Hello. I’ve been trying really hard to bring my GPA up from a 2.8. Last semester, I did really well. This semester, is going kind of rough.
I am taking 16 credit hours. What happened was, all my tests lined up on the same week, and I was basically trying to cram for all of them. For some reason this semester, I’ve gotten really lazy. I am not sure why, but I am going to talk to someone about it, especially after this fist round of exams. I got an 88 on my macro test, and a C on my accounting test, the other two I will have to wait and see. My calc test, is what I really messed up. I spent all my time studying for my accounting one, I neglected that one, and on the test, it was almost like a guessing game. I REALLY failed it.
I am considering dropping it. I am trying to bring my GPA up, and that won’t help the cause. Not to mention, I need to focus on my other classes, and getting good grades in those, since one is a 4 credit hour course.
I’ve never withdrawn from a class before, and I will still be full time. The thing is, I don’t know if I want that on my transcript, I already paid for the class, and I will still need to take it.
So the add/ drop period when you can drop a course without getting a WD on your transcript has passed. Since you would get a WD anyway if you drop this course now, I would suggest staying in the course up to the final date of the drop period to see if your grade improves?
If taking 16 credits continue to be a hardship on you (studying wise) then I would suggest dropping the course, but only if your grade will be below a ‘C’.
Don’t drop if you are carrying at least a C. Every time you drop you run the risk of putting yourself behind as far a graduating goes. Unless you have an infinite amount of money and can afford the expensive cost of attending college for extra semesters, take the passing grade and move on. No one will care what your GPA was once you land that first job. After that first job it is experience, being a good contributing employee and work ethic that will matter. You will have a harder time landing a job if you don’t finish a degree versus having a lower than desired GPA.
Also, learn from this experience. Don’t be “lazy” as you go. Keep up, study all along then you won’t be trying to cram quite so much. That’s how you bring your GPA up, not be dropping every class that doesn’t go your way.
Here are some details about dropping the class. I do need to take it eventually to graduate. it’s the last math requirement I have to take. No other classes hinder on me passing this class right now. I will not be below full time if I drop it.
Here are the pros: I get a chance to focus on my other classes, which include a challenging accounting course and a 4 credit hour humanities course,which requires much reading. I am trying to bring my GPA up, which is currently a 2.8, and getting C’s won’t help, which I believe is the best I can get at this point. I got off to a rocky start in this calc class, failing the first test, and the I am not sure how my first project will go. This is the only class I am doing poorly in, and I am going through some personal issues, and I had to force myself to see a counselor. (One of my problems is lack of motivation. I am having a really hard time studying and staying motivated.) I have never had a WD on my transcript before.
Cons: I need to take this class eventually. I already paid for the class out of pocket, and would not get any money back if I withdrew. I could just work hard, and get a C, and I would be done with the class, but my GPA would not be helped. As it stands right now, after this semester, if I drop my calc class, I will have 63 credit hours to graduate. If I take atleast 12 a semester, that would be 2 and a half more years, or 5 more semesters, if I take a summer course. I can’t decide if I should take the C, or WD, do better in all my other classes, and take this class again and get the better grade I think I can. I am already in the hole, and I have a quiz coming up for which I am lost.
I really can’t decide if withdrawing from this class sets me back so much that I might as well keep it and get a low C. I could even get a D. I am just having a personal crises in which I have to see a counselor, and I don’t know if I should lighten my course load from 15 to 12, and focus on my hard accounting class, humanities, ect.
Are there other resources and strategies that you can access to help you keep the grade at least in the C range? Academic support, office hours, tutoring, etc.? You then can keep the course, get the credit, take the C and move on. Seriously, everytime you withdraw your education costs go up because you are basically giving away the money you already paid for the course then having to pay for it again. If you can afford that, and afford the risk of taking longer to finish your degree, then the choice is easy, but if you can’t then you know the answer to your question.
Talk to your adviser about withdrawing from your class. THey can help you see if you are pretty much on track to graduate…you may be able to take this class as a summer class. Also make sure you talk to the Counseling Center about your personal issues. One W will be fine on a transcript as long as it is not a pattern of them.