Hi guys, I am failing Organic 2 - the whole class isn’t doing well but since many students hired private tutors, I am in disadvantage. My average is a D. My professor told me not to drop but I may end up with a C and my GPA (3.6) may go down drastically. Should I drop and retake it next semester?
PS: I knew all the reactions but the problem is that the tests are much harder and are ACS’ style.
If you were to get a tutor, would you be able to bring your grade up to at least a B. If not, then I would withdraw and retake. . . but I would try to get some help ahead of time to see where you went wrong.
As to a tutor. . it’s expensive, BUT it is a good investment to help you get where you want to be.
Good luck. Just keep your eyes focused on the goal.
I wouldn’t drop a class over one “C” on my transcript. It the Prof is telling you that you could end up with a “C” then I’d work my rear off to make sure I could get that grade. Besides there’s the chance that you could still end up with a “C” if you repeat the class.
As for tutors, plenty of people make it out of orgo without them. I’d glue myself to the profs office hours and I’d find a study group.
I used to tutor Organic (despite having previously failed both parts, go figure) and the main reference I used was a book by Fesseden and Fesseden. It came with a study guide and answer booklet with details of how ALL the chemical reactions were worked out. Good luck!
Is a tutor more expensive than retaking the course? If not, I would consider it. Keep going to office hours, profs notice if you’re working your tail off to learn the material.
I was in a Organic class at a big university the class was designed to weed out the premeds. I got sick during the class and decided to drop. after the first exam grade 64 rounded to 74 with curve. I took the class the next semester at a small private college got an A and aced that section of the MCAT’s and the class didn’t show on my transcript. It was an expensive option but I was able to learn the material.
Well, I will not retake it with the same professor. He is not good at all. He hasn’t been curving a lot because everyone else got tutors and improved their grades. I will try to study as much as I can… let’s see. I am so frustrated. To weed out, oh yeah.
- Lanskyb Said:
I was in a Organic class at a big university the class was designed to weed out the premeds. I got sick during the class and decided to drop. after the first exam grade 64 rounded to 74 with curve. I took the class the next semester at a small private college got an A and aced that section of the MCAT's and the class didn't show on my transcript. It was an expensive option but I was able to learn the material.
This statement "didn't show on my transcript," concerns me. Do you mean that you dropped the original class before the deadline? That's fine - it's kind of like getting your traffic violation dropped in court, it's as if it never happened.
If you're talking about a class that you got a grade in, though, it needs to be reported on your application no matter where & when you took it.
To the OP: you are going to encounter crummy professors at times. You are going to be up against people who have an economic advantage at times. None of that changes the fact that the person who cares most about how you do is .... YOU. I would caution you against blaming others for how you are doing. If you don't think you'll be able to adjust your study technique, up to and including simply teaching yourself the material, so that you can get an acceptable grade, then you should drop the class.
But the thinking behind dropping should be, "I am not doing well in this class," NOT "my professor has not taught me anything and so I'm doing badly."
Mary
Hi, Mary, thank you for your answer. I am not blaming anyone else for my failure. It is a fact. Those students who got good grades hired private tutors (I attend a private college and the classes are small). At the same time to me, it is really important to have a good professor, that’s why I am paying tuition for. I do partially blame the professor. Well, I will not drop and see what happens.
I would advise dropping, and then retaking at a time when you are better prepared to do well.
Orgo is just a very tough, unforgiving kind of course and you need to learn how to plow through it and succeed on the exams. The skills you learn here will serve you well later on.
Best of luck,
Me:
If the professor is advising you to not drop since you may end up with a C, in my experience, s/he is hinting that given your current performance, and past curves that the instructor has used, you’ll end up with a C at the end of the semester.
If you stay enrolled and work much harder, I wouldn’t be surprised if you can pull yourself up to a B. Try to understand if you are not succeeding because of trouble with the fundamentals or exam taking strategy.
- Dazed Said:
Me:
If the professor is advising you to not drop since you may end up with a C, in my experience, s/he is telling you that given your current performance, and past curves that the instructor has used, you'll end up with a C at the end of the semester.
If the professor is advising you to not drop since you may end up with a C, in my experience, s/he is telling you that given your current performance, and past curves that the instructor has used, you'll end up with a C at the end of the semester.
Tell you what I've noticed in school from undergrad to the graduate and medical school classes I've taken. There are 4 different grading scales:
1) For students who work hard and their hard word pays off on exams.
2) For students who are struggling academically but who show the prof they're sincerely interested in learning by showing up at office hours, asking/answering questions in class.
3) For students who are obscene in being gunners.
4) For students who just don't give a rats arse.
I have personally experienced #1,2, and #4 and I've never received a grade lower than a "C" being either #1 or #2.
Have you spent much time in office hours? I had a chem professor who was horrible (in my opinion) in lecture, but was very helpful when I went to office hours. This won’t always be the case, but it is worth trying and much less expensive than a tutor!
Another thought–if you haven’t already looked into it. Most schools do have free tutoring. The offices go by different names but wherever you will find help with remedial courses or writing, you will usually find free tutoring in math and science courses. I would be surprised if there was nothing at your college.
If you can get a C, dont drop it and dont take it again. Do take biochem. Many schools use this grade in place of Organic II. Others will feel better w/ the C if they see an A in biochem. I had the same problem and this is what was advised by an ADCOM. It is probably the best piece of advice I have gotten.