I've been trying for a few semesters now to pass a bottle neck in my engineering courses. Part time classes have gotten me through my lower division classes, and a few of the upper division mathematics like Calc I, II, III. I passed my physics classes over a year ago with a fun teacher who explained concepts well. I can handle hard classes. Calculus is hard. Differential equations is hard. I can handle confusing teachers thanks to places like Khan academy.
But here's the problem. Recently my colege changed the requirments for my degree from Physics I and II to engineering physics I and II. I know physics concepts. I passes with a B on I and C in II. The material I've seen is nearly identical between the classes. On the homework I get the majority of answers right on the first try. But I'm still failing every engineering physics I try to take, and have to keep withdrawing to avoid F's.
The teachers are so obsessed with format. Not correct format, just their own. I know it isn't a 'right vs. wrong' way to do physics because the teachers all have different ways they want it written out. I can have the right numbers, the right approach but make low 40's on the test because I can't figure out how this teacher wants it written down. They don't publish what they want and there's no consistency in the department! I don't know if I'll get through, I feel like I'm wasting time and money every time I try and then fail, and I don't know how I'm going to get through this degree bottleneck.
I thought of writing an email about it, but the guy that runs the school is a professor there, and going by what retemyproffessor says about him, I don't think he'll care. I looked into online courses, but the schools wouldn't accept their pysics without Lab portions. I don't know if Online degrees are taken seriously by employers, or if my credits will even transfer, or which online I would even use. UGH! Feeling stuck and powerless here. I can't even audit the classes after the bottleneck for my own learning.
I've been trying for a few semesters now to pass a bottle neck in my engineering courses. Part time classes have gotten me through my lower division classes, and a few of the upper division mathematics like Calc I, II, III. I passed my physics classes over a year ago with a fun teacher who explained concepts well. I can handle hard classes. Calculus is hard. Differential equations is hard. I can handle confusing teachers thanks to places like Khan academy.
But here's the problem. Recently my colege changed the requirments for my degree from Physics I and II to engineering physics I and II. I know physics concepts. I passes with a B on I and C in II. The material I've seen is nearly identical between the classes. On the homework I get the majority of answers right on the first try. But I'm still failing every engineering physics I try to take, and have to keep withdrawing to avoid F's.
The teachers are so obsessed with format. Not correct format, just their own. I know it isn't a 'right vs. wrong' way to do physics because the teachers all have different ways they want it written out. I can have the right numbers, the right approach but make low 40's on the test because I can't figure out how this teacher wants it written down. They don't publish what they want and there's no consistency in the department! I don't know if I'll get through, I feel like I'm wasting time and money every time I try and then fail, and I don't know how I'm going to get through this degree bottleneck.
I thought of writing an email about it, but the guy that runs the school is a professor there, and going by what retemyproffessor says about him, I don't think he'll care. I looked into online courses, but the schools wouldn't accept their pysics without Lab portions. I don't know if Online degrees are taken seriously by employers, or if my credits will even transfer, or which online I would even use. UGH! Feeling stuck and powerless here. I can't even audit the classes after the bottleneck for my own learning.
I'm only in high school myself, but perhaps you could still try talking to the higher-ups? Maybe even counsellors, if they have those.
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AmandaMim I would talk with your school administration, or whoever in your department deals with scheduling, or whoever your academic advisor is. My college did the same thing to me, change course requirements for my degree partway through my time there, but it turned out that I was NOT beholden to the new requirements. I had started the programs with certain requirements and those were the ones I needed to complete for my degree. They couldn't hold me to the new requirements exactly because of scheduling issues and such. Now if you've already started taking new requirement classes on your own you may have a tougher time but it's definitely worth a meeting with someone higher-up.
FWIW online schools and distance classes and such are gaining more acceptance nowadays. As long as the class is through an accredited school (for whatever accreditation your field and local education government group requires), you should be fine.
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AmandaMim I would talk with your school administration, or whoever in your department deals with scheduling, or whoever your academic advisor is. My college did the same thing to me, change course requirements for my degree partway through my time there, but it turned out that I was NOT beholden to the new requirements. I had started the programs with certain requirements and those were the ones I needed to complete for my degree. They couldn't hold me to the new requirements exactly because of scheduling issues and such. Now if you've already started taking new requirement classes on your own you may have a tougher time but it's definitely worth a meeting with someone higher-up.
FWIW online schools and distance classes and such are gaining more acceptance nowadays. As long as the class is through an accredited school (for whatever accreditation your field and local education government group requires), you should be fine.
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dinogrrl Thank you, I hadn't thought that maybe I could avoid this class this way. I'll go check soon. I;m glad to have a new thing to try. And If I can't get out or pass next semester, I think I'll give online school a try.
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dinogrrl Thank you, I hadn't thought that maybe I could avoid this class this way. I'll go check soon. I;m glad to have a new thing to try. And If I can't get out or pass next semester, I think I'll give online school a try.
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AmandaMim
If you already completed your physics, then Im sure they could technically be transfered ovee instead. Thus negating the new requirements. Ive had something similar happen (im in the college of engineering- CS)
I would highly suggest meeting a higher up in person and talking to them. You get your answer fairly quick
If not, I might talk to the head of the college of engineering, if not an engineering advisor. From there, I'd probably talk to your dean perhaps.
Even if you had to take it again, maybe go to the professor's office hours )if they have them), sit down, and ask them questions on exactly what they want, maybe even talk about certain questions where you feel you have a hard time on with formatting.
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AmandaMim
If you already completed your physics, then Im sure they could technically be transfered ovee instead. Thus negating the new requirements. Ive had something similar happen (im in the college of engineering- CS)
I would highly suggest meeting a higher up in person and talking to them. You get your answer fairly quick
If not, I might talk to the head of the college of engineering, if not an engineering advisor. From there, I'd probably talk to your dean perhaps.
Even if you had to take it again, maybe go to the professor's office hours )if they have them), sit down, and ask them questions on exactly what they want, maybe even talk about certain questions where you feel you have a hard time on with formatting.
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AmandaMim Yeah, that was exactly why I failed chemistry. I always thought schools' and universities' purposes were to teach the theories of certain subjects, not what the teacher thinks is right. I failed because I couldn't figure out how my teacher wanted me to write my hecking jabjournal, and I corrected it more than five times
with her instructions. Didn't matter though :/
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AmandaMim Yeah, that was exactly why I failed chemistry. I always thought schools' and universities' purposes were to teach the theories of certain subjects, not what the teacher thinks is right. I failed because I couldn't figure out how my teacher wanted me to write my hecking jabjournal, and I corrected it more than five times
with her instructions. Didn't matter though :/
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- Introvert
- 9+ Hrs ahead of FR time
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Seriously. From my experience, send emails. Send emails to the head of your department, deans, people who write content for the course, etc. Keep going up until you find someone who has authority and cares.
My program has had SO MANY ISSUES just like this, and as a student body, we've literally gotten nasty professors fired, or punished, for doing silly junk like this to fail students. (They literally had it out for our degree, and would acknowledge that we were disadvantaged, then grade us harshly anyways just to fail us.) So you know what? We sent emails to everyone all the way up to the head of the department and told them how it was NOT ok. And we sent emails, from different people, several times a week. One guy called someone everyday to complain about the ridiculousness of the classes.
And guess what? They listened. I had to complain about Tile IX type stuff (for those who don't know, this is about harassment based on mostly gender), and those people were reprimanded. Classes have been improved. Teaching styles changed. Assignments make sense now. So the people who come next in the program don't have to deal with the mess we had because we were the first to ever take these courses.
ALSO, sometimes when colleges change course requirements, those who are currently "in process" and not new to the program get Grandfathered into old requirements. I'd really talk to not just student advisers, but the actual deans and heads about it. You are the customer here, and just because you are a student, you shouldn't be on a wild goose chase to get your degree.
Sorry, my rant. I've dealt with so many issues, I get excited. XD
Seriously. From my experience, send emails. Send emails to the head of your department, deans, people who write content for the course, etc. Keep going up until you find someone who has authority and cares.
My program has had SO MANY ISSUES just like this, and as a student body, we've literally gotten nasty professors fired, or punished, for doing silly junk like this to fail students. (They literally had it out for our degree, and would acknowledge that we were disadvantaged, then grade us harshly anyways just to fail us.) So you know what? We sent emails to everyone all the way up to the head of the department and told them how it was NOT ok. And we sent emails, from different people, several times a week. One guy called someone everyday to complain about the ridiculousness of the classes.
And guess what? They listened. I had to complain about Tile IX type stuff (for those who don't know, this is about harassment based on mostly gender), and those people were reprimanded. Classes have been improved. Teaching styles changed. Assignments make sense now. So the people who come next in the program don't have to deal with the mess we had because we were the first to ever take these courses.
ALSO, sometimes when colleges change course requirements, those who are currently "in process" and not new to the program get Grandfathered into old requirements. I'd really talk to not just student advisers, but the actual deans and heads about it. You are the customer here, and just because you are a student, you shouldn't be on a wild goose chase to get your degree.
Sorry, my rant. I've dealt with so many issues, I get excited. XD
Thank you all so much for the advice. I've sent an email to ask my advisor for an appointment, to start with. @
dalphiarose I'd have to make friends with other students, but I know one person who might agree, to start with. I'll try to muster the courage to start talking with people.
Thank you all so much for the advice. I've sent an email to ask my advisor for an appointment, to start with. @
dalphiarose I'd have to make friends with other students, but I know one person who might agree, to start with. I'll try to muster the courage to start talking with people.
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AmandaMim
Even if you don't have friends in your major, I still highly recommend talking to someone, and continuing to go up the chain if you have to. It can be scary, but if little ole me can do it, you can too! :]
If you ever need to rant, I'm always open.
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AmandaMim
Even if you don't have friends in your major, I still highly recommend talking to someone, and continuing to go up the chain if you have to. It can be scary, but if little ole me can do it, you can too! :]
If you ever need to rant, I'm always open.
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dalphiarose Thank you. I've talked to the one person I know, but my advisors office hours aren't ones I can attend until Monday. Thank you for the offer. Depending on how it goes, I may take you up on it..
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dalphiarose Thank you. I've talked to the one person I know, but my advisors office hours aren't ones I can attend until Monday. Thank you for the offer. Depending on how it goes, I may take you up on it..
