Advice please!

[Marsala]

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I am currently retaking microbiology (at Purdue, if that helps). I am also taking 2 other classes (as a grad student). This is in an effort to turn the C that I got originally into an A, and thus (hopefully) 'improve' my application. We are coming up on the first exam. This class is killing me. The guy is a good teacher, and he really knows his stuff, but he is brutal. I don't know if I should drop (hopefully with a W or WP) before the exam and be happy with my C, or hope that the exam isn't as terrible as it seems it will be (all signs point to terrible). The last time I took it, it was team taught by a guy who was dying (seriously-of brain cancer) and another prof. They would stand up in front of class and argue. Completely different format.

I study and study and study (not whining, just fact) and he is one of those profs that requires you to know EVERYTHING down to the last detail (actually taking a break this second from studying). I want to get an A. I don't know if I can.

On one hand, I have a C on my app, and dropping would allow me time to gain experience in a clinic, volunteer, get my pubs written, etc. On the other hand I could grind and try, and I could potentially 'epic fail' (or get a D) and really blow all of the ground I have gained in repairing my app.

Thoughts? Suggestions? 2 cents? I don't know which is worse: the W, or the possibility of irreparable damage.

 

[elefante7]

Go talk to the prof. He is a great guy (I took the course last year) and he will really appreciate your intent to work hard and do well. Also, he might be able to recommend a tutor. Don't give up yet.

 

[Marsala]

We are coming up on the first exam, are they as bad or worse than the in-class quizzes? I have been getting 5s, but I have two 2s mixed in.

 

[sumstorm]

Talk to the prof, then decide. I think taking a class over and getting the same grade or worse will do more damage than withdrawing (because, theoretically, you should already have some level of knowledge of the material.)

 

[elefante7]

I think it is hard to predict exam scores based on 5 point quizzes... Also, I agree with sumstorm. A worse grade would look bad, but I still think you should talk to the prof.

 

[ColoradoDVM]

little known fact: most profs are human beings

 

[Willowhand]

little known fact: most profs are human beings

😱

 

[DexterUGA]

I have talked to professors and they have told me that withdrawing from a class looks really bad because that is just saying you are giving up and quitting. My advice is to talk to the professor, get some tips, talk to classmates and stick it out til the end.

 

[sumstorm]

I have talked to professors and they have told me that withdrawing from a class looks really bad because that is just saying you are giving up and quitting. My advice is to talk to the professor, get some tips, talk to classmates and stick it out til the end.

Difference is the OP has already stuck it out once. So the problem may be the same; if for whatever reason the OP won't be able to improve the grade from the previous course, or worse, drops it lower, the OP needs to drop it. Two reasons, doing worse will make adcoms question whether material was learned or regurgitated for previous classes and because a D may shift that C prereq to an unacceptable D+/C- (depending on the school....and what their limits are or what their grade merging methods are.)

I agree, talk to the prof, ask if there are old exams you can review to see if you can hack the testing style, etc. But then the OP may need to make a decision due to deadlines. There are LOTS of reasons to withdraw from a course that isn't, at this point, required, including changes in life situations and incompatability of teaching/learning styles. As long as the OP handles that reasonably (not blaming, which it sounds like the OP can manage) it will probably be ok.

 

[Lechatnoir]

At all the schools I applied to they included all grades from all courses taken. So if you get an A it will really only average out to be a B with the C you already had. So it really won't change your GPA much even if you do get an A. It looks good that you went back and tried to get a better grade but I think the effect is minimal. It would look better to take a higher level course and get an A in it. Not sure what schools you are looking at but that's how it was for mine. I retook organic and got an A the second time around but it didn't really do much for me.

 

[DVMDream]

I agree with above posters. I would talk to the professor and see if there are any old exam that he does not mind you looking at so you can get a feel for his exam style or see if he can explain things better to you. If not then it would be best to drop the class if you do not feel that you can get an A, and as someone else mentioned an A being averaged out will not boost your GPA a lot. Is there another upper-level class that requires micro as a pre-req that you could take to prove that you can get an A? That would boost your GPA a little bit more and show that you understand the material.

 

[Marsala]

I am looking to see about other upper-level classes. One of the problems with my school is that there is a definite lack of 'applicable' classes (immunology, embryology, etc.), as the biology department here has decided that the only way to go is molecular.

Thanks for all of the replies! I'm going in on Monday to speak with him.