I am currently a community college student with a pathetic 3.55 GPA. I would have a 3.8, but I made the mistake of taking accounting, which I got a C in. This completely wrecked my gpa and likely my college career from this point on.
I am also the Student Government president and member of the college honors society.
Should I keep going or refocus and get a trade degree? I’ll be depressed for the rest of my life in the trades but, perhaps, I’m not meant for college. And while a STEM degree is fine with a lower GPA, I’m not going into STEM. I want to major in political science/economics but I likely will never be able to get into a respectable school with such a low GPA, especially when I know so many people with higher GPAs and the fact that there will likely be more difficult classes in the future.
A 3.55 is not “pathetic.” College is different from high school - not that a 3.55 is pathetic in high school either, but the highest grade you can get is an A = 4, so there are none of the ridiculously inflated 4.5s and 4.7s you often see for hardcore honors students. (For perspective, I graduated from a 4-year college with a 3.42, and got into an Ivy League PhD program straight from undergrad).
If you want to continue on in college, by all means, do so. A 3.55 is a great GPA.
There’s nothing wrong with a 3.55 GPA. If that’s the only reason you’re thinking of not continuing, then definitely keep going. One class is NOT going to wreck your college career.
If a college degree is what you want, then definitely keep going. All that really needs to come of this is the realization that either accounting is not for you or that you should perhaps get some assistance or tutoring if you do want to pursue accounting. It’s definitely NOT a reason to throw away something you want and are willing to work for.