Should I hold off of school for a while? Or at least pre-reqs?

[astrostellar]

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Background: 27 y/o nontrad, active duty Air Force, pursuing chem degree, have 130+ credits, just started some pre-reqs in 2016 going about half-time.

I've been getting Bs in chemistry and my labs (currently in gen chem II) and a couple other classes (trig) and my school has a 4-point GPA scale so they're all 3.0s, regardless of whether they're 80s or 89s. I don't know if I should stop going to school and reevaluate my life, or what. I'm not sure how to go about changing my life to get As in these classes, I'm just so insanely overloaded with my new position. I'm cranking out As in easier classes.

I'm up to a 2.6 GPA (from an initial 0.8 in 2010) but I have 130+ credits. I really need these to be As to bring my GPA up. So, it's either continue through my degree with some Bs in my harder classes, or stop until I get off active duty and can focus all my effort. I'm scheduled to get out of the military in 2020 and graduate fall 2021. I still have ochem I & II, biochem I & II, biophysical chem, calc I & II and physics I & II left for my degree.

IIIII don't know what to do. Obviously the answer is "just get As" but I'm not entirely sure I can do it without putting my sanity/relationship/job on the backburner. If I stop taking pre-reqs, I basically stop making degree progress.

A B is not a bad grade by any means, but more 3.0s going into my GPA with this many credits is not getting me where I need to be. (For reference, if I finish out my degree/pre-reqs at a 4.0, I can probably get to a 3.25 max.)

Should I stop for a bit? Go one at a time? Just somehow become a better chem/math student?

 

[smukke]

Go one at a time for 1 class, if you don't get an A, stop and wait until you are out of the military.

You have to figure out how to get As at some point so if you can do that now, great, but if not don't take the GPA hit, you can't afford it.

 

[MusicDOc124]

Are you going online? When I was active duty, other than the local community college, online was the only other option. Look at other options in your area too and check out their grading scheme.

Also, evaluate why you started with a 0.8 and why you're at where you currently are at. Many vets might take a few classes while in, but focus on school after we get out. If youre overwhelmed with your position and keeping yourself from getting above a 3.0, but continuously taking classes, you could be screwing yourself. See if you can figure out why you're not getting As, and address that specifically. Often, it's the time and attention put into studies rather than the ability to understand the material.. at least in my experience.

Good luck!

 

[stickgirl390]

I would suggest putting school on pause, at least once you get to the ochem/biochem series. I don't know what type of student you are, but those classes are notorious for being the most time consuming and rigorous of the prereqs. Calc can be challenging as well depending on how strong your math skills are.