Advice on toughing out or dropping a course

[1st_year_here]

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?

[psych21]

Sorry, I don't have experience with anything like this. However, if it was me, I'd drop. The risks appear too large, especially given that you haven't been able to get that high of a grade in tests so far. You're also lucky you still get to drop this late in the game, I know my school's window for withdrawing is earlier.

[wastro]

Hey 1st-year-here,

You are in a tough position, but my mom always said: "Persevere and do the best you can do or let them kick you out of the course, don't ever give up". School is rather black or white.. You are already enrolled in it, you have already put some time and energy.. My sister was studying arabic and she was about to give up, her classmates had prior arabic knowledge and she had great difficulty until the end, but with my mom's advice, she persevered and ended up passing her course! It is really up to you and only you know what's best. If you put aside the fact that your grades depend on the last test then maybe just maybe you will even get a better grade than your 94 goal! Good luck buddy

[fuzzylogician]

Here are the facts, as I see them. This class is outside your major and not really all that important for your overall progress in your program. You can still get an A, but that will undoubtedly cause you a lot of stress, because the margin of error is so small. That means that if you continue to take this class, it will inevitably take over a lot of your time and become a more important priority than it otherwise should be. Therefore, you'll spend less time on your other courses and your research. Maybe it won't affect your other grades, but it'll still affect your research. Even with all that, it's still not guaranteed that you'll get an A. The implications of getting a lower grade sound quite serious. Given all that, I think the answer is you should drop the class and concentrate on your more important work. 

 

Getting frowns from others will not be pleasant, but compared to the other possible consequences of your situation, it's the lesser evil. You can take another class later and maintain a high GPA. Classes won't matter for much at the end of the day when you graduate, it'll be about the research. I understand it's also not great taking a course high load again next year, but I believe it'll be easier for you next year compared to this. First year is an adjustment period, and now that you're nearing its completion, whether you know it or not, you've learned things about yourself like how to work more efficiently, how to set up a working environment, and how to manage your time effectively. And you got some research started, got to know your professors, peers and environment, and generally got settled into your program. Those things take a good few months, at least. Next year you won't need to do all that, so the higher workload won't be as bad. I wouldn't worry about someone paying for the extra course. Really. If they are letting you do it, then they can afford it, and you need to look out for your own best interests here. You are not taking money away from anyone else. They will not open an extra course just for you--you'll join a class that would have already existed anyway. Seriously, money should not be a factor in this decision. It should be about what's best for you, your research, and your status in your program.

[magicbird]

I had a similar situation in my first year of my masters. Having similar worries, I decided to tough it out.  I ended up getting the lowest grade on my transcript. This has been a blemish on my transcript until now (3rd year PhD). Although I was still able to get scholarships etc, I had to work harder. If I had to do it over I would have dropped the course.

[GradHooting]

This is a very helpful thread reading through some of these replies.  I sent a request to my professor to take an incomplete or to drop the class.  It is also not essential to my progress towards my Ph.D., but it has been eating up my time like no other.  fuzzy's description put some of my worried thoughts into order quite a bit.  Thanks!

[fuzzylogician]

Good luck. I hope it works out! 

[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???!!!

Edited May 13, 2014 by 1st_year_here

[Cookie]

The difference between the two was that I had the chance not to fail, it would be different if failing was certain. 

 

As a fellow first-year, hats off to you! It's silly but I actually teared up a bit reading this.