torn

[tabularasa]

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I need some some advice from people who don't know me so I'm going to let you guys give me your unbiased opinions.

I've stated in one of my other posts that I have fallen in love with the subject in psychology (I'm a freshman at a university) and my professor is amazing. This is the only class I enjoy being in and my professor is a very good professor. However, his exams are pretty hard and the questions are tricky.

I have developed a genuine interest in this class and I've made appointments to go over material and I bought a book that my prof mentioned in class and is reading. Also, in a class of about 600 people, he knows who I am and he knows that I have a genuine interest.

I haven't been doing so hot on the exams (around a 2.5) and I'm getting a 3.0 right now and my mom has been worried about my performance in this class. She told me that I should be doing a lot better in this class since I haven't been acing every exam, I should not take another psychology class with the same professor.

I want to take this class because I have never been so interested in psychology and my professor is really a good professor and I'd rather have a class where I'm learning something I like even though the tests are hard, than have an easy class where I'm not learning anything and the tests are easy.


Any advice?🙁

 

[PsiKo]

You're a freshman. A mere hatchling. You're just beginning your journey in college and beyond. Though for some students it seems that getting good grades comes almost effortlessly, skill and practice are still key. Just because your test performance is presently lagging behind your passion for the subject matter doesn't mean that you should refocus your energies to something that's less intrinsically interesting. Identifying a passion is often a far greater challenge than learning how to master the art of taking exams and writing papers -- which is a skill that can be learned. Lord knows you'll have lots of opportunities to hone your chops. The point is that your abilities as a student will no doubt catch up with your interest in the subject.


The study of practice and skill acquisition (performance) might be something you'd find interesting. Take a peak at the work of cognitive psychologist Anders Ericsson, who's expert in the field. You should consider thinking of yourself as your own research subject -- you are your N of 1 -- and charting your academic performance as a function of deliberate skill acquisition.

And while you're doing that, check out this Tips for Studying for Exams.

Good luck!! I believe I've just answered of all of your life's questions!! Now go and do!!

 

[tabularasa]

You're a freshman. A mere hatchling. You're just beginning your journey in college and beyond. Though for some students it seems that getting good grades comes almost effortlessly, skill and practice are still key. Just because your test performance is presently lagging behind your passion for the subject matter doesn't mean that you should refocus your energies to something that's less intrinsically interesting. Identifying a passion is often a far greater challenge than learning how to master the art of taking exams and writing papers -- which is a skill that can be learned. Lord knows you'll have lots of opportunities to hone your chops. The point is that your abilities as a student will no doubt catch up with your interest in the subject.


The study of practice and skill acquisition (performance) might be something you'd find interesting. Take a peak at the work of cognitive psychologist Anders Ericsson, who's expert in the field. You should consider thinking of yourself as your own research subject -- you are your N of 1 -- and charting your academic performance as a function of deliberate skill acquisition.

And while you're doing that, check out this Tips for Studying for Exams.

Good luck!! I believe I've just answered of all of your life's questions!! Now go and do!!

Funny, my psych prof has actually worked with Anders Ericsson and knows him very well. And we learned about practice and skill acquistion! Thanks for the links though!

Should I take another class with the same professor though?

 

[50960]

I agree. My undergrad GPA was 3.1, but my GPA the first 2 years was 2.5. I graduated with my doctorate summa cum laude. Hang in there, work hard and the grades will follow suite.

cheers

 

[patrickd223]

where did you get accepted w. a 3.1?