I’ve lately been getting really worried about my undergraduate academic career and would like to hear what others have to say about my situation. I transferred from a community college this fall to a four-year university to complete a Bachelor’s program in Mechanical Engineering. I came here with a 3.6 cumulative GPA in my associate’s degree in Math & Science. I had taken Calc 1-3, Differential Equations, Engineering Physics 1 & 2, Inorganic Chem, as well as a few Engineering electives, all at a community college. Needless to say, I’ve been an extremely diligent student when it comes to studying and budgeting time during my entire undergrad career. This is why I had a 3.6 cumulative GPA. I don’t party, and I don’t do anything stupid. I’m also not someone who can get through engineering without busting their tail, but in the past, when I’ve worked hard, I’ve always done well. I got back my midterm grades about a month ago and they were the lowest grades I ever received in college. I had one A, two B’s, two C’s and one D. I’m only taking 15 credits right now (I got through a 17 credit semester and did better than this), and I didn’t think the mixture of sophomore and junior level engineering courses would provide such a challenge greater than that which I had already taken on. Some of my courses have improved somewhat over the course of the semester, but I am nowhere near where I would typically be at this point in a semester. I’ve never even received a C in college before.
I’ve been wondering why this is happening. I’ve heard about transfer shock, but I haven’t heard of it affecting somebody on this large of a scale. I’ve heard of GPA’s dipping the first semester after a transfer, but I’m looking at a dip of 0.7-1, meaning I probably won’t even break a 3.0 this semester. That puts me below “average”, and that sucks, particularly for somebody who has busted their tail throughout college and done really well. If anybody has any ideas or suggestions, I would like to hear them. Does this happen to everybody at some point in engineering, or is it just because I’m a transfer student? Or should I not be studying engineering? I want the possibility of going to grad school some day, and I know that will never happen with a sub 3.0 GPA.
Have you gone to your TAs and/or professors to figure out what you can do to improve? That can be very useful. Also, have you been going to study sessions? Have they helped pintpoint what you aren’t getting? Do you have a study group? Our S was an engineering major and really felt it was important to have a study group even though he had never had one before in his life–he bought several chairs so his place had the most chairs so they’d have the study group at his place. I’d go and talk with the TAs and professors and ask them what you can do at this point and if you may be able to drop the class you’re getting a D in to retake it.
How do the courses you took at cc compare with the courses kids took freshman and soph year at the new college? Are you as prepared for junior courses as they are? Junior year is just when the intensity of a major picks up. You need to start, imo, with your academic advisor. Compare your prep with the others.
And, this may be a much harder college than your cc, more competitive peers, a higher bar. In that case, yes, you wil need to get to study sessions, prof office hours, and more. After speaking with the advisor, look into Academic Support services. (These positive steps to recognize the problem and improve are self-advocating. A good life lesson.)
But yes, you’re still adusting. Get the assistance you need. Best to you.
It’s possible that your current college is more rigorous. I took calc 1 and 3 at a university and calc 2 at a cc using the same book. I got an A in the cc class but not in the others. For homework in the cc class we were only assigned the easier questions at the end of each chapter. Of course another hypothesis is that the instructor was better at the cc and that was a small class rather than the 200+.
Just keep working, ask for help, and you will get the hang of things.
It’s just really strange to go from an above-average student to a below-average student. I almost feel that the work I’m putting in is worthless, since I’m not getting grades that are reflecting the work I’m putting in. I’ve been asking for help and seeing professors, academic coaches. The academic coach actually said I’d had some of the highest grades she’d seen all day for students that were coming in to see her (she’d said she had students failing almost all of their classes). I guess this is good for me, but I feel very lost, particularly in my statics course.
Tbh, you may have gotten an inflated idea of what level you were at from the CC. It also sound like you are getting about an average GPA for engineering at the new school. I transferred from an ordinary school to a top 30 one, and my GPA went way down, which didn’t really bother me.