I took my first midterm for physics 2 and only got a 33% on the exam. This exam was worth 23% of my grade. In order to get a C in the class, I need at least a 55%. I still have one more midterm and the final to take in this class, which are also 23% of my grade. I only have until march 23rd to drop the class due to school policies. Keep in mind, my second midterm is after this drop deadline.
Thank You.
Have you figured out what caused the low grade on the first one? Will you be able to do significantly better on everything else?
I did poorly on the first one predominately because I just did not understand the content. I went to class, did the homework, and studied a week prior to the exam, but I still did poor on the exam. I think i can at most get a 60 on each test by changing some things up, but I am not sure that’s enough.
So if you have 3 tests each worth 23% of the grade, that leaves 31% of the grade unaccounted for. Is that homework or something? Or is it split up into smaller categories?
Basically, you multiply the grade’s weight by your score on it and add them all up. For example:
23 * 0.33 (first exam) + 23 * 0.6 (second exam) + 23 * 0.6 (final exam) + 31 * 0.6 (HW or whatever) = 53.8 (final grade)
You should go to office hours and discuss this with your professor.
What @AroundHere said. Be doing the reading ahead of class time, make a study group (really, really helps in classes like physics), go to Prof/TA office hours, and practicepracticepractice problems.
Is there a curve for this class? Usually math-heavy courses like calculus, physics, and chemistry have very low average exam scores, so the median grade gets shifted to a higher score (usually a B) and everyone else’s scores are adjusted accordingly. The average on my first biology midterm was a 60%.
Even the most studious, accomplished college student has had that ONE class that absolutely kicked their butts. If you need this class for your major, seriously ask yourself if you can afford to drop it now and take it again another semester without it pushing out your graduation date (longer time in school = more money now + opportunity cost of not getting out into the work world when you planned). Then, get super serious about upping your time spent on this class, because what you are doing now (while it seems reasonable and may have worked in high school or for other college classes), clearly isn’t enough. That means accepting that you will be spending less time devoted to EC’s, socializing or to classes you are breezing through. In addition to going to office hours, see what on-campus study group/tutoring resources are available. Some schools have organized study groups for specific classes, or drop-in tutoring. This is rough, but you haven’t exhausted all of your possibilities yet - good luck.
Don’t ride a crippled aircraft into the ground!! HIT THE SILK and live to fly another day. DROP the course and take it again later. One of college’s factors of success is overcoming a setback.
If you are going to use it later -or if you are needing a good GPA for grad school -I would consider dropping.
I would talk to your professor first though. There might be a curve and they may have some insight you don’t have. Good luck
Things to consider when thinking of withdrawing from a class.
- ** Will taking a W move you from full time to part time? ** Full time is usually 12 credits (check your college). If you are part time you are not eligible for financial aid or living in dorms.
- ** Is this class needed for your major? ** If you don’t take it now, will you have to take it again? Will it cause you to fall behind in keeping up with your major classes?
- **Why are you getting a C? ** What happens the next time you get a C? W again? One W is okay, but a pattern shows that you have difficulty with college.
- **Will Withdrawing from a course make it difficult to graduate on time? ** Will you need to make it up in summer $$ or do you have extra credits from HS?
- **TALK TO YOUR ADVISER ** before you make any decisions
- **Can you raise your grade? ** Check this post for ideas
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-life/1920853-college-is-a-step-up-from-hs-16-tips-on-doing-well-in-college.html - If this course is in your major, is this the right major for you? If you are pre-med but are getting a C in Biology, maybe this is not the major for you. If you are getting a C in an elective, that is another story.
- **Sometimes W’s are necessary. ** My daughter was in the hospital for a week early in the semester…she Withdrew from a course because she would not be able to catch up on all her courses if she kept all the classes. A W here or there is no problem, but a pattern of them looks like you have trouble with college work.