I’m a 4.0 college student, and just recently, I got in trouble for being caught skipping class (with my friend, who my professor doesn’t like) by my professor. Not trying to look for empathy because what I did was wrong, that I’m aware of. I’m just worried that this might affect my overall grade or standing?
We had a talk with the professor right after we got caught, and of course, we got scolded. I said that I will own up to it and when he asked me what my excuse was, I just said that I have no excuses since I didn’t want to lie, then he told me that he’s disappointed in me because he thought highly of me as a student (again, valid reaction from him, cuz I did skip his class), but he never really argued with me or something, and after I told him that I had no excuses, he just expressed his disappointment then focused more on my friend. It felt like he expected some argument from me, but what else can I do except own up to what I did and take accountability? The main problem here is that my friend is hella argumentative and already has bad history with that professor, and when we were getting scolded, my friend tried to “explain” why we skipped (that we got side-tracked or something), even going back to the professor’s office for another argument even after the professor already told us that our punishment is that we will get marked absent for the day. I’ve reflected on this and his disappointment did motivate me to do even better in class, I just hope that this won’t affect my overall grade (like, give me a B because of what I did), especially since now, he just doubled our final exam and because he really doesn’t like my friend. I also heard from my friend that during his “round 2” with that professor, that the professor thinks he’s a bad influence on me or something But, in defense of my friend, I skipped on my own choice
But, I am going to give him a handwritten letter the next time I see him, saying that I’m sincerely regretful, that I take full accountability for what I did, and that there are no excuses to justify what I did. Maybe we’ll have a talk, idk, but I do want to express that I am sincerely regretful and want to prove to him that this is just one time, but I also don’t want to overpromise and under-deliver.
I guess, I’m looking for some advice or a bit of guidance? Or just looking to vent, probably, if I’m being honest.
In that class, attendance is graded, not sure by how much.
The thing with that professor is that he can be 50/50. This is the first time I directly got in trouble with that professor, but my class has often been the butt of his frustrations. But he still gives us (or me, at least) A. He even gave my friend an A even after their argument last sem. But I heard one time that he overhead some students talking bad about a certain student of his, and he gave them a low grade (dunno how much of this is true or if it’s just coincidence that they got a low grade)
I would suggest not writing the letter and just let this incident fade. Many schools’ classes have a certain number of allowed absences. I get that yours doesn’t. But don’t “catastrophize” over this… I think writing a letter will just keep the whole thing alive. The professor talked with you, you said your piece, the professor moved on and so should you.
I think just as long as you expressed that you are sorry and in the future, you never do that again, as well as if you have had good terms with him, I believe it is highly possible for you to build trust again, therefore, he will have no reason to punish you by giving you a b. Your friend on the other hand… I wouldn’t say as much. You seem like a good kid, if you was disappointed in you, he probably thought so as well.
What college are you at that a professor actually cares about 1 absence (regardless of the reason)- especially for someone who is graduating in one month?
‘Got caught skipping’ in college being an actual thing is blowing my mind!!!
I’m a college professor and I have an attendance policy for all of my classes, and I cannot imagine a situation in which I would track a student down and chastise them for having skipped class. My students are adults. They can make their own choices. I allow two freebie absences and then am willing to excuse additional absences for the usual reasons, and frankly, the odd unexcused absence or two is not going to make a difference in their grades. I assume that if my students don’t come to class, they’re willing to accept the consequences of missing material, and I’m definitely not going to ask them to account for their whereabouts. It’s not high school. I don’t even know what “getting caught skipping” would mean in college. Honestly, what professor hovers over their students so closely that they demand explanations for every absence?
There were classes that I absolutely did not want to miss in college. Our professors were phenomenal! I understood that the information in the lecture was crucial to my understanding of the content and what I would need, to work with later, in a hospital setting.
Our professors also understood that we were adults and we had jobs, we got the flu, or we had doctor’s appointments, as we were trying to manage and navigate our lives as adults.
None of my professors had an issue with my skipping a class as long as I got the notes and felt better ( not contagious!).
If I knew that I had been put on a work schedule, or that I had a doctor’s appointment, that I couldn’t miss, I would let the professor know and most of the time they just said, “You’re an adult and you have a life, get the notes or attend another section.”
There were days that I just needed a “me day” because of relationship problems or whatever. I had good relationships with my professors and they knew that I was a very strong student, so if I needed to take a day off, I took it off.
I don’t ask or question my students why they missed class unless I’m actually worried about their well-being. It seems a bit ridiculous. I mean you are responsibility for the material you missed -but that should be the end of it. I DO think there is a clear connection between class attendance and grades -but I’d never heckle a student if they were gone for a day.
and because he really doesn’t like my friend. I also heard from my friend that during his “round 2” with that professor, that the professor thinks he’s a bad influence on me or something