Getting a withdrawal from a class I did poorly in?

[Anthony T]

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I went to a 4-year institution for my first semester, but was unsure of which medical profession I wanted to major in, so I just took 13 credits (about 5 classes).

Due to the high cost of that school, and not knowing what I wanted to do, I transferred to a local CC for my 2nd semester, again taking 13 credits (this time only 4 classes).

In Pre-Calc (Math is my hardest subject) my professor said if we get less than whatever grade we want, she will give us a withdrawal. I said that if I got less than a "C" I would like to be withdrawn from the class so that a D or F would not show up on my transcript, and I could just re-take the class.

Is the withdrawal a good idea or not?

 

[IrishRxMan]

I must not have completely understood your question on the other thread. I thought you were saying if you got a C you would want the W. Either a W, D or F isn't good on your transcript, but a W is easier to deal with and explain. It doesn't show when you took the W on your transcript, just that you were given it for a course. If you do take the W, be prepared to explain it in an interview and for the next time you take the course do as much as you can to do well in it. I don't know how CCs are in your area, but where I live they have free tutoring for math. I would definitely use this resource and go to talk with the prof regularly to see if there's something he or she can tell you that will help in their class.

 

[IrishRxMan]

To answer your question from the previous post, a C is better than a W. Obviously you want to get higher grades, but one C isn't going to kill you. Take the C and eat, sleep and breathe Cal 1 when you take it so you get a higher grade. As a parting thought, I felt that Cal 1 was way easier than Pre-Cal. I didn't need any help figuring it out. It may have been the professor explaining things well, so if you need help don't hesitate to get it at the first sign of trouble.

 

[pavouaxiong]

I was in the same situation when I took my third semester of Calculus (3D Calc with vectors) and was doing poorly in the class even though I went to class everyday and did the homework. The day before the final, I went to talk to my professor about my options. I had a C going into the finals and I didnt want to have any C's on my transcript. All semester long, I struggled through the class and still didnt understand what was going on in class. I told him that I was not going to take the final and for him to just give me a "W". My professor told me to not lose hope go ahead and take the final the next day even if I have very little hopes of getting a B in the class.

I took the final, but I do not know how well I did on it. My professor was generous enough to give me a B in the class.

Note: During that semester, I was also taking two hard science courses: 2nd semester general biology and 2nd semester general chemistry. I did not devote as much time as I wanted towards Calculus as I should have.

Good Luck on urs!!!

 

[Anthony T]

Does a "W" actually show up on your transcript? I thought it only shows up if you "drop" a class.

Also, I am now done with my first year of college and haven't taken any science courses yet. How many should I take at the same time next semester?

These are the courses I have taken so far:

Freshman Seminar
General Psychology
Abnormal Psychology
English 1
English 2
College Algebra & Trigonometry
Pre-Calculus
Microecomomics

 

[IrishRxMan]

I'm assuming that the W you were speaking of means withdrawn. You were registered for the course, so something has to go in on your transcripts showing the result of the course. A drop is the same thing, you withdrew from the course.

If you're going for pharmacy, you need to start taking sciences ASAP. You will have to take general biology 1 and general chem 1. Look at whatever schools you are interested in going to for what other pre-requisite courses you need to take. For sure, every pharmacy school will require those two.

 

[255942]

Does a "W" actually show up on your transcript? I thought it only shows up if you "drop" a class.

Also, I am now done with my first year of college and haven't taken any science courses yet. How many should I take at the same time next semester?

These are the courses I have taken so far:

Freshman Seminar
General Psychology
Abnormal Psychology
English 1
English 2
College Algebra & Trigonometry
Pre-Calculus
Microecomomics

Yes, we will see a W.

As far as courses go, you will want to get GenChem done asap so you can schedule Orgo.

 

[xtsukiyox]

I second the above comment that Pre-Calc was harder than Calc I. If you have the option, and the schools you're going to will accept it, you may consider Brief Calc. The one thing I wish someone would have told me before Calc I - brush up on your Trig before you go. (At least know the definition of sine, cosine, etc, and remember SOH CAH TOA.) Don't worry if other people seem to work with them much quicker than you do. I'm very slow at Trig (I didn't memorize shortcuts like other people), so I sometimes had to figure things out after class. Your teacher will be a valuable resource and will usually slow down and explain things to you when given an opportunity (such as an open-door office hour).

Just as an opinion on scheduling - if you can stomach it, try taking Bio I & Gen Chem I ASAP. You will need Organic Chem I & II, which has a prereq of Gen Chem I & II. Also, you will most likely need Microbiology as well as Anatomy & Physiology I & II, both of which have a prereq of Bio I where I'm going to school.

I would highly recommend looking at what schools you would potentially like to go to (are you going to apply to a local school? If not, do you have your eyes on another one?) and get a copy of their current Pre-pharm requirements. Also, figure out whether you are going to get through Pre-pharm in 2 years, or whether it will take longer (I work full time, so it's taking me several years to finish, as full time school isn't an option for me at this point - it will be when I get to Pharm school).

If your goal is to finish in two years, look to see what classes have prerequisites, then map them out that way. Ideally, you would take Gen Chem I -> Gen Chem II -> O Chem I -> O Chem II, as an example, and your Biology series concurrently. This will help you figure out how many classes you HAVE to take per semester to finish within your goal. Fill in your other classes around your sciences. A word of advice - I wouldn't try taking O Chem alongside Calc, so I would suggest getting Calc out of the way first year. Try the schedule for a semester and see if you can handle it.

Your academic advisor can also help you make a plan for your classes. Be sure to have the Pre-pharm requirements on hand when you walk in for your appointment, especially at a community college, as they will probably not know. If possible, figure out what the course equivalents are to your college, especially with out of state schools, before your appointment. The school you're looking to transfer to can be of help in figuring this out (since they will ultimately be the ones taking your credits).

 

[xiggy99]

"I took the final, but I do not know how well I did on it. My professor was generous enough to give me a B in the class.

Note: During that semester, I was also taking two hard science courses: 2nd semester general biology and 2nd semester general chemistry. I did not devote as much time as I wanted towards Calculus as I should have.

Good Luck on urs!!! "

WHAT!!!!!???😡 how the hell is that right? people like be trying to struggle to get a B and end up with C's, with no mercy from professors, even when working hard...then someone else from another school gets connections with the prof and get a good grade!!🙁 NOT FAIR AT ALL!!!!

 

[IrishRxMan]

WHAT!!!!!???😡 how the hell is that right? people like be trying to struggle to get a B and end up with C's, with no mercy from professors, even when working hard...then someone else from another school gets connections with the prof and get a good grade!!🙁 NOT FAIR AT ALL!!!!

Life is not fair. However, the person that posted that didn't say if they had a 70 or a 79 going into the final, so it's impossible to know that they got some miracle light shine upon them. Also, you don't know how much weight was put on the final. They could also have blown the final away enough to almost have gotten an A in the course depending on how much it counted. That being said, people are always going to be getting breaks that you don't get. You can't spend your time complaining about how someone got something you didn't. Go out and try to get something for yourself because things won't come your way without a little effort. I don't mean to be harsh, it's just the way of the world.

 

[pavouaxiong]

Life is not fair. However, the person that posted that didn't say if they had a 70 or a 79 going into the final, so it's impossible to know that they got some miracle light shine upon them. Also, you don't know how much weight was put on the final. They could also have blown the final away enough to almost have gotten an A in the course depending on how much it counted. That being said, people are always going to be getting breaks that you don't get. You can't spend your time complaining about how someone got something you didn't. Go out and try to get something for yourself because things won't come your way without a little effort. I don't mean to be harsh, it's just the way of the world.

I do not remember what I had going into the finals, but I do remember getting C's and D's on tests throughout the semester. Not a single homework was not missed. With that said, I probably went into the finals with mid 70's range. I am not a teacher's pet because the first time I spoke with the professor one on one was the day before the final.

And IrshmanRxMan...I just want to compliment you on being able to see different views to a post and being able to put your thoughts in writing. This is something I could improve on.

 

[xiggy99]

speak for yourself Irish..quit talking like I just lie around and expect to get A's in everything..I gurantee you that if it was my own school, that stuff would never happen to us.....Seems like the teacher already favored him from the start and went linient, even though the poster is likely smart ofcourse....

Ive heard of sudents getting exam answers before the test from friends and TAs they know or some that even hack the computer..you mean to tell me nothing wrong with that? or were you one of those students?😡

 

[IrishRxMan]

You need to take ownership of your situation. Yes, outside factors can play into how you do in a course but ultimately, you need to figure out how to deal with those outside factors so they don't cause you to do poorly. If it's the school that you so vehemently tout as the problem, there's a simple fix: CHANGE SCHOOLS!

I don't agree with people getting the answers ahead of time and, no, I wasn't one of them. I have had my own difficulties, but I take ownership of why I didn't make the grade. Nobody else was sitting there taking the exams besides me. If those people somehow make it into pharmacy school, that is a tragedy. If they somehow make it through pharmacy school b/c they found a way to keep doing what they did in undergrad, that's an even greater tragedy. But, that person that found a way to cheat through school and not really learn the material will not be able to perform in their P4 rotations nor pass the NAPLEX. It would be a wasted spot that someone else could have occupied and been a benefit to the profession.

But, like I said before, this is how the world is. Bad things happen despite what people think and feel. You can't sit there and just complain about it or let it eat you up. You will see people like that all along the way. Focus on yourself and figuring out what YOU need to do to attain your goals. Forget what someone else got over you or how something external was the cause of you not making the grade.

 

[aboveliquidice]

Keep the posting civil please.

To the OP - One or two withdrawals (W) will not affect your application. Truth be told, one C wont either. Work harder, and remember the rule of 2.

From my experience - it isn't a good idea to take more than two difficult courses at once - or one or all of them will suffer.

To quote a monologue (or song depending how you look at it) - "The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself". Don't rush through your courses - take your time and get good grades.

 

[xtsukiyox]

WHAT!!!!!???😡 how the hell is that right? people like be trying to struggle to get a B and end up with C's, with no mercy from professors, even when working hard...then someone else from another school gets connections with the prof and get a good grade!!🙁 NOT FAIR AT ALL!!!!

Xiggy, are you even listening to yourself?

There is very little "mercy" from professors. People can get fired over that stuff - and for what, to help an undergrad out, that you've only known for a semester? Throw years' worth of work towards a position at that school away? I think not. I'm sure the fact that the OP did All the homework bumped the grade up, too. In my last Bio class, just the homework accounted for over 15% of the grade.

You need a reality check. As IrishRXMan said, take responsibility for your own education a bit, hmm? If you don't like the school... Change schools. Don't give them your money if you're not satisfied with their policies. Yeah, sometimes there are bad instructors, but learn to roll with the punches and play the game (or drop the class and try with someone else).

Are you just jealous that some people can get through college successfully, and you haven't figured it out yet? Or are you blowing off steam here because you can't find an appropriate outlet off the Internet? You will find very little pity here.

EDIT: Sorry if that's over the edge, aboveliquidice. Delete if necessary.

 

[Passion4Sci]

Xiggy, are you even listening to yourself?

There is very little "mercy" from professors. People can get fired over that stuff - and for what, to help an undergrad out, that you've only known for a semester? Throw years' worth of work towards a position at that school away? I think not. I'm sure the fact that the OP did All the homework bumped the grade up, too. In my last Bio class, just the homework accounted for over 15% of the grade.

You need a reality check. As IrishRXMan said, take responsibility for your own education a bit, hmm? If you don't like the school... Change schools. Don't give them your money if you're not satisfied with their policies. Yeah, sometimes there are bad instructors, but learn to roll with the punches and play the game (or drop the class and try with someone else).

Are you just jealous that some people can get through college successfully, and you haven't figured it out yet? Or are you blowing off steam here because you can't find an appropriate outlet off the Internet? You will find very little pity here.

EDIT: Sorry if that's over the edge, aboveliquidice. Delete if necessary.

If that was over the edge, hardly any of my posts would last for 5 minutes. 😉

 

[xtsukiyox]

I do not remember what I had going into the finals, but I do remember getting C's and D's on tests throughout the semester. Not a single homework was not missed. With that said, I probably went into the finals with mid 70's range. I am not a teacher's pet because the first time I spoke with the professor one on one was the day before the final.

Don't let xiggy get you. I'm sure you earned the B - some instructors, especially in the "lower" levels of math, build their classes so even if you get Cs on the tests, you can pull it up with effort - by doing the homework. The relative grades of your Cs and Ds matter too. Ex: 79 + 69 is an average of a 74, which could easily be moved up with a significant amount of homework points. Maybe you blew up that final! You can always e-mail the teacher and ask. 🙂

Also, your instructor could have curved a bit, depending on the class. I was speaking with one professor, and she said she always has very clear cut "groups" of grades - i.e., a few people, then a big gap, then a few more, then a gap, etc... So she usually goes with that when assigning letter grades at the end of the semester, even if a few people with a 78 or 79 are bumped up to a B. She feels it more accurately reflects a grade curve and the "actual" grade achieved while controlling for individual questions she may have introduced or grading fluctuations. (I also know several who consider an 89.XX% to be an A, because "you got it, it was just a few silly points here and there.")

EDIT: Holy run-ons, Batman! 🙂

 

[xtsukiyox]

If that was over the edge, hardly any of my posts would last for 5 minutes. 😉

Ha! I posted annoyed and wasn't sure how it would sound to other people.

 

[aboveliquidice]

EDIT: Sorry if that's over the edge, aboveliquidice. Delete if necessary.

As long as people debate with some class - We let it play out... 😎

If that was over the edge, hardly any of my posts would last for 5 minutes. 😉

Quoted for truth...

 

[tootoo30]

"I took the final, but I do not know how well I did on it. My professor was generous enough to give me a B in the class.

Note: During that semester, I was also taking two hard science courses: 2nd semester general biology and 2nd semester general chemistry. I did not devote as much time as I wanted towards Calculus as I should have.

Good Luck on urs!!! "

WHAT!!!!!???😡 how the hell is that right? people like be trying to struggle to get a B and end up with C's, with no mercy from professors, even when working hard...then someone else from another school gets connections with the prof and get a good grade!!🙁 NOT FAIR AT ALL!!!!

I think it's a good idea to always get to know your professor, it can make a difference when he is issuing final grades. I did the same thing in my Physics class, I came to all the classes and did all the quizzes and test and I went into the final with a C average. I told the professor that I was really trying my best and he acknowledged that he could tell by my motivation. I don't know how I did on the final exam, but I ended up with a B in the class, and a part of me believes it's because I took the time to talk to the professor.