Dropping Bio Lab Good Idea?

[Doctormo24]

Hey All

I am taking the Biology 1 Lab. My TA is really tough, we have quizzes every time we meet, and those quizzes are extremely tough. I study and study and yet dont do that well. Other TAs give bonus questions and multiple choice but in my lab we have only 10 questions and thats it, no multiple choice, its write in. I am really worried that I may not do good so I was thinking of dropping it. Is it a good idea to drop it? Won't med schools look at this drop as a sign of weakness maybe. I've already dropped 2 classes a year ago, Chem and Math, and now I may have to drop this. Someone help me out with some info on what to do.
Thanks

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[75969]

Hey All

I am taking the Biology 1 Lab. My TA is really tough, we have quizzes every time we meet, and those quizzes are extremely tough. I study and study and yet dont do that well. Other TAs give bonus questions and multiple choice but in my lab we have only 10 questions and thats it, no multiple choice, its write in. I am really worried that I may not do good so I was thinking of dropping it. Is it a good idea to drop it? Won't med schools look at this drop as a sign of weakness maybe. I've already dropped 2 classes a year ago, Chem and Math, and now I may have to drop this. Someone help me out with some info on what to do.
Thanks

What % of your final grade are the quizzes worth?

What do you consider as "not do good"?

Try to think of the quiz as a game, what does it seem to contain? Information about the lab you are doing? The previous lab? Try to predict what will be asked...

I would try to not drop it... I think of drop = failing...

 

[Doctormo24]

Here is the breakdown of our grades:

Quizzes: 35%,

Practical Exams (MT 15%, F 15%): 30%

Lab Reports (10% for each report): 20%

Notebook: 10%

Group Cooperation: 5%.

Total = 100%

We have 10 questions on the quizzes. 5 from previous lab, and 5 from this weeks lab. I dont want to drop it at all. I am gonna try my best. We have our midterm on the 20th of October so I will see how I do on that and then what to do from there.

 

[WhatUpDoc!]

DON'T DO IT!!! It may seem like the thing to do now and trust me... I've been there, but it comes back to bite you in the ass later. I've had my fair share of horrible TA's and if I would have dropped because of that, then I'd probably be graduating sometime next decade. Stick it out. Pay attention to what and how the TA is asking questions on the quiz. Teachers/TA's don't change their formula much, so if you figure them out, you're good to go for the rest of the semester. Are you reading over lab materials thoroughlly? Have you gone to your lecture teacher. When my Organic Chem lab TA started trippin... I went to my Organic lecture professor and he pretty much gave me answers to assingments/study tips/and other useful information that allowed me to one up my crazy ass TA. In the end, dropping classes only puts you further behind and it will leave you taking a horrific amount of credits during your junior/senior years if you are not careful. So again, my expert opinion is DO NOT DROP!!!!! But you know your situation better than I do, so if you absolutely have to do it, than make sure you plan ahead so you know how it will affect your overall course load in the future.

 

[63768]

don't drop it. you gotta learn to deal with a lot of work and studying at some point.

 

[IgweEmeka]

don't drop it. you gotta learn to deal with a lot of work and studying at some point.

I don't think the OP mentioned anything about having a hard time dealing with lots of work and studying....why do people on here constantly feel the need to confront and bring people down with wise a$$ comments like yours. Answer the question or shut the fock up.

To the OP...I don't think med schools know when you drop a class or not...unless it is written on your transcripts or something. In regards to the TA...some TA's have serious power trips, just go to the class coordinator or professor and find out if all the different sections are scaled to make the quiz grades more even. Otherwise, look at your future schedule...is it possible to take it over the summer? If so, drop it and take it then...summer classes tend to be more relaxed and you would have more time to dedicate incase you get unlucky twice with another bad TA.
Goodluck

 

[Kimka83]

Dropping a class during your school's drop/add time doesn't count against you! But withdrawing after the last day to drop a class really isn't a good idea unless there are specieal circumstances.

 

[75969]

Here is the breakdown of our grades:

Quizzes: 35%,

Practical Exams (MT 15%, F 15%): 30%

Lab Reports (10% for each report): 20%

Notebook: 10%

Group Cooperation: 5%.

Total = 100%

We have 10 questions on the quizzes. 5 from previous lab, and 5 from this weeks lab. I dont want to drop it at all. I am gonna try my best. We have our midterm on the 20th of October so I will see how I do on that and then what to do from there.

From that, you are 'guaranteed' 15% (NB/Coop), and a good percent of the 20% from lab reports...just make sure you put EVERYTHING possible in the reports. G'luck with the tests/quizzes....

Also, remember that a TA is a grad student (some of which will want to help, and some that will want to have the 'power' to make you stress)....if all else fails, I would go directly to the TA and explain that you are studying a lot and not doing as well as you know you can, and that you are concerned (go looking for help---not attacking the format of the class). If that doesnt work, go to the professor in charge of the labs and ask him/her for help.

In future classes, try to befriend (not suck-up to) your TA the first few weeks, if they like (or know!) you, they will be much more willing to help.

 

[maxflash04]

I don't think the OP mentioned anything about having a hard time dealing with lots of work and studying....why do people on here constantly feel the need to confront and bring people down with wise a$$ comments like yours. Answer the question or shut the fock up.

To the OP...I don't think med schools know when you drop a class or not...unless it is written on your transcripts or something. In regards to the TA...some TA's have serious power trips, just go to the class coordinator or professor and find out if all the different sections are scaled to make the quiz grades more even. Otherwise, look at your future schedule...is it possible to take it over the summer? If so, drop it and take it then...summer classes tend to be more relaxed and you would have more time to dedicate incase you get unlucky twice with another bad TA.
Goodluck

I could have sworn the OP said something about studying all of the time and still failing the quizzes. Anyway, it seems the OP is trying to find an easier TA which ultimately means easier work. The easy way out isn't always the best. I'm going out on a limb here but considering your name has *doctor* in it, you're posting on a pre-medical forum, etc. I can only assume you're a pre-med, as well? If not, then ignore my last comment: If BIO 1 lab quizzes are too hard to pass even though you study for them then you have to face reality and accept the fact that it's not going to get any easier; keep studying, go to open labs, speak with your lab TA about how you feel, etc. I mean, if you're in organic chemistry and some of your friends say they're class is easier, their labs consist of only multiple choice questions, etc. are you going to drop that too? Toughen it out.

As for IgweEmeka, do you think your response helped any? Nobody's response to the OP was disrespectful, but I'll tell you what is, cussing (even though you changed the words and added symbols *lol*). By the way, dropped classes do show on your transcript.

max

 

[Doctormo24]

Would it be better to drop it and re-take it next semester or receive a C in the lab?

 

[WhatUpDoc!]

Would it be better to drop it and re-take it next semester or receive a C in the lab?

Avoid C's like the plague, on the other hand, if you drop and take it next semester only to end up in the same predicament, then you're only hurting yourself in the long run. Choose wisely my son

 

[coral]

Do you know if your section's scores are normalized versus the other lab sections? I had a similar situation with an Ochem lab and a super anal TA but it didn't matter that other sections were easier because I was only "competing" against my classmates in lab. Oh, and those ridiculous quizzes really helped when it came to the midterm and final, so really it might help you in the end. If your midterm isn't beyond the drop date I'd definitely take it and see how you feel Good luck.

 

[themadchemist]

I could have sworn the OP said something about studying all of the time and still failing the quizzes. Anyway, it seems the OP is trying to find an easier TA which ultimately means easier work. The easy way out isn't always the best. I'm going out on a limb here but considering your name has *doctor* in it, you're posting on a pre-medical forum, etc. I can only assume you're a pre-med, as well? If not, then ignore my last comment: If BIO 1 lab quizzes are too hard to pass even though you study for them then you have to face reality and accept the fact that it's not going to get any easier; keep studying, go to open labs, speak with your lab TA about how you feel, etc. I mean, if you're in organic chemistry and some of your friends say they're class is easier, their labs consist of only multiple choice questions, etc. are you going to drop that too? Toughen it out.

What I think bothers Igwe, and what's bothering me now, is this self-righteousness. There are always people who jump into these "Should I drop threads?" with the same comments that "oh, life is tough, deal with it." I fail to understand why every single thing a person does has to be a life lesson geared towards understanding what it will be like to be a doctor. Branch out folks, there's more to life than being a pre-med and one of the most annoying things about these forums is that you can find a person who knows the match list at Harvard, but who has no idea who Harriet Miers is.

So first, life isn't all about being pre-med and all about understanding what it is to be a doctor, and it's also not all about submitting yourself to unnecessary suffering. The most important thing is to work smart, not always hard. You and others seem to be telling the OP that if his car is driving into a brick wall and he wants to make a turn, he shouldn't. Keep driving into that wall, because the damage you take will be like the emotional damage of residency.

Why?!

Maybe I'm cynical, but a big portion of what college is about is a game. It's a game to get out of there with the best grades possible, because for many classes, all that you'll keep are the grades, certainly not what you learned. I think that's very true of lab courses, for example.

So if it's not going to appear on the transcript and it's advantageous to take it later (someone did make a good point about stuffing lots of things into junior and senior year, but the OP will have to weigh his/her options there), then do so.

Play the game. Get the grade. Get where you want to go. If you constantly try to take the path of greatest resistance so that you'll find out what it's like to be a doctor, you may never end up one.

By the way, dropped classes do show on your transcript.

max

At my university, they don't show up if you drop before the drop deadline. I've done it plenty of times as I shuffled around classes the first week to figure out which ones I want to take.

 

[Uncle_Tbag]

Every school has a certain window in which you can drop classes without them showing on your t-script, I believe the window is two or three weeks usually. After that it's a big ugly W, which you want to avoid if at all possible.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

i am not sure how it is in your school but i need to pass labs to pass the class. i think you can pass the lab and fail the class and you won't have to retake the lab, but if you fail the lab you fail the class.

 

[Em1]

themadchemist,

THANK YOU!!!!! I'm a 4th year and currently applying to med schools, but that wasn't my intention at all when I started undergrad (I was thinking more along the lines of bio research). I absolutely hated being around people in my bio classes who had the attitude of "the only reason I'm here is to get to med school" like undergrad was beneath them or something.

Enjoy undergrad. It's fun while it lasts, or at least a good chunk of it is. Sure, you have to work hard to get out and do well and at times your life will suck, but enjoy it for what it is, which is WAY more than just a roadblock on the way to med school. Take electives not b/c they would look good, but b/c you think they'd be interesting. And HAVE A LIFE!

Okay, I'm done ranting.

To the OP, the advice given so far has been pretty good, so I'm not gonna repeat it. But do double and triple check whether you'll get a W on your transcript before you make a decision. It's already halfway through the semester, so I'm betting there will be a W at this point.

 

[Doctormo24]

I go to Florida Intertional University, and over here when we drop a class we get the grade of a DR (DROPPED). Is that better than a BIG OLD W or JUST ABOUT THE SAME?

 

[DrBowtie]

DR=W
W=withdrew

 

[little_late_MD]

I go to Florida Intertional University, and over here when we drop a class we get the grade of a DR (DROPPED). Is that better than a BIG OLD W or JUST ABOUT THE SAME?

That's harsh. Doesn't FIU have an add/drop period? Check your unofficial transcript and see if the DRs show up there. I can imagine that some student's transcripts would be a mess of adds and drops. I would drop and pick up classes almost every add/drop period. That's what it's for.

 

[DrBowtie]

That's harsh. Doesn't FIU have an add/drop period? Check your unofficial transcript and see if the DRs show up there. I can imagine that some student's transcripts would be a mess of adds and drops. I would drop and pick up classes almost every add/drop period. That's what it's for.

How late does your drop add go?
Ours is the first week, then only drop til like mid semester for a W.

 

[Doctormo24]

AT FIU, you can drop a class with no penalty etc. for the first week. Now, we have until November 3. to drop a class for a DR grade. I think I will take the DR instead of an F. I thought the lab would be easy, not easy easy, but modest, but my TA makes it so hard. In class he tells us that he makes it hard cause we are the future MD's OT's, PT's, and PA's and if we make a mistake then that we could lose our license etc. Our quizzes our very difficuly and very detailed. This is Bio 1, its just the beginning, I dont know why it has to be this hard. ARGHHH!!! I am getting so frustrated because its gonna look really bad to ADCOMS that I had to drop BIO 1 LAB.

 

[DrBowtie]

Actually I think I had to work the hardest in Bio Lab out of all of my pre-reqs. Wouldn't have predicted that before college.

 

[Will Hunting]

Actually I think I had to work the hardest in Bio Lab out of all of my pre-reqs. Wouldn't have predicted that before college.

same, bio lab was a horrible.