Dropping a Class

[RackingHorse]

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I need some advice about possibly dropping General Chem 1. Unfortunately, before I transferred to the institution that I am currently attending, I was not able to meet with my actual advisor. After meeting with my advisor for the first time yesterday, she told me that she, and the other advisors in the department advise all the students to take their chemistry classes elsewhere. According to my advisor, the chemistry department here is not known for their teaching ability and fail or barely pass the majority of students. So far this semester, I have passed all the labs with A's, but not so on the tests. The first test I passed with a 75 and the second one I am ashamed to say what I made on it. So my question is, should I drop this class and take it this summer elsewhere? Will vet school look negatively at one W on my transcript? At this point in the game I feel like I will do well to come out of the class with a C, and I am usually an A or B student.

 

[StartingoverVet]

I need some advice about possibly dropping General Chem 1. Unfortunately, before I transferred to the institution that I am currently attending, I was not able to meet with my actual advisor. After meeting with my advisor for the first time yesterday, she told me that she, and the other advisors in the department advise all the students to take their chemistry classes elsewhere. According to my advisor, the chemistry department here is not known for their teaching ability and fail or barely pass the majority of students. So far this semester, I have passed all the labs with A's, but not so on the tests. The first test I passed with a 75 and the second one I am ashamed to say what I made on it. So my question is, should I drop this class and take it this summer elsewhere? Will vet school look negatively at one W on my transcript? At this point in the game I feel like I will do well to come out of the class with a C, and I am usually an A or B student.

Neither one C nor one W will matter in the long run. I would focus on whether you feel you are deficient in Chem at this point. Basic chemistry concepts (especially acid-base stuff) will come up over and over and over in your science classes. Make sure you are not setting yourself up for more trouble in the future. Ignore the grade either way (as long as you can pass)

 

[Virginger]

I need some advice about possibly dropping General Chem 1. Unfortunately, before I transferred to the institution that I am currently attending, I was not able to meet with my actual advisor. After meeting with my advisor for the first time yesterday, she told me that she, and the other advisors in the department advise all the students to take their chemistry classes elsewhere. According to my advisor, the chemistry department here is not known for their teaching ability and fail or barely pass the majority of students. So far this semester, I have passed all the labs with A's, but not so on the tests. The first test I passed with a 75 and the second one I am ashamed to say what I made on it. So my question is, should I drop this class and take it this summer elsewhere? Will vet school look negatively at one W on my transcript? At this point in the game I feel like I will do well to come out of the class with a C, and I am usually an A or B student.

My question is how are you with math and physics?? I have gotten a couple C's in some core science classes (physics, and then B's in chemistry) and I think that has really hurt my application. My personal opinion is that it will be much harder to bounce back from a low grade then explain why you have a "W" on your transcript. ... just dont make it a habit to withdraw and make sure you pick courses with good teachers in the future.

 

[RackingHorse]

My question is how are you with math and physics?? I have gotten a couple C's in some core science classes (physics, and then B's in chemistry) and I think that has really hurt my application. My personal opinion is that it will be much harder to bounce back from a low grade then explain why you have a "W" on your transcript. ... just dont make it a habit to withdraw and make sure you pick courses with good teachers in the future.

I have not started physics yet, the plan is to start them this this coming spring. I do struggle with math, however if I work at it at I can do good. I made an A in algebra last semester. This chemistry class is about to drive me insane. I study my head off every day and then make a low grade on the tests. From what I gather from everyone I have talked to, they pretty much want you to fail chemistry here lol.

 

[breenie]

At my undergrad, the averages for exams were usually in the 60's, and the course was eventually curved

The profs and TA's acted like they wouldn't curve anything all semester, but curved the class average to a high C/low B every time.

A lot of people were convinced that half the class was going to fail, though, and refused to believe that this is not standard policy for large academic institutions...

Don't know if this is a possibility at your university, but is there a certain amount of "hype" that goes along with these freshman courses? Do you know what the class averages have been on the exams?

 

[RackingHorse]

At my undergrad, the averages for exams were usually in the 60's, and the course was eventually curved

The profs and TA's acted like they wouldn't curve anything all semester, but curved the class average to a high C/low B every time.

A lot of people were convinced that half the class was going to fail, though, and refused to believe that this is not standard policy for large academic institutions...

Don't know if this is a possibility at your university, but is there a certain amount of "hype" that goes along with these freshman courses? Do you know what the class averages have been on the exams?

The instructor does not make class averages available. But, from the emails I have received from the TA, and comments I have heard from other students the scores are not that great.

 

[Emiloo4]

My question is how are you with math and physics?? I have gotten a couple C's in some core science classes (physics, and then B's in chemistry) and I think that has really hurt my application. My personal opinion is that it will be much harder to bounce back from a low grade then explain why you have a "W" on your transcript. ... just dont make it a habit to withdraw and make sure you pick courses with good teachers in the future.

I'm going to agree and disagree here....
I had a few C's on my transcript, and only one "W" and was asked by several schools about the W, and never once about C's.
However, the classes I got C's in, I received much higher grades when I took the second half of them (Calc 1, C+ and Calc 2, A-) for example. So maybe that's why they didn't ask.
But if this professor truly isn't teaching you well enough to get a better grade in Chem 2 than Chem 1, then it will look as though you are simply not good at Chemistry which will then show negatively on your transcript.

 

[bigkittinteef]

I had 2 Ws and made a point of explaining them in the VMCAS explanation section. No one asked me about them because my grades after that point were very good. It didn't end up causing me trouble in the application process at all.

If you think you can get a C or better (talk to the teacher and find out what can be done or see where you stand?) then I'd stick with it. If you think you'll fail the class, maybe you should consider a W as long as you can come up with a good explanation. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Trematode]

I took three chemistry classes where the class average for tests were 50s or 60s. No scaling at all. I had no access to tutors. I did not realize I was allowed to drop a course without it negatively impacting my vet school application. Staying in those classes really hurt my chances of getting into vet school. Those grades are responsible for me not having a high enough average to get an interview. I am stuck taking upper level chemistry classes to make up for it. Even though I have a great prof, it is still difficult to wrap my head around some of the concepts because of the way it was presented to me in undergrad.

I do not know how far into school you are, but if you are only first year, I do not see the harm in taking it a little later at a different institution. Make sure you have tutors if you find yourself having difficulty.

I am a biology major. Basic chemistry concepts (acid-base reactions, pka, all that stuff I cannot remember) never reared its head in any of my biology courses. A little bit of organic chemistry appeared. I guess it all depends what you are taking and what the difficulty level of your undergrad institution is.

 

[RackingHorse]

Thanks for the replies. I am thinking if I can pull a C in it maybe I shouldn't drop it. I think I will meet with my advisor again next week to see what she thinks.

 

[bunnity]

I am a biology major. Basic chemistry concepts (acid-base reactions, pka, all that stuff I cannot remember) never reared its head in any of my biology courses. A little bit of organic chemistry appeared. I guess it all depends what you are taking and what the difficulty level of your undergrad institution is.

Acid-base and pKa are huge in vet school - just so you know.

 

[RackingHorse]

The acid base part doesn't throw me. It's the math and all the exceptions to the general rules that are driving me crazy.

 

[Trematode]

Acid-base and pKa are huge in vet school - just so you know.

I was not specifying vet school. I was just saying that waiting a little bit to take general chemistry should not kill the OP in undergrad 😛.

 

[dvmdreamer]

I am a biology major. Basic chemistry concepts (acid-base reactions, pka, all that stuff I cannot remember) never reared its head in any of my biology courses. A little bit of organic chemistry appeared.

Really? I have a hard time with this too (I'm a physics girl). It appeared in Microbiology in a big way. And Cell bio. And biochem too, of course.

I can't say how things will look to vet schools, but to the OP, make sure you understand Chem. As someone who struggles with chem, I can say from experience it will come back to kick you in the behind if you try to simply make it through gen chem and organic. So I would make that my priority to be certain you really understand the material. Its going to look better for to withdraw now (or get a c for that matter) than it will in an upper level class.

 

[libster06]

My question is how are you with math and physics?? I have gotten a couple C's in some core science classes (physics, and then B's in chemistry) and I think that has really hurt my application. My personal opinion is that it will be much harder to bounce back from a low grade then explain why you have a "W" on your transcript. ... just dont make it a habit to withdraw and make sure you pick courses with good teachers in the future.

I got a C in organic II. I was never questioned about it in admissions. Why? It was my only C on my application.

Having a C on your transcript doesn't make much of a hill of beans with admissions. Having a W doesn't either. Multiple C's, especially in core science (or even upper level non-core ones) AND/OR W's will hurt anyone's application. If you drop out now and take the W, and then take the rest of the required Chem elsewhere, it won't stand out or hinder you on the application. One or two W's can be justified... if you decided to keep it up where your at and ended up dropping out of several science classes and taking W's it would be just as risky.

....However, one question I would pose to the OP is that if you're already having this kind of issue just with Gen Chem ONE, I don't know how well you'll fare in higher levels of Chemistry. Physics isn't a cake walk either. They may be right in advising you to go elsewhere for the classes, but I'm afraid that if you're really struggling to pass the basic level now, going somewhere else won't necessarily solve your problems. It's only going to get more difficult, regardless of where you take it. So, I would just try to somehow evaluate yourself in regard to that, because Chem/Physics/science classes hold a lot of weight, obviously.