1st_year_here

I just wanted to provide an update on the situation. I was so torn about what to do. I would wake up in the morning and say that I needed to drop the course and face the consequences, then go to bed at night and say that it's not over until it's over and I have never been a quitter. I actually logged into the system with the intent to drop the course but couldn't find the link. Instead of calling student services, I decided to take it as a sign to tough the course out. In my mind I rationalized that dropping the course would send the same message that failing the course would, that I couldn't handle it. The difference between the two was that I had the chance not to fail, it would be different if failing was certain. I emailed the instructors and informed them that I was staying in the course. After I sent the email, I immediately began diving into the material. Well two days later, we found out that the final was a take home final. Yes! No! Take home finals are notoriously harder than in class tests. I was more nervous. I have never put more time and effort into a written assignment. Outside reading, studying papers, and speaking to students in that department. The semester is now over. I received the A that I needed to pass the class, as well as the A's that I anticipated in my other courses. All's well that ends well. Thanks for the comments and support. Edit - could you imagine the panic/regret/anger that I would have felt if I had dropped the course, only to find out the final was a take home final???!!!

I'm a regular poster on gradcafe, but am hiding through a username to avoid recognition, and embarrassment. I am finishing my second semester of grad school and things have been fine so far. I had a particularly tough rotation this semester, and some unrelated personal problems. I have gotten by most of my classes on prior knowledge, but I am serious danger of failing a class that's outside of my major area of study, that is an elective I am using to fulfill my course requirements. It's so bad that I need a high A just to receive a C in the course. I cannot decide if I should tough it out and shoot for the A, a grade that I have not received on any of the 4 tests so far in the course, or drop the course to save the risk of receiving a failing grade. By the way, a C is not a failing grade in my program. Pros for dropping are that I preserve my GPA, don't get put on academic probation, and have time to work on other courses that I actually have chances of receiving A's in. Without this course, I have a real shot at a 4.0. Cons, the frowns that I will receive for "not being able to handle a heavy course load while doing research", and this is the one that worries me the most, is that I will have to take more credits next semester, which means more money. The guilt of having to have someone pay for extra courses that I could have already gotten out of the way is really pushing me to tough out the test and get the C. If I for example need a 94, and receive a 92, I run the risk of getting a failing grade. I can't decide which option is worse. I only have a couple of days to decide. The professor has laid out my options and left the decision to me. Does anyone have experience with this situation? Although they both suck, is one option better than the other?