So I finished my first semester at 4-year college (Stony Brook), and it was not pretty at all. In addition to a bunch a prereqs I took, I also took on a Computer Science I course, wanting to double major in Computer Science and Applied Math, instead of an easier Intro to Computers course that was listed as an advisory prerequisite despite me not having any real programming experience. Despite my occasionally getting frustrated with assignments at several points throughout the class, I stuck out with the class instead of dropping out or withdrawing, thinking I would get the hang of it. And here I am now, with a 2.7 GPA, having gotten a C- in Computer Science I and a C in Linear Algebra.
I had actually been doing well in Linear Algebra, but the pressure of its final being right after my Computer Science final just completely crushed me, as I had failed the 2nd exam for Computer Science and was really hoping to nail the final, and I just ended up doing horribly on the Linear Algebra final, as well on the Computer Science final even though I left that exam feeling pretty good about it. I did have issues with sleep and getting up at the right time, which resulted in me missing a ~5 - 6 lectures for Physics, but besides that, it’s such a big blow to me. My parents have constantly lectured me about this since I came home, and I feel like I’ve let so many down, considering I’m in the marching band at college, and I was the kid who took honors/AP classes back in high school. The worst thing about it is that I actually had dreams of transferring to a better college like Michigan, but right now I don’t even know what’s going to happen to me in terms of just being able to get a job after college.
You’re a first semester freshman with a 2.7 GPA (not terrible, certainly not failing) and at least seven semesters to raise your grades. You go to a top 30 school for your major and participate in extracurriculars. This is not the worst start to college, not by a long shot.
College is often much harder than high school. Get used to it, learn from this semester, and do better in spring. Reevaluate your major if you think you’d be more successful in another field, or just power through your current one.
Linear Algebra is challenging for a freshman! I would think that would be a junior/senior course.
Focus on academics…
See how it goes next semester without marching band…
Go to Professor’s office hours early in the semester. Ask this question: “I know this is a really difficult class-- what are some of the common mistakes students make and how can I avoid them?”
If you have problems with the homework, go to Prof’s office hours. If they have any “help sessions” or “study sessions” or “recitations” or any thing extra, go to them.
Form a study group with other kids in your dorm/class.
Don’t do the minimum…for STEM classes do extra problems. You can buy books that just have problems for calculus or physics or whatever. Watch videos on line about the topic you are studying.
Go to the writing center if you need help with papers/math center for math problems (if they have them)
If things still are not going well, get a tutor.
Read this book: How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less by Cal Newport. It helps you with things like time management and how to figure out what to write about for a paper, etc.
Take freshman classes! You don’t get a prize for taking advanced classes and not doing well in them. Take pre-requisites!!!
Yes, that’s actually what I was planning. My next semester schedule is all pre-reqs and I’m retaking Computer Science I and Intro to Computers (the advisory prerequisite). I’m on the waitlist for Computer Science I so we’ll see what happens for that… Hopefully next semester I get a really high GPA since I need a 3.0 cumulative to keep scholarships
Oh please, you aren’t the “worst start to college” by far.
Be happy you got a 2.7 GPA and improve on it.
There are people in far worse situations than you. Your situation is totally recoverable.
If your parents get disappointed, ask what they would want to see for your GPA, and focus on getting there.
College is a full-time job, you should be spending at least 40 hours per week between classes, studying, and homework. And band is extra, not part of the 40 hours per week.
I am a computer science major, and I just talked with my parents about it. They did mention internships, which makes me more nervous as I’m wondering how bad my chances for internships are screwed up for the future. What’s more is that the C- and the C are on my transcript, even if I retake those classes…
Did you learn? Did you pass at a level adequate to be allowed to move on to the next set of courses? Do you understand where you messed up time management wise so that you can fix it next semester? Your life is not ruined by a 2.7, especially if you can answer yes to all of the above questions. Learning to do college and life on your own is hard, but you can get better at it.
2.7 is roughly the average freshman GPA at almost any engineering school. You’re only a first semester freshman, so a 2.7 is not unrecoverable. If you do want to do CS, you are going to want to have an overall GPA of at least a 3.0, otherwise you will be shut out of most CS job opportunities.
@bordertexan I heard MIT is not true pass/fail. The instructors still submit actual letter grades. While what shows up on your transcript may be a P or F, the actual letter grade is still in their records. If you apply to graduate or professional school, they could potentially require you to ask MIT to uncover the actual grades on the transcript sent to them.