Almost failing out of college, what to do?

[Linas]

Im really stressed out and dont need any guff, i need some serious insight. So i have been on academic probation for the last 3 semesters (including summer), and i should be off technically by the second semester. There are a list of things the university will drop you for, but most important is deficit points (you get them with D and F grades) and GPA.
My cumulative GPA will be fine after this semester, and i wont have enough deficit points to be dropped from the college, but my semester GPA is going to be below acceptable.
I kind of have 2 options, i can take a withdrawal from the entire semester by friday. I would be wasting $6k if i do that. Or i can gamble and hope that when the deans do the review, they give me one more semester. I've already talked to an advisor who thinks i probably wont get dropped. But im not sure if i want to risk it. Im going to go talk to a dean tomorrow and see what their insight into this is. I am so worried.

[crimson_basser]

damn dude, i have no idea how your system works down there.. so i cant offer any insight

but i wish you the best, good luck, hope everythign works out!

[Lesfunk]

Put down The Beer, The bass, The joint , the girl, The internet, video game or whatever you're doing and study harder. Quit your band.
I'm not being a wise ass. It's just the truth. If it's important to you, Do It. Whatever it takes.
You've dug yourself a hole and crying about it on some bass forum isn't going to help.
You already know what to do.
No Guff intended

[bongomania]

My two cents: slug through it, beg to keep your position there, dig deep and work through whatever is holding you back. I used to be like "college, whatever, I'm young and the system sucks and the mainstream ivory tower can blow me" but now I'm nearly 40 and wishing to hell I had gotten a degree back then, and struggling to get decent grades now that I've gone back to school. Don't be like me. Tough it out and get it done now, don't wait until sometime when it's "more convenient" or you "feel like it".

[machine gewehr]

I feel for you man,I have to complete 100 credits in 2 semesters or I won't get my diploma and will be kicked.I'm so stressed out I don't know if I can handle this w/o losing my mind.

Also,as you may see,I can't give you any suggestions.

Good luck.

[CapnSev]

[MCBTunes]

Keep at it. Let it be known to the Dean that you are going to improve your grades. Are you allowed to take a lighter course load? Perhaps the quantity of classes is preventing you from finishing assignments or getting adequate study time.

[BassSaxMan]

Real life is much harder than college. Time to be responsible and realize that adults have to work. Get used to it.

[Armueller2001]

Get better grades?

[Ericman197]

Originally Posted by Lesfunk

Put down The Beer, The bass, The joint , the girl, The internet, video game or whatever you're doing and study harder. Quit your band.

This. I can't compare my own struggles with yours, because we all deal with different problems. But the only thing that works is, well, working at it. Eliminate fun time, if only for a few weeks, and get the work done. If you have a job on the side, consider quitting or reducing your hours. I know a lot of people from high school who, due to work obligations, either failed out of college or did not achieve the grades they needed to do what they wanted to do.

I'm not saying everyone can go through college without working, but you need to balance your priorities. Plenty of people don't have a problem working while in school, others do. By hook or by crook, you need to make the time necessary to pass. After all, what's the point in working if you're essentially wasting the money? It sounds like right now, you're not accomplishing anything academically - no offense. So you need to make some major changes.

[Selta]

Lesfunk and Ericman nailed it.
Drop everything extracirricular until you improve. If you're working your way through college, that's fine. I suggest looking at taking on more loans now to have the free time to study.
Drop everything else. Do nothing but eat, sleep, go to class and study until things improve.
Reward yourself only when every assignment is completed and well understood. Once that's done, it's time to go have a beer. Not a moment sooner. No "I'll do it laters" or "I don't understand, but I'll ask tomorrows". Get it done tonight, ask a friend in the class for help if you must.

[Webtroll]

Originally Posted by Lesfunk

Put down The Beer, The bass, The joint , the girl, The internet, video game or whatever you're doing and study harder. Quit your band.

+1

I found that writing down everything the professor says in long hand helped me a lot. It's a whole lot of writing but I've found they don't normally test on material that isn't covered in class. My grades were slipping as well, and when I started doing that I started making the dean's list. It's really hard to tune out and start thinking about other things when you're trying to write everything down. When test time comes, read your notes.

[T.O.Bass]

Do you attend EVERY class? Skipping classes is the biggest killer. Plus what Lesfunk said. Drop your other priorities. Do all your readings, all your work.

Anyone can get good grades; it's simply a matter of doing all the work, no slacking. Obviously you aren't studying and working as hard as you could be.

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by BassSaxMan

Real life is much harder than college. Time to be responsible and realize that adults have to work. Get used to it.

Suck it up and get to work. Extra curriculars - whatever they may be - need to go away for a while.

[spade2you]

Definitely quit those distractions.

Out of curiosity, what is your major? If things seem too difficult, perhaps you chose a major that's beyond your abilities.

[derelicte]

Go to your dean. Now. Explain your situation, and tell him/her that you plan on taking your future seriously from now on. Just be honest.

I've been in your shoes and looking back, coming clean to my adviser n dean was the best course of action. What will happen will happen, but the burden lifted from you will be so worth it. If you ask me, I am more willing to help a student who is willing enough to confront the issues than someone who is dodging them.

Also, a good tear-jerking story helps.

[Quap]

Originally Posted by Linas

Im really stressed out and dont need any guff, i need some serious insight. So i have been on academic probation for the last 3 semesters (including summer), and i should be off technically by the second semester. There are a list of things the university will drop you for, but most important is deficit points (you get them with D and F grades) and GPA.
My cumulative GPA will be fine after this semester, and i wont have enough deficit points to be dropped from the college, but my semester GPA is going to be below acceptable.
I kind of have 2 options, i can take a withdrawal from the entire semester by friday. I would be wasting $6k if i do that. Or i can gamble and hope that when the deans do the review, they give me one more semester. I've already talked to an advisor who thinks i probably wont get dropped. But im not sure if i want to risk it. Im going to go talk to a dean tomorrow and see what their insight into this is. I am so worried.

This post for help should have come a while ago. If you schedule is anything like the University in my town, finals are in the next couple of weeks, and the time for begging may be done.

One full year of school on academic probation is going to be hard to over come. I know, I wasn't on probation that long, but I was on probation a couple of different times.

It took three seperate majors, dropping the extracurricular music classes I was taking, to finally get motivated enough to finish school.

Study really hard for your finals, like now, in fact stop reading this post. Go pick up a book, go to the professors ask for help, or extra material to work. You may be able to pull the correct semester GPA to make sure the Deans don't drop you from the school.

Good luck, after college it only gets more difficult.

Also, has there been any reason you've not been doing well in school, medically? My brother had severe insomnia (diagnosed by a doctor, with attempted treatment) during his college years, and as a result was able to petition his school to forgive those classes, and this was a very large very well respected institution. If you been sick, and under the care of the doctor for any of the time you have had problems with school see if that is an option. Like I said college is easier than the rest of life, so there are ways to make things right. Miss too much work after being on probation, and you're gone. No extra discussion.

[NJL]

get off talkbass and get to work.

[Vince S.]

How are you doing mental health-wise? I ask because one of my buddies here had on-going depression, and he took a medical leave of absence from school. This effectively wiped his record clean for the semester.

[Croox]

I was recently seeing this girl who had a masters degree from a pretty respectable college, and she was as dumb as it gets. Lesfunk is right, DROP EVERYTHING, eat, sleep, school. reward your self when things improve and keep the rewards small. you gotta chase the carrot on the stick.