Dropping A Course

[DecisionsOPlenty]

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Hi there. So I'm currently having to make a tough decision and I was just hoping to get some advice or insight.

Background: I'm about a semester away from completing my Associate's at which point I plan to transfer to a State University. I have between a 3.1-3.2 GPA (I know it is weak but I screwed around and I'm working my ass off to fix it) at my last calculation. As a science credit, I'm taking Anatomy and Physiology 2, having already passed Anatomy and Physiology 1.

Issue: The issue is my teacher for the lab portion. I won't go into it much but basically she is very poor at what she does and no one is able to or aren't willing to do anything. Multiple students have gone to the Dean about this teacher. She spends more time in class talking on personal matters (Her chiropractic practice, her other classes, her conferences in Austin, etc.) and less on teaching us. We spent a good portion of one class discussing the effects of sickness on the color of breast milk (with images from her friend's Facebook included). But I digress. The point of the matter is that I have a failing grade at the moment, and after doing some calculations the highest grade possible (If I made 100's on everything in her class and in the lecture portion) I would still only receive a mid-B. Given the unlikeliness, I'd be expecting a C, if that. The class average for the first practical was a 52, and there were no 0's that dropped the average. To contrast that, I made an 85 on the first lecture exam (I'm trying to show that I'm not unintelligent, just poorly taught).

The decision I could use some insight on is if it would benefit me more to drop the course (by dropping the lab portion I'd automatically be booted from the lecture), take the W, and find another science course to fill my requirement, or if I should stick it out and work my ass off and hope for a mid to low B. I realize that Anatomy and Physiology isn't a required course (and that some medical schools discourage it because they want to teach Anatomy their own way) but I wanted to do something besides basic biology or genetics.

Anyways, any advice is appreciated!

 

[JMilo]

First, you would not be dropping, you would be withdrawing. If you think you will end up with a grade worse than a C, you should take the W. A+P will likely be a required course if you pursue a bio degree at the UG you'll transfer to, so keep that in mind and study harder next time. Yes, it is unfair that teachers like this exist, and you've done everything in your power to try to remedy your situation, but at the end of the day you need to be accountable for your own learning. It is easy to dismiss your poor performance on bad teaching...but often times results are dictated by the amount of effort you put in. Judging by this failing grade, and your below average gpa, you should be putting in much more effort. Strive for A's from now on, every B makes med school less of a reality.

 

[DecisionsOPlenty]

First, you would not be dropping, you would be withdrawing. If you think you will end up with a grade worse than a C, you should take the W. A+P will likely be a required course if you pursue a bio degree at the UG you'll transfer to, so keep that in mind and study harder next time. Yes, it is unfair that teachers like this exist, and you've done everything in your power to try to remedy your situation, but at the end of the day you need to be accountable for your own learning. It is easy to dismiss your poor performance on bad teaching...but often times results are dictated by the amount of effort you put in. Judging by this failing grade, and your below average gpa, you should be putting in much more effort. Strive for A's from now on, every B makes med school less of a reality.

I appreciate the response. I think that given my current lab grade (59) which is a bit higher than most of my classmates, that I will at least end up with a mid-low C. Thankfully, Lab is only 40% but it is still doing damage. And I agree that I need to take my learning into my own hands. I meet with my classmates outside of class once a week where we go over material and basically just study for a few hours. I've talked to other teachers in the department and my lecture teacher offered his powerpoints which have been helpful. I realize that my post comes off as a bit "whiny" and I realize that everybody gets dealt a **** hand sometimes, but it really pisses me off that I can't seem to do anything to fix my grade and the school can't/won't do anything to handle the teacher.

Edit: Specified that the grade was lab, not combined lab and lecture.

 

[JMilo]

I appreciate the response. I think that given my current grade (59) which is a bit higher than most of my classmates, that I will at least end up with a mid-low C. Thankfully, Lab is only 40% but it is still doing damage. And I agree that I need to take my learning into my own hands. I meet with my classmates outside of class once a week where we go over material and basically just study for a few hours. I've talked to other teachers in the department and my lecture teacher offered his powerpoints which have been helpful. I realize that my post comes off as a bit "whiny" and I realize that everybody gets dealt a **** hand sometimes, but it really pisses me off that I can't seem to do anything to fix my grade and the school can't/won't do anything to handle the teacher.

Yes...its frustrating, but you've figured it out quick. Good for you. Go to your school's learning center if you continue to struggle, or want more resources.

 

[DecisionsOPlenty]

Yes...its frustrating, but you've figured it out quick. Good for you. Go to your school's learning center if you continue to struggle, or want more resources.

I didn't consider that and definitely will do. If I decide to keep the course, make a high C - low B, do you think tutoring the course would serve as a way to show adcoms that I understand the material even though the grade was sub-par?

 

[JMilo]

I didn't consider that and definitely will do. If I decide to keep the course, make a high C - low B, do you think tutoring the course would serve as a way to show adcoms that I understand the material even though the grade was sub-par?

Don't know about your school, but my UG requires a class grade > 98 to tutor a subject. Regardless, GPA is the best representation of your grasp of the material. Move on and do better next time.

 

[Forever Geebs]

Adcoms aren’t going to take a second glance at a lab grade unless you made a D or F.

Pass it and move on.

Best of luck to you.


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