Hi there,
I’m a California community college student. I was aiming to transfer to USC, UCLA, and TAG (guaranteed transfer admission) to UCI for business econ/business admin. I currently have a 4.0 GPA and found myself on track to transfer well, until I began Calculus II this semester.
Calculus I was a piece of cake for me. I was often the highest scorer in the class, and I did not have to study very hard. The class wasn’t extremely easy, I just understood the material pretty well.
However, going into Calculus II I ended up bombing the first exam–for a variety of reasons (working too much, studying incorrectly, not understanding concepts, lack of motivation). Basically, I got an F.
The grade structure looks a bit like this: 3 Exams worth 100 points, 3 homework assignments worth 30 points, and a final worth 130 points. The professor does not drop any exams, and supposedly offers some “extra credit,” but he never specifies how much.
I was very upset with myself for my first exam score, and was determined to get a high A on the second exam. Although I studied tirelessly, I put so much pressure on myself that I ended up bombing the exam again (in fact, I got the same exact score as I got on the first exam). I now feel absolutely defeated. In the process of studying for this exam, I had multiple mental breakdowns, to the point where when I went to take the exam, my mind blanked. I sought out my professor to ask questions before this exam, yet he does not even have assigned office hours and says we can speak to him for only 10 minutes before class.
After I had taken the second exam, it was too late to withdraw from the class, so that is not an option. There is the slightest possibility I could attain a B in the course, but it’s most likely impossible, and I will probably end up with a C or worse. Not only will this invalidate my TAG to UCI for business econ (I would need to get a B in this class for it to stay valid), but it will make me an uncompetitive applicant for UCLA and most likely USC.
I have identified a few options for a course of action. I am not looking for advice here on studying habits, I have mentally exhausted myself in this class and have studied precariously, as well as spoken to the professor. So please, just advise me on what route you would take.
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Do my best and aim for a C (or possibly by some miracle) a B in the course. Apply to all the schools I was already planning to apply to anyways, perhaps in less competitive majors, and other schools that do not look at Calculus II as a major required course. (I am, however, not planning to apply to cal states).
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Purposefully fail this course, stay another year at community college, apply for academic renewal (which means the F is wiped from my GPA) and retake calculus II with a better professor to replace the grade, then apply to transfer next fall to universities that accept academic renewal (UC schools for sure do, I do not yet know about other schools, although I know USC does not). This would also give me some time to figure out my major (I have a lot of hesitancy towards business), take some time to mentally heal, as well as restore my GPA that I have worked very hard to maintain. I am also considering taking off spring semester and going back in the fall, yet I’m not sure if this would be a good decision yet or not.
UCLA has been my dream school since I began at community college, despite it not even having a proper business school. I am content with UCI, as well. Getting a C in this class would undoubtedly affect my admission to both schools, and I have not done enough planning and research to apply in time to many others.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. Doing so poorly in the class has affected me a lot emotionally, and I truly appreciate any encouraging advice.