Hey, guys. I am an international student. Freshman at Upenn. This is my first time in the US. My first semester is disastrous. I took midterms and i am not happy with my resulsts. I am kind of in the mean, which will translate to low gpa at the end of the semester. I really want high GPA. What do you suggest me to do? I am doing my homework and attending classes. what was your GPA during your first semester? And in general how important is GPA to find a work?
Is there department tutoring available? Can you join or form a study group? Can you learn something from where you felt unprepared for the midterms? Go see your TA or prof to go over where you had trouble.
GPA is super important to find work. Esp. if you’re an international (because it IS so much harder to find work as an intl. so be prepared.)
Have you been attending all your classes and spending enough time studying? Is the fact that you have a low gpa a surprise (i.e. your prof’s expectations weren’t clear) or does it make sense that you don’t?
If it is a surprise, use the university’s services to help you w/ your classes (writing is usually very hard for internationals.) If not, then spend more time studying and attend class. Ask your profs. for help. Show more interest. It’s up to you.
Students in some majors, such as engineering, have lower GPAs on average than in other majors. In difficult majors or with hard classes, I have read about students going to available tutoring on campus daily – literally every day. The university should have tutoring that you can go to for free. Check into it and take advantage of it. Also, if you think your English skills might be a factor, then ask about what resources there are for improving your English. Check with international student groups as well to see what the experience of other students has been and what advice they might have.
it’s good to know that you are studying abroad. pbbc96 is correct. since you’re an international student, your resume might end up under those who live in the country. but nevertheless try to communicate well with your professor. communicate meaning after class try to ask if he/she can still have a session with you for a little more time just to clarify today’s lesson. set your standards higher, if you think that it’s not working, add more effort.