take some architecture classes next quarter because I am fairly good at art and design and I competed in Nationals for mathteam. I don't know...I just feel like my lifes falling apart. My friend that goes to a communtiy college who didn't get good grades in highschool is now saying how college is super easy, he even has a internship with an engineering corporation and hes like the top 10% of his class. But yes, some opinions might be nice.</p>

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<p>Hey – also a UW student. Experimenting with architecture, particularly if it interests you, sounds like a very intelligent move. If prereqs are killing your GPA, well… that’s probably not a good sign. I went through the same thing this year, though less dramatically, and know where you’re coming from.</p>

<p>If you want to take time off from UW to raise your GPA, a community college isn’t a bad option. Classes tend to be limited to 30 or fewer students, instructors are there to teach (not… take research breaks), and most students are there because they want to be there, not because it’s the next step on the conveyor belt to upper middle class apathy and comfort. I did Running Start in high school and can attest to the rigor and intellectual sophistication of the classes I took relative to UW’s fare. You’ll be a big fish in a small pond, which is ego-boosting in itself. Sounds like you could use some of that.</p>

<p>This may or may not be an option for you. If not, why don’t you look into internships or research professors in the department are doing? If you’re set on pursuing engineering, talk to some professors. You seem articulate, well-rounded, and capable of perspective. Professors respond well to that! Emphasize these qualities. Seriously. It can’t hurt you. Good luck. I hope everything works out for you. :)</p>

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<p>Ooo your’re also a UW student too? What year are you in? I’ve talked to an Engineer Advisor and he thinks the best thing for me to do is to do something that I have talent in so that’s why I am giving architecture a shot. I know I am a bright student , it’s just the size of the class doesn’t really help with my education. I don’t know if you understand what I mean. However, growing up in a really strict and I would like to say ambitious family, my parents want me to be the best, be able to do something for the country, and if I did go to community college, I feel like not only will they be disappointed in me, but I will also become disappointed with myself for giving up at UW. Right now for me, I have several options. If I get into Architecture because I am good at it, yippee! If I can get into engineering, I’d be even more happy. However, if things don’t work out at the end of sophmore year, I will probably either have to do an open major like math…which i pray to god i don’t have to…or transfer to western and learn engineering technology.</p>