failing calculus? should i drop it now?

[missyachang]

Hello!

So, I'm a freshmen at UT Austin and I'm currently failing calculus. UT offers 6 total "Qdrops" your whole time at UT which just means that you can drop a class after the add/drop period. However, UT offers one "Post Q drop" your whole time at UT, which basically means that I can take all three exams and see how my grade is after the real Q drop period.

Anyway, I've taken all three calculus exams and I'm pretty sure I just failed it. Overall, that will mean that my test average is a 67. I calculated that it means I will basically need an A on the final to PASS the class with a 71. I'm only taking 13 hours so if I do take this drop then I'll only have 9 hours.... but if I dont' take this drop and do well on the final, I"ll have a C.

I really want to get into dental school, and I'm doing decently okay (A's and one B) in the rest of my classes. Should I go ahead and drop it (it'll show up on my record) or try really hard and just pass?

please help!

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[CedarZ4]

Hello!

So, I'm a freshmen at UT Austin and I'm currently failing calculus. UT offers 6 total "Qdrops" your whole time at UT which just means that you can drop a class after the add/drop period. However, UT offers one "Post Q drop" your whole time at UT, which basically means that I can take all three exams and see how my grade is after the real Q drop period.

Anyway, I've taken all three calculus exams and I'm pretty sure I just failed it. Overall, that will mean that my test average is a 67. I calculated that it means I will basically need an A on the final to PASS the class with a 71. I'm only taking 13 hours so if I do take this drop then I'll only have 9 hours.... but if I dont' take this drop and do well on the final, I"ll have a C.

I really want to get into dental school, and I'm doing decently okay (A's and one B) in the rest of my classes. Should I go ahead and drop it (it'll show up on my record) or try really hard and just pass?

please help!

General consensus seems to be that if you know for a fact you can get at least a C, then stay in it. If getting a C is the BEST you can do and even then you're not sure, drop it like it's hot.

 

[uva09]

Plenty of applicants perform poorly early on in their undergraduate career, demonstrate an eventual upward trend, and experience general success with the admissions process. So first of all, don't panic. You are only a freshman.

That being said, you need to recognize problems early on and correct them early on such that you are not faced with decisions and situations like the one you have presented.

These types of plights can almost always be mitigated well before a student faces any real problems (i.e. dropping a course and having it appear on the transcript or outright failing a class). Advisors and mentors are at your University for a reason. Use them.

If this Calculus class features 3 tests and a final exam - and as you noted - you have taken the 3 primary exams with the conclusion that you are currently failing and on track to fail - you most likely knew there were serious problems long, long ago (immediately after the first exam which probably occurred in September or so). And it's now December. Why has it taken 3 bad test grades for the alarm bells to go off?

You should immediately consult your instructor and your undergraduate/major advisors. Based on their advise, proceed accordingly. Do NOT make decisions based upon SDN or another public forum.

Generally speaking, it would be better to get a passing grade than to drop a class this late and have that fact noted on your official transcript for all to see. This would be especially damaging given that you are not enrolled in a heavy course-load as is. But if you have taken 3 exams and failed or performed exceedingly unsatisfactory on all three, you must ask yourself if you have a realistic chance at then getting an A on the final? And if you do think you can get an A on the final, then you need to reevaluate your work ethic such that this does not happen again.

Good luck.

 

[bumpntrunk]

At this point if you havent gotten an A on any of the exams, it would stand to reason you probably wont on the final either. You could drop it but there is also the option to retake the course and try to do better. You wouldnt be the first person to fail a class and retake it (Hopefully to get an A the second time around).

 

[longhornpride]

Hello!

So, I'm a freshmen at UT Austin and I'm currently failing calculus. UT offers 6 total "Qdrops" your whole time at UT which just means that you can drop a class after the add/drop period. However, UT offers one "Post Q drop" your whole time at UT, which basically means that I can take all three exams and see how my grade is after the real Q drop period.

Anyway, I've taken all three calculus exams and I'm pretty sure I just failed it. Overall, that will mean that my test average is a 67. I calculated that it means I will basically need an A on the final to PASS the class with a 71. I'm only taking 13 hours so if I do take this drop then I'll only have 9 hours.... but if I dont' take this drop and do well on the final, I"ll have a C.

I really want to get into dental school, and I'm doing decently okay (A's and one B) in the rest of my classes. Should I go ahead and drop it (it'll show up on my record) or try really hard and just pass?

please help!

I thought UT offered one drop for freshman without it showing up on your transcript? I'm pretty sure they still allow that so I would check. I had an 6 point curve in first semester calculus (K) and a 9 point curve in 2nd semester calculus (L) so I'm maybe your prof will curve too unless they changed the curriculum for the calculus department at UT. But then again, I took calculus in 2006/2007 so I'm sure it's different now.

Hook 'em

 

[loststudent2019]

Hello!

So, I'm a freshmen at UT Austin and I'm currently failing calculus. UT offers 6 total "Qdrops" your whole time at UT which just means that you can drop a class after the add/drop period. However, UT offers one "Post Q drop" your whole time at UT, which basically means that I can take all three exams and see how my grade is after the real Q drop period.

Anyway, I've taken all three calculus exams and I'm pretty sure I just failed it. Overall, that will mean that my test average is a 67. I calculated that it means I will basically need an A on the final to PASS the class with a 71. I'm only taking 13 hours so if I do take this drop then I'll only have 9 hours.... but if I dont' take this drop and do well on the final, I"ll have a C.

I really want to get into dental school, and I'm doing decently okay (A's and one B) in the rest of my classes. Should I go ahead and drop it (it'll show up on my record) or try really hard and just pass?

please help!

Hi,

I know this question was posted an extremely long time ago, but I'm in the exact same situation as the original poster at the same University. I was wondering what you did, original poster, and how it worked out for you, as well as if anyone had any other advice.

 

[aznriptide859]

Hi,

I know this question was posted an extremely long time ago, but I'm in the exact same situation as the original poster at the same University. I was wondering what you did, original poster, and how it worked out for you, as well as if anyone had any other advice.

OP hasn't been active in 4 years...

 

[catoshiro]

Hi,

I know this question was posted an extremely long time ago, but I'm in the exact same situation as the original poster at the same University. I was wondering what you did, original poster, and how it worked out for you, as well as if anyone had any other advice.

Lucky for you I recently graduated almost same situation. 2 tests and a final. Got B in the first test but absolutely bombed the 2nd one. However the second test as after the regular Qdrop deadline. Ended up OTE dropping it. I was taking ochem at the same time and was also struggling and got a C. I have never been asked about my Q drop for calculus but an interviewer did bring up my C in Ochem. Getting a C in calculus would have significantly brough down my GPA since its 4 credits, so I stuck with the lesser of two evils.

 

[catoshiro]

And I figured out that the professor was my problem. Couldn't jive with her teaching style so I took two semesters before trying calculus again and took it with Miller. Fantastic if you really seek his help, go to discussion, and pay attention in class, aced all the exams. Boosted my BcPm GPA and probably why interviewers never asked me about my math trend.

 

[SXCoronado]

.

 

[loststudent2019]

And I figured out that the professor was my problem. Couldn't jive with her teaching style so I took two semesters before trying calculus again and took it with Miller. Fantastic if you really seek his help, go to discussion, and pay attention in class, aced all the exams. Boosted my BcPm GPA and probably why interviewers never asked me about my math trend.

Thanks for your help! The flipped classroom structure is really causing a problem for me. I made a B on the first test but failed the second one. After doing some self reflection, I've realized that while I may be able to pass my next exam, I would probably not be able to make a high enough score on the final. I'm also taking M408S (Calc II for science majors) and since my major is undeclared (but still in the college of natural sciences), I may end up not needing the class in the future anyway. Will see if I end up needing the OTE.

 

[bjpenn]

I had multiple q drops on my transcript. Drop the course. Don't ruin your gpa.

 

[catoshiro]

Thanks for your help! The flipped classroom structure is really causing a problem for me. I made a B on the first test but failed the second one. After doing some self reflection, I've realized that while I may be able to pass my next exam, I would probably not be able to make a high enough score on the final. I'm also taking M408S (Calc II for science majors) and since my major is undeclared (but still in the college of natural sciences), I may end up not needing the class in the future anyway. Will see if I end up needing the OTE.

Are you doing BA or BS? I did BS and I think most of the tracks required a calc 2.

Oh and if you don't like the flipped model Miller does it. I'm not sure if there's even a calc professor that doesn't use the flipped model anymore. Unless maybe C and D and the upper divisions for math majors.

 

[danchoi03]

I remember I struggled a lot in calculus II and barely made it out alive with a C+. Now looking back, calculus II is so easy for me after several years working as an engineer and passing both PE and FE exams. Working in the industry for several years really help me focus and mature. Therefore, I think you shouldn't blame yourself for not achieving a decent grade in calculus II since it is your first time taking the class. Furthermore, I think you should listen to BJ Penn and drop the class so that your GPA will not be ruined.