So, how badly will one failed college class hurt me in the long run?

I'm in college right now, and unfortunately, I know I am going to bomb it spectacularly, and there's just about nothing I can do about it.

I'm not on a scholarship or anything like that, so is it the end of the world if I fail one class?

And I've failed three or so.

As long as your GPA is well above 2.0, I think you're fine.

or try taking it pass/fail

and I thought I could stick it out.

I now know that was stupid.

cos early september generally has the option to drop it and take another class

to completely dropp a class the deadlines are later (cos you lose money in this..since you have paid for the credits)

and to take it pass/fail is i believe and even later deadline

look up the rules properly

In the short term, you may have to take the class over if it is a required class.

it WILL play HELL with your GPA

it will always pull down your GPA ....sorry to tell you but, I know from the personal experience of hauling around a D...I hate to think what an F will do... :cry:

I failed swimming...don't ask.....and though it bothered me a lot, it never made any difference in the long term......

I did ultimately have to pass it, and I did......

Good luck to you!


:hi:

or any other post-college education?

Because if you are, a bad grade will hurt.

I started college not thinking about anything afterwards and so I slacked a bit my first 2 years. Now I'm headed to law school, so I've been busting ass trying to get my GPA back up. Bad grades could hurt you. On the other hand, most jobs don't care as long as you have the degree.

Is the course a required one for your program or major? Usually you have the option to retake a class and have the failure removed from your record.

is it in your major? If so, then yes, it's going to be a problem. Not an insurmountable one, unless you're trying for a highly competitive grad program, but a problem nonetheless.

If it's some bullshit gen-ed, like swimming (Peggy, you gotta tell me that story), then it will probably be fine.

I also agree with lionesspriyanka, double check the drop-out dates. Those should definitely be later in the semester, and if you can...drop it. Or take in Pass/Fail, which will keep it from affecting your GPA.

So, no, not my major.

Otherwise, it's not the end of the world.

It does look bad, though, so you might want to retake it (during a time of light workload.) Definitely find out if there's any way out of it.

granted, that's money down the tubes, but I did that with one writing class I decided not to attend ( guess i must have had a reason at the time ;)), retook it, did well, and it seemed to have little effect in the long run. But then, grad school was less competitive then....


can't you get a tutor or something?

Not for a single job and no one I know has ever been asked.

So I'm thinking you'll be A-OK.

at most got a D in Physics as an undergraduate! He also almost flunked out of Grad school too.

I think in general they forgive a bad grade. Believe me, all of them have screwed up at one time or another.

that piece of paper ain't going to be worth nothing when civilization collapses and you are forced to fend for yourself among the other zombie denizens of suburbia.

Actually, either way it's hardly the "end of the world".

I can tell you for sure that if you just stop going to class for a whole semester, and neglect to withdraw from the classes etc. b/c you think you are so smart and can get away with just spending all your scholarship money on booze (I guess that doesn't apply to you), and then years later decide to go back and get your degree...well, it fucks up your GPA. A lot.

Yeah, 'cause...uhhh...this guy I know, that happened to him....

:yoiks:

After one spectacularly bad semester. Won't get into all the details here.

Re-entered a couple years later and finished with a GPA still well-above a 3.0.

Got accepted to better law schools than some of my friends.

You should be less than half way done with the term. I don't know about your class, but for most of my classes, there were a lot of big points at the end. Obviously, I do not know your particuliar problem with the class, but you probably still have a chance to salvage your grade to at least passing. Explore your resources like tutors, the professor, or any assistants to at least pass the class. Depending upon the graduation requirements, it is better that you get course credit now than overload later to graduate on time.
If you are certain that you are going to fail and aren't going to make a good try at bringing up your grade, see about withdrawing from the class. At my college, you could withdrawal up until about 75% of the way through the course. Some colleges do note on your transcripts if you were failing at the time, WF (withdraw failing) as opposed to WP (withdraw passing). You might want to check with the registrar to see what your options are. Either way, you wouldn't get credit, but it would allow you to make a decision now instead of stressing about it all term and might not figure into your GPA.

What's your major?

I totally fucked up freshman English. Mostly because I never attended a single class. I had better things to do - like hang out with radical feminists and flirt with a Down's Syndrome girl who was convinced I was a member of her fave rock band and argue Toynbee, Wittgenstein and Bohr with random strangers.

Actually, an F is better than a D - it means you can take it over and the new grade will place the old grade and all will be well. Better to crash and burn than slip through.

So if you are truly bombing - drop it or get such a bad grade they'll let you try again. The only real exception (and if you have a little blarney in your soul you can even work that) are courses in your major.

This is coming from an expert :)

Khash, summa cum lauda.

Since I'm on the professor end of things, I'll try to give you my spin.
Read your syllabus again and make sure you understand this prof's grading standards and policies. Maybe you have wiggle room.
Next, if you want to figure out a way to pass, set up an appointment with the prof.
I love it when someone wants to talk, not yell or argue. Just talk about the situation and ask sincerely for help.
Professors don't get off on giving a student a failing grade. Really. It doesn't help with our careers to have those kind of stats. Besides, most of us are real people and went into education because we love what we do, we love our subjects, and we really want our students to learn.

I suggest a meeting, a plan, and then you have to follow through with what you say you are going to do. I have given incompletes several times in the last five years, but never... not ever... has a student completed what they said they would to eradicate the incomplete and get a grade. That means each grade reverted to "F." Sad day.

Good luck!

I think many employers just look at the fact you have a degree anyway. I only had a 2.47 GPA at my college, with many hard professors like O'Neill (at least she gave me Cs - my math for EcBA producer actually gave me a D.) The prestige of Ursinus, deserved or not, has impressed people.

I had a D- in my first semester in a computer course I wasn't prepared for, but I didn't give up. Also, I withdrew from a course that I made up later without too much trouble.

it may take a chunk out of your GPA for a while though. I was put on academic probation my first semester. Was in school part-time only taking 2 classes, failed one...

was on the dean's list the next year

don't sweat it. but know how to play the "drop/add" game. If you're not doing well in a class by the 3rd week, drop it. Just make sure you're doing well in your major.

1) Have you talked to your instructor? One of the most frustrating things about teaching was that the students who were failing would start avoiding me, in and out of class. I wanted to talk to them about how they could do better, but they never came for help, and after class, they slipped out with ninja-like speed and stealth, before I could flag them down.

Until you have talked with your instructor and asked for hints on how to study better (there are tricks for studying math that some people get instinctively and others struggle with) you can't say "there's just nothing I can do about it."

2) Hire a more advanced student as a tutor. Sometimes it helps to hear a different approach to the subject matter.

3) At every school I taught at and attended, it was possible to withdraw from a class until at least halfway through the term. You may not be able to substitute another class, and you definitely won't get a grade or a tuition refund, but you almost certainly can withdraw. Ask your registrar's office. Seriously.

forget about the good jobs, the hot babes, the nice cars

it's all over.

everyone will know and everyone will laugh.


just kidding

nobody's going to care what your GPA was.

Let's not have any more bombs, though. :)

But I was an undergrad for 10 years. MISERABLY failed my first three years, took some time off, returned to college 3 years later, graduated with honors and am now in a very competitive grad program.
In the grand scheme of things, one F won't do ya in. :)

All they care about is if you have a degree and some experience...

The place I was a fill in control went out and hired a gal with a 4.0 back when she went to college...

By the time she got done with the company, it was bankrupt....