SinkOrSwim123

it's just one exam, in one class, in one semester, and it won't matter in the grand scheme of things. I just got my midterms back, and some weren't so great, but I have to just push through it and work harder, develop a better study / homework habit / technique. Also, I want to go to office hours more, especially to find out what I did wrong on my exams. Everyone's going to have some failures, but you just have to learn from it and not let it hold you back. If you learn from it and improve, then it's not really a failure. Wish you the best of luck, and I need to step it up too haha. I was also worried about failing out and wasting all the money spent on college, but by now there's nothing we can do except push through it, and see how it ends up.

greatescape74

My son, since graduated college recently, had similar h.s. grades at a very rigorous h.s., was failing chem first semester freshmen yr of college, dropped the class (btw it was a weed-out class for pre-med and he dropped it at the end of the semester on the last drop day - had an A in this in h.s.), got a D in Calc (had an A in this also in h.s.), really never went out much cuz he was struggling at Franklin & Marshall....think his point average first semester was something like a 1.7....when I think his lowest h.s. gpa was like a 3.3 unweighted for a semester....anyway my point is to not overly worry...and yes you may have to change majors...but only time can answer that question for you...so meanwhile...try your best, and if your best effort is not good enough, than have a plan B which may involve changing to a major that you can also obtain a good job with, but one that will emphasize courses that you can excel in accademically. I am not saying you must change your major at this point...but always have a plan B.

gettinin

You're telling yourself the story of the kid who did badly in two of his first two classes, realized he wasn't meant to be an engineering major, and lived horribly ever after.

But that story hasn't actually been written--yet. The only thing you know for sure is that you did poorly on two tests. Get back to the here and now and do whatever you can to do better--meet with your professor or TA during office hours, get tutoring, join a study group, etc.

Good luck.

colorado_mom

Keep studying and taking advantage of tutor opportunities (academic and organizational if needed... schools usually offer both). Things will probably get better.

Also check the "Withdraw" deadline, as a backup plan. At many schools it is late (November-ish) for first semester freshmen.

The first semester of engineering is so tough that some schools have made it Pass/Fail. That helps students get in the groove and encourages them to develop collaborative study groups.

Mamadubbs

Sorry to hear you are struggling. As a parent I judge my kids on their effort rather than their grade, and based on what you've said, it appears the effort was there. I have a nephew who attended Rochester University for their engineering program. He too was a stellar HS student but struggled his first semester of college. As others have said, talk to your professors and seek help from tutors or study groups. You have the right attitude and will surely succeed. Let your parents know how you did and what steps you're taking to improve. Keeping them informed will take some of the stress off you. Who knows, they may be able to offer some good advice as well as emotional support. After all, they do love you!

echo4300

try to study by not looking at the answers while you are doing each question. If by next midterm your grades don't improve you can drop the course and retake it. dropping is better than getting an F. however you will loose the money you put into it.

my first year of engineering was horrible. I was taking 6 classes (as required by my transfer school) and working part time. I ended up dropping 3 classes in my second semester. by now i am re-doing them and I am getting good grades. I have learned to keep up with practice questions between each lesson. And to do whatever it takes not to work a part-time job, while being a full time student.

Time2

Freshman year in college can be a time of challenges and adjustment. I don't know your specific classes, but generally, the final only counts for a portion of your grade. If you got an F, have to ask yourself if you were honest in how prepared you were and how much you studied during the semester. Some college students slide through classes thinking they can cram for a final the night before the exam which usually doesn't go well, when they finally realize they really didn't know the material that well.

Also need to look at your time management. Are you able to appropriately spend you time studying, keeping current on materils or do you find too many distractions from either ECA's, new friends, etc. that tend to divert your focus from studying?

It is always better to start out slowly and not get overextended with outside activities until you see how challenging the academics will be. Where you went to h.s. can also have an impact as now you are competing with many others who had verious h.s. backgrounds and the level of competition is probably greater.

CollegeXXX

Work hard, thats all that I know.

CollegeXXX

-Not to be blunt

mom91302

I hope you're feeling better after seeing these replies and getting such good advice. I think most students are surprised at the increased expectations in college. It happened to me on my first test at college, and I know my son experienced it his first semester also. Different classes in college will require you to find different study methods that work, and learning how to "learn" is a major component of college. Meet with the professors to get advice on the best way to study and prepare for their class. You may still see a boost in grades due to a curve, only at the end of the semester. I'm sure your parents will be okay, knowing that you are doing your very best and trying to correct the situation. I'm sure you will end up doing well because you care, and are being proactive.

photonxyz

My background: I am and student working on completing my masters degree in engineering at the moment.

First, the professors should have provided a syllabus to for each class. When you enter each class, make sure you have read the material PRIOR to the lecture. Ask questions during class and SEEK out the professor during office hours. Make yourself KNOWN to the professors. Most students fail to ask any questions and never speak to the professors.

Second, get a TUTOR immediately! Your university should have a learning center where students offer peer tutoring! The students who are allowed to tutor fellow students are almost always the A students from previous classes. HENCE, these students can offer you a tremendous advantage by giving you good hints about what to expect! I tutored engineering students and always did my best to convey the material and PREPARE them for their upcoming exams. SOME professors will make previous exams available, some will not.

Third, ALWAYS study BEYOND what the professor teaches you. If the professor assigns 10 homework problems from chapter 3, you should DO all of those problems PLUS additional problems! Find other problems and DO them!

Your original post mentions you studied hours and hours for your exams- a vague statement. I have a 3.89 GPA with almost 200 credits completed in engineering. I can tell you if you want an A on an exam it could easily require 50 to 100 hours of study. Obviously, much depends on your professor, competition and university. Learn the material NOT just the problems and you will infallible.

Lastly, tell us exactly what classes you are having trouble in…

mikemac

A bit more info here, please. How many hours are we talking about here? And was it all just before the test, or from the start of school?

A lot of kids do well in HS on native ability and a bit of studying; in college, and especially in the sciences and engineering, you can probably count the number of students that can get by like that on one hand. Math & science classes often require 7-10 hours of study outside of class each week. Some try to cram, but research has shown that to learn something it is much better to do distributed studying rather than hunkering down for a few hours before the test. School started at A&M at the end of August, so to give yourself a fair shot you would have been spending 7-10 hours per week on each class over the last 7 weeks. That is what it is going to take most students to learn the material well.

One other suggestion, in addition to what has already mentioned, is to get the "Problem Solver" books for the classes you are taking. These are like the thick SAT prep books but focused on a subject, and have thousands of worked problems. This feeds in with post #26, which encourages you to do additional problems. It truly is the only way to learn this kind of material. Sit down, work some problems, check your answers against the worked-out solution, keep going until you're getting them right.

Tygolfs94

The classes with the lowest grades at this point are physics and calculus, which are vital to my major. Like I said before, I had little to no problem with the material itself. I averaged an A on all homework assignments and quizzes so far in Calculus, and B on the the quizzes in Physics.
I recently received and email saying my midterm grades were not satisfactory to keep my financial aid, and I need to pull them up by the end of the semester, which I think should not be a problem to get them to the minimum GPA I need to keep them, but that goes to show how poorly I have been doing to this point. The only grades that I have that are A or B, are in classes that have nothing to do with my major.
That being said, I'm not prepared to switch majors, I still think I'm in the right one. I'm just concerned about how the second round of tests in the next few weeks is going to determine a lot for me

hylyfe

i did bad my first term too... It is biting me back in the butt for sure. You can do better like i did after my first term, but hate to say it but it will continue haunting you for a few years.

colorado_mom

Be careful about keeping your financial aid. Talk to your advisor - it may be necessary to drop a course near then end (as long as credits don't fall below minimum). Also check if there is grace period for recovery.... at some schools there is. Good luck !