Drop a class?

[Alibi]

Hey. I don't post in here much, but I figured I might as well get some advice from the motley selection of posters that are here.

Anyway, I'm a college student taking an AutoCad class. Just introductory stuff and none of it real taxing on my brain. However, the professor just keeps handing out craploads of homework when I don't have the time to get it all done. I'm rather far behind in turning in homework and I really don't know what kind of grade I've got in there at the moment...probably not very good.

I talked to a friend of mine who took the same class. He said he knows AutoCad and still failed the class becuase the prof just kept handing out homework. I know most of the people in the class are keeping up (I think), but then again several of them are stupid freshmen who mommy and daddy pays for everything and have the time to do their work and get it in on time with the time to spare to get wasted.

So, should I just try to turn in whatever homework I can and see what happens? Or do I drop the class and take it next semester with my friend who is taking it (again) also. If I drop it, it won't hurt my GPA (wich is a good thing since my scholarships rely on a high GPA).

On the other hand, the semester is halfway through....but just because of this one class I'm behind in all my other classes too. I figured if I drop it I lose the money (but my scholarships paid for it anyway) but I can keep my grades up in my other classes. And I'd have enough time to work, get all my homework done, and get enough sleep to make it to my other classes on time.

So....what do y'all think? Drop or not?

[00accord44]

^X2 Its not worth it to kill your semester over this one class. Especially if its paid thru scholarship money and its not gonna delay your graduation or anything. When is the add/drop deadline for your school? At my school its one week after classes start. Then you have 4 weeks to withdraw with half refund and 3 weeks after that to withdraw with no refund.

[Alibi]

It is a requirement for my major...but I won't be put back badly if I take it next semester under a different professor since it isnt a pre-req for anything. I would get a "withdrawn" on my transcript, but this would be removed after I take the class again.

As for actually withdrawing, the last day I can is Oct 20th, so I need to do this pretty much now if I'm going to. If I do w/d, I'm still taking 12 hours so I keep my scholarships and my on-campus job. If I drop, I will lose the money for the class, but It won't hurt anything else like my GPA or scholarships (more important than 3 credit hours worth of money).

The more I think about it, the better the idea seems....this would free up my thursdays and tuesdays to work all day and to run errands...and it would give me time to catch up on sleep and homework in my other classes.

I think part of my problem is that I really don't have much interest in the class. I'm still undecided but I was trying to just get my feet wet in a few fields that I thought I'd like. Cadd doesn't really strike my fancy, but CAMT (computer aided machine technology, metalworking with computers) does. I still need the class for CAMT, but I don't need any further classes unless I want to double major.

Hmm....the way things are looking I think I'm going to skip class tomorrow and instead take a visit to the registrars office...

[fredjacksonsan]

Protect your scholarship!! Drop the class and take it with a reasonable professor.

I had the same type thing happen in a calculus class, this guy came in and spent an hour putting equations on the board, gave us an assignment and walked out. If you asked a question, he would gesture vaguely at the board and say, "Isn't it obvious?". Retook the class with a good instructor and got an A.....

[stieh2000]

Ahh, kinda reminds me of when I took CAD last semester. Everyweek we had to make usually two parts for an electric pencil sharpener in solidworks based on drawings posted online and hand them in to the non-english speaking TA for class once a week (the professor never showed up, he just made intructional movies and posted them online). Plus there was the occasional in class quiz that had you build a simple part or whatnot.

At the end of the semester we had to turn in our portfolios with all the parts assembled together and 2D drawings of all the parts with exploded views and evrything, all on a CD and printed out. Basically it would consume hours and hourse of your life at a time without remorse.

And here's the kicker... all of this workload is only worth one credit!

That's RPI for you.

[BP2K2Max]

i had a statistics class last semeseter that was the same way. it was killing my gpa so i withdrew from the class before midterms to avoid academic penalty. make a decision soon cuz you won't get your money back for the class if you wait too long.

[TexasF355F1]

Originally Posted by 00accord44

^X2 Its not worth it to kill your semester over this one class. Especially if its paid thru scholarship money and its not gonna delay your graduation or anything. When is the add/drop deadline for your school? At my school its one week after classes start. Then you have 4 weeks to withdraw with half refund and 3 weeks after that to withdraw with no refund.

Man that sucks. They usually gave us almost half the semester to drop with no penalty.

I tried not to drop, but did drop a few classes that I knew I was going to have trouble passing. If you can't keep up, save it for a summer class or a semester with less intuitive classes.

[Alibi]

I slept in this morning and damn did it feel good. I got up, finished some work for another class, then went to the registrars office. All I have to have are four signatures (advisor, book store, instructor, and....don't remember) so I'll go talk to my instructor tommorow and probably get his sig...thats always the part that I hate for some reason. I've never been a huge fan of talking to people about odd subjects. It go something like this:

Instructor: Hi! How are you? Why weren't you in class? Did you get the next assignment? Hey...have you turned in the assignement from last week....or the week before for that matter?

Me: Umm... I think I just want to withdraw...

Instructor: Why? Don't you love me!!!

Me: Umm...I don't like lots of homework...Cause I've got other classes too...and a car that keeps breaking...

Instructor: Ok *sniffle*

The awkwardness shall ensue.

...oh well.

Thanks guys, I posted in another place with lots of traffic and the general consensus was that I should drop. I'll get a w on my transcript, but it'll go away after I take the class again with a different professor. Unfortunately, I lose the money for the class since I'm past the date for any sort of refund...but If I wait any longer and I fail the class then I'll have an crappy grade which would hurt my GPA...

[00accord44]

Originally Posted by Alibi

All I have to have are four signatures (advisor, book store, instructor, and....don't remember) ...

Since when does the book store get included on the administrative chain of command?

[Igovert500]

Yeah that is kinda odd, when I would drop a class, all I had to do was log onto the website, click drop, click ok, click yes I'm sure, and then log off. Professor sigs were only necessary when adding a class that was already overbooked or something.

Anyway, I say drop it. As was explained to me a few years back, a W or 2 isn't the end of the world and is certainly better than a failing grade. Since it's for your major I doubt you can take it pass/fail. If you are sure you'll do better at it next time, you'll still have enough credits to keep the scholarship/full-time student status/healthcare, etc., and you are sure it wont delay your graduation...then drop it.

I came in with a full semesters worth of college credits from high-school AP classes/tests. They allowed me to take a few 12 credit semesters without any negative results, and I think my college experience was alot more enjoyable/less stressful because of it.

And don't worry about talking to the teacher, most are fairly used to students dropping the class, it's when you drop the major and tell them you don't like them personally or a single class they've taught in 3 years, that they begin to argue. true story

[speeddemonGtV6]

hmmm yea dropping it is the best thing that you could do, as long as your really going to put the effort into the class when you get back nxt year..... Im only a junior in HS but i certainly know how too much work feels, even if i do have a slightly lighter load then you... but im happy with the college im going to go to... Universal technical institute, its the best automotive school out there.....