<p>Basically, I've heard from a ton of people that my Victorian Literature professor is a really hard grader and generally impossible to get an A (or even a B) from. Reportedly she told one english major that she should change majors because her writing was so horrendous. I've also heard that she is very narrow minded and will mark things wrong just because they don't agree with her opinion.</p>
<p>I've heard this from english majors, as well as people who have just had her for intro classes.</p>
<p>Now, I like my GPA. I'm very happy with it right now. And I don't want to destroy it. I do understand that while in college I will have some difficult professors, but I'm willing to work hard. However, when I hear that it is virtually impossible to get anything above a B, even with hard work, I get a little scared.</p>
<p>The first class was today and she doesn't seem all that scary. The syllabus looks doable. My question is- should I drop this class just because of what other people have said? Should I wait until I get my first paper back, then drop or stay based on that grade? Or should I just suck it up and tough it out?</p>
<p>If there were no negative consequences for dropping this class late (a W on your transcript, a lighter course load because you would be substituting another course for this one if you were to drop it now but you wouldn't be able to if you wait, loss in tuition fees etc), I would probably wait for the first grade.</p>
<p>I like enrolling in one class more than I plan to take and then drop the one I like the least after the first few weeks of classes. Some courses sound really good on the first day but turn out to be too much work for a lazy college student :D</p>
<p>Take the class if you need it as part of your major or minor. If this is an elective, and you do not like the professor's teaching style and feel this will impact your overall GPA before the drop deadline, drop the course. Otherwise, just adapt and do well in the course.</p>
<p>I say take the class. You can't run away from every slightly scary thing that comes your way. If she's the only one that ever teaches this class and you have to take it for the major, then dropping the course will only delay the inevitable. </p>
<p>I had the SAME dilemma last semester, I mean the exact same. Everyone said the Brit Lit prof that I had(the only one who teaches the course) was almost impossible to please and that the most common grade to be gotten in that class was a C. I was going into the class with a great GPA and didn't want to ruin it. But I took the class, because it was required for the English major. It was a LOT of reading and you couldn't afford to fall behind, he did find and take off points for even the tiniest mistakes in papers, and all of his quizzes were short answer, critical thinking-type questions. He was hard to please and I never got an A on any of his papers(which never happens to me), even after taking them to the writing center. But since I always went to class, kept up with the reading, got at least a B on all of my quizzes and papers, did okay on the play reviews we had to do, and somehow wrote a timed final exam paper that he liked....I got an A in the class. </p>
<p>If I can get an A in such a class, anyone can. A lot of the people who got low grades with this prof probably didn't keep up with the work and didn't want to put in the extra effort to get a B or better. I bet, since the work seems "doable" to you, you'll get at least a B. </p>
<p>Take the class now, Take the class now, take the class now.</p>
<p>Turns out that the rumours about this prof are semi true. She's old and crazy, but she grades fairly. At least, I think so. I've gotten a B and a B- on two papers and an A- on a test, and she seems to like me, so huzzah.</p>
<p>I'm glad I didn't drop. :D thanks everyone!</p>