Mentor WONT change my schedule?

College Life
1

<p>I posted a topic a while back saying my western civ class is too early for me and there is such a big gap between that and the next class. </p>

<p>I got an email back from my "mentor" saying he won't change it.</p>

<p>Here is what he said:
Hi Darryl, </p>

<p>Based on your email request below, you are requesting that I change your western civilzation class either the days/times or the class entirely correct? Unfortunately, I cannot comply with your request. Hence, please adhere to your current schedule. Now, if my memory serves me right, I have indeed changed your schedule a few times. For example, I added Italian I on 8-31 as per your request, I then added oral communications to bring you up to 16 credits (9-1-05). I then withdrew this class from your schedule on 9-2 because you wanted a different course. As a result, I added western civilization to your schedule which is an Arts and Sciences requirement. On 9-2-05 you also requested that I change the time of your western civ to a later time. I then responded that all sections were closed and that all sections of intro to psychology and intro to sociology were also closed and would not fit in with your schedule. </p>

<p>Darryl, I understand from our conversation that you will only be staying at Seton Hall University and will be leaving elsewhere in the spring. However, while you are at SHU you must follow the curriculum set forth by the university and specific department chairs. As I told you before, you recieved AP credits for Biology1201 and for English1201 hence you are in good shape. </p>

<p>Finally, as you know I have responded to all of your emails with the exception of your last email which requested a time change. I did not respond to this email because the email that I previously sent you on 9-2-05 already addressed your question. </p>

<p>With all of this said, I appreciate your efforts in shaping your schedule to fit your needs. This will come in handy in the long run when you are planing and organizing other aspects of your life. Keep up the good work Darryl, and I look forward to seeing good grades on your term report which will arrive sooner than later. . . </p>

<p>If you have any concerns, please make an appointment to see me. I am available on Mondays 11-12 and 2-5; Fridays 9-5. </p>

<p>--
What do I do? I almost sense like a sort of "oh since your not gonna be here in the spring, why should I even bother with your schedule now" attitude. I am really annoyed by this.</p>

<p>Should I drop the class and NOT be put into another one?
I am pretty sure at 12 credits I will still be considered full time.
I Already have 6 credits for the Bio class and the English class I took in high school, so that should transfer over to the new school in the spring.
Should I just drop the class and not replace it with anything?
I am able to do that right? its not like against the law or something, right?</p>

<p>Waking up early for that class, I am NOT going to be able to do my best and I am NOT about to take a chance ruining my grades.</p>

2

<p>And why would he say, "keep up the good work" when he doesnt even know my work habits at all? Its like hes mocking me or something.</p>

3

<p>How early are we talking?</p>

<p>Maybe you just need to accept the fact that waking up early is a fact of life that most people don't enjoy.</p>

4

<p>Why would you need to comply with their academic requirements if you are leaving and going to another institution? Why are you at Seton Hall?</p>

5

<p>The class is 8 AM, I have to wake up like 5:30. I leave at 7 AM.</p>

<p>I am at seton hall because I had planned to go to the west coast to Portland State but personal issues forced me to stay in NJ and go to school here. So in the Spring I planned to go back to what I had planned to do and go to portland state.</p>

<p>I hate the big gap (2 hours, and 4 hours) til the next class, and I am NOT a morning person at ALL no matter how early I sleep.
I don't want to be forced to take this class and fail it because I am not at my best, as I would be if the class were later.</p>

6

<p>And he could have atleast sent me an reply to my first email telling me about how he already addressed my concern in a past email, but he didnt even give me that! I had to email again to get a response.</p>

7

<p>It sounds like he is trying to be helpful, but is getting a bit annoyed that you keep wanting different schedule changes. I can understand that. If all sections of Western Civ are full, then he can't change it, no matter how unhappy that makes you. Full is full. And why on earth do you need to get up at 5:30 for an 8:00 class? I'm sure with a little planning--take your shower the night before, have your clothes and books laid out ahead of time, etc., you could sleep longer.</p>

<p>As for dropping it, I guess that is up to you. Do you need it for Portland State? Or is it a requirement for all freshmen at Seton Hall, so you must keep it?</p>

<p>In any case, I do not think your mentor is mocking you in telling you to keep up the good work. He is just trying to end on a good note.</p>

<p>8:00 a.m. classes are not fun for most students. However, as my freshman son, who is also taking an 8:00 required class, would probably say, you might just have to "suck it up" and take the class.</p>

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<p>I just am getting the feeling that because I'm not going to be there for the long run, he shouldn't care as much as he would if I were a student who was going to be there year after year.
Its like since I"m not gonna be there in the spring, why bother putting as much effort into me now. I mean I know I guess I am "temporary" but I would like to be treated as a student currently enrolled in that university and not a student who won't be there much longer.</p>

9

<p>I know I'm not going to be at my best that early in the morning and "sucking it up" could mean failing it and I dont want to compromise my grades at all.</p>

10

<p>We talked thru emails and I asked about dropping the class and taking 5 courses and asking if my 6 credits from hs will be on my Seton Hall transcript, and he emailed me back saying to meet with him sometime this week.
And the funny part is he cc'd it to my Peer Mentor. Why so?</p>

11

<p>This probably isn't what you're hoping to hear...</p>

<p>Maybe it's better to deal with the morning "issues" now than later (while you're in college vs working). Most jobs are from 8/9-4/5, and your boss isn't going to be sympathetic to the fact that you're not a morning person.</p>

12

<p>College is about the academics, not what time you get up. Your mentor has no reason to be concerned with your sleep schedule, and he probably has better things to do than email you whenever you have a little concern, especially because you are only a temporary student at his school.</p>

<p>Get up. Go to the early class. Afterwards, take a little nap, even if it is in the library. Set your cell phone to wake you up. Do your homework. Eat breakfast after class. Thousands upon thousands of college students (including me) have early classes and gaps. Join the party and deal with reality.</p>

13

<p>Student who one mentors/advises that requires lots of "work". I hate to tell you but you are sounding like this.....a tool. You probably don't realize it and perhaps you don't know how much folks don't like to work w/ tools at college.</p>

14

<p>At my D's school they won't change anyone's schedule because of time, there needs to be another issue, especially since noone wants the 8 am classes</p>

15

<p>At my school, you make your own schedule & pick your own classes- but your advisor can't get you into a class, you have to sit by the computer in hopes a space opens up in the class you want.</p>

<p>The whole concept of an advisor determining what classes you should take is alien to me.</p>

16

<p>Hi Platinumtlc - please take the follow as an attempt as constructive criticism. Where I tend to agree with you ... I do think your mentor could have been less critical about the numerous schedule changes ... however irritating the changes are to him it is your schedule. On a other hand I have trouble seeing your side on the following two issues. First, if I read the string correctly the class you want to change into is full and your mentor informed you that he can not change the class because it is full ... what is your expectation, that he will jump through lots of hoops to make an excpetion for you? Not so likely at a big school and less likely if you've said you're a short timer, the reason you want to change is you don't like the time (as opposed to a conflict with another required class for example), and to him it may appear likely you will change again. Finally, I would think while you are at SH that the mentor is supposed to ensure that you are meeeting the requirements of SH so your schedule should comply to the requirements of SH ... I do not think you shoude expect a mentor at SH to ignore SH requirements while advising a student ... your transferring is your business and not really SH's. (On big caveat, I have no idea how the "mentor" role at SH works ... my "advisor" could advise me but I could change to any (non-full) class on my own even if it totally screwed up my progress to graduation ... it sounds like the "mentor" role at SH is much stronger)</p>

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<p>I'll probably just drop the class and take 12 credits. I'm not gonna screw up my grades because of a morning class. I know whats best for me I've been at it all my academic career.
12 credits is still considered full time, and I already have credit from HS in addition so when I transfer I should be fine.
I'm sure if he didn't know I wasn't leaving in the spring, he would be more susceptible to sorting things out. I'm paying for him to help me and I'd like that. The first schedule change wasn't even a change, it was a required course that I had to take a language and we had to add that in to my existing schedule. The 2nd change wouldn't have even happened if I didn't talk to him, they didn't give me credit in the first place for my AP credits, so the first schedule issued to me in the first place included the first Biology course as well as the first English course. I had to get that changed.
So when I meet up with him I'll get him to drop my morning class.</p>

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<p>When you get to Portland State, I would take a lesson from this experience and try to be a little more flexible. Whining and complaining will tend to alienate people, even those who are there to help you.</p>

19

<p>Honestly, you do sound like a brat here. The first few times were legitmate but after that, you're starting to sound a little be self-centered towards your mentor. Your mentor DID try to check on the other courses for you- only to find that the other courses were full. So thank him for that- he took the time to make phone calls to the registrar and other professors.</p>

<p>If you still insist on getting a later Western Civ class, then e-mail the profs yourself and come up with a very good reason why you need to be in that time slot- no whining of getting up early or having a huge gap. If it's the gap you're worried about and your commute is more than 20-30 minutes, then explain that part. Don't lie.</p>

<p>It doesn't bother anyone if you choose to sleep in the library after class- I've seen students fall asleep (including myself) in the morning. Just get some of your work done. Those hours will seriously fly if you use your time productively like the rest of us are. Eat some breakfast/lunch. Make visits to offices if necessary.</p>

<p>Like a poster said above, why do you need one and half hours to get ready for class? Take the shower the night before, lay out your clothes, make your breakfast to go, etc. </p>

<p>This is a good practice if you intend on holding a regular job like regular folks. Regular folks who are not morning people suck it up.</p>

<p>Just do the requrement- you never know if you can truly get out of Seton Hall.</p>

20

<p>You can be a morning person if you want to. Stop whining.</p>