<p>I’m going into my sophomore year of being a Philosophy major and I’m horrible at it. I love it though and I don’t have anything else I’d rather do. I haven’t gotten above a D in either of my two philosophy classes (logic is my Achilles hill) had logic not came into my last class I would’ve gotten a B. I have never missed a class either, I study, I go to office hours, I do everything in my power and it’s not enough. I’m so upset I’m considering dropping out, but I know my parents would freak. What do I do?</p>
<p>Ds are problems. You need to reconsider your major, honestly. Your parents will also freak if you flunk out due to academic issues, and in the long run if you are completely unemployable due to a major that has limited employment options AND a terrible GPA.</p>
<p>If you really love your major stick to it, keep doing what you’re doing, going to class talking to your professors and doing all your work. Hopefully as you take a few more classes you will be more engaged and do better in them. The fact that you were a freshman could have something to do with it too. The transition from high school to college was not very easy for me and it reflected on my grades. Hopefully you will do well on your next philosophy class if not take some classes to explore different majors you never know what might interest you, but if you really love philosophy stick with it. Good luck:)</p>
<p>Consider taking philosphy courses as electives but switching a major. Regardless, it sounds like you are in a tough place, and really need to work on it if you plan on being successful. Alternatively, consider switching into something else now and auditing the class (without the grade) during your free time if you really love it that much.</p>
<p>I think you really need to reconsider your current path. What are your other options besides college?</p>
<p>My GPA at the moment is a 2.7. I enjoy history and did well in my history class. (I got an A) it was my strong point in high school, even though I was 4.0 all the way through. I moved out of state for college, and had some health problems. I kept falling and hit my head so bad I was hospitalized and that took me out of some classes. I actually went straight from the hospital to my philosophy class because I didn’t want to miss. </p>
<p>As for out of college? Being a bum. I’m not good at anything… But I’d really like to work in movies.</p>
<p>Not every major is suited to everyone, even if someone has always wanted/romanticized the major. Think about how many students switch out of engineering or pre med, for example.</p>
<p>Switch to a major that plays to your strengths; there are a lot of interesting majors out there. Political science? anthropology? Then take the philosophy classes that interest you as electives, avoiding those that use formal logic (check out the syllabus of any class before you register for it); maybe you could design your own philosophy minor. Don’t let something like logic ruin something you enjoy;</p>
<p>Have you given thought to what you plan to do w a philosophy degree once u graduate?</p>
<p>Think about switching your major. </p>
<p>I wanted to be a lawyer. Then I did an internship and absolutely hated it. So, that’s not really what I want to do anymore. Now I’m thinking about the film industry, being a teacher, or a speech pathologist. But I don’t think I’m smart enough now. I only have three classes left until I’ve earned enough for a philosophy minor, and one is required.</p>
<p>For the record, my parents don’t pay for my schooling. I use scholarship money and pay for the rest myself</p>
<p>Truth be told… I kind of hate college. I wasn’t even keen on my school. I went for the aid</p>
<p>I second switching your major. You don’t know if something fits you unless you actually try it out and see. Not doing well in a subject doesn’t mean you’re not smart enough for anything else; you’re confidence in yourself is just a little bit shaken, that’s all. </p>
<p>If you love philosophy, you can join a Philosophy club or pick up some books in the library about philosophy. It’s a major that’s challenging to market, especially with a GPA on the low side and I think it would be better to pursue leisurely if certain aspects of the classes are so difficult for you, you can’t even get a passing grade. </p>
<p>I did get passing grades. Just not great ones</p>
<p>I have to ask, are you really just going to college because you have the aid and it is a way to avoid finding a job? Given your current path, you are going to find yourself at the end having to find a job without a college degree that is usable. You need to make a plan for how your degree is going to help you build a career, then move forward with that plan. Teaching? Get into a major where you will get stronger grades (history?) and determine what education classes and steps you have to take for that career.</p>
<p>Visit your career center. They should have multitudes of assessments you can take to narrow down some majors that are more on target with not only your interests but your skills and be able to provide you with some career counseling. Unfortunately your GPA is a major factor in getting a job post graduation or being accepted to a graduate or professional school. Does your current school offer classes in film or communications? You have plenty of time to change your major to something you can excel at. Or even change schools if necessary. </p>
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<p>I don’t understand what about philosophy you like if you can’t handle logic. I just don’t even know what that means? What specifically about logic do you feel unable to handle? What kind of feedback have you gotten? </p>
<p>I just don’t know what you could study that doesn’t involve some logic. How will you write a paper that makes a cogent argument? You certainly can’t do anything quantitative. Can you get a tutor to hold your hand through basic logic?</p>
<p>Frankly, if you are going to college to please your parents, maybe you shouldn’t be going. </p>
<p>There are many kids in your generation who don’t have a direction. A liberal arts curriculum is supposed to give you the freedom to develop critical thinking skills and find out what you may be good at. It’s not clear that it’s working with you. </p>
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<p>Continual falling and hitting your head signifies a serious health problem. You need to recognize the signs of oncoming syncope and lie down wherever you are when you feel them.</p>
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<p>Perhaps, you should take a leave, find a job, and start living on your own. Work for the money. Pay your own way. It sounds like you do that now. </p>
<p>People who get to do stuff they enjoy for a living earn that privilege. Not everybody gets to do that. You have to want it bad and pursue it relentlessly. The rest of the folks need to earn a living. </p>
<p>If someday you develop enough self-motivation to pick a direction you will pursue relentlessly that seems to go well with your skills, return to college. </p>
<p>Since you have scholarships, you need to watch that your GPA meets the requirements of the scholarship. Getting Ds in your major when you are working hard is a good indication that either the major is not for you or you don’t have good study habits. If you are doing well in your non-major subjects then maybe your major not right for you. Part of college is identifying where you excel and where you don’t. There will be subjects that you just won’t get. Not because you are not smart but because it just not your area of strength, That is way the vast major of students switch majors at least once.</p>
<p>As for the parents, I would talk to them. If they see your grades they know something is not going right. Maybe they can help you find the next step. </p>
<p>I know someone who is in sociology only because his parents made him go to college. He gets C’s and is in a major with an unfriendly job market: the question is then is it even worth it for him to attend college? He will likely not find a job in sociology but has continued to take it for nearly six years. This is because while he knows his degree will never help him, he stills enjoys the college experience and his major. If this is more important to you as well then stick with philosophy but if you want a good salary than pick a different major.</p>
<p>Philosophy is a major similar to sociology in that there are no jobs in them (except teaching the subject) and are basically only useful for getting into grad school. You will not succeed in grad school if you are bad at logic and critical thinking; plus you will need a much better GPA.</p>
<p>Just decide based on what you will derive the most utility (an economic term referring to the total satisfaction you gain) from: your current college experience in your favorite subject or your future income in your not-so-favorite subject.</p>
<p>I disagree that there are no jobs for philosophy majors. Philosophy develops critical thinking skills like few other majors (primarily because of the logic and studying great thinkers), and it is among the best preparations for pre-law. It’s not bad for pre-MBA either if supplemented with sufficient quantitative skills. </p>
<p>Sociology, that one is a bit harder. </p>
<p>I found formal logic extremely difficult. Eventually I got it and can help others do it now, but couldn’t while I was in class. </p>
<p>I took some career assessment in class that recommended teaching and film. I took two film classes and a communications class and passed them all with high grades. I like communications, but it’s not something I’d want to major in and it seems it’s what tons of people I know do anyway…</p>