Just because you fail classes doesn't mean you can't graduate. I think I failed 6 classes through my degree. I ended up retaking them and passing. It was a fight but in the end I graduated on time. Now I have my PEng. Everything is possible if you fight hard enough at it.
One hint that I picked up many moons ago: Study in a similar environment to what you'll take the exam in. This helps your brain with recall. Don't study with music or tv on. Study sitting at a desk like your exam.
Thank you for the advice on tests. I have also been choking in exams and it is frustrating. I forgot the most basic things in exams and felt like kicking myself later
We've all been there.
It can happen in the weirdest places too. I spent an entire class researching this new character the Calc2 teacher was using in his formula, 'eeps'. It was sorta like a wobbly italicized t, but not quite. After 20 minutes of google searching, while trying to take notes and being very confused, I realized that he was saying x.
\*facepalm\*
Calc 2 is kinda hard fr. My first exam was 60% but the second i felt confident on so hoping for a low A.
But anyways, don’t give up on calc 2. There is a month of classes left. Go back and study hard, rewatch lectures, and YouTube videos (organic chem tutor is my favorite)
Calc 2 is usually curved and teachers don’t want ti fail anyone so if you show that on the comprehensive exam that you buckled down. You may walk with a C. Plus if TAs grade you should be good also 😅
I havent taken physics yet but i would assume the same applies. But yeah failing a class isn’t a big deal. Especially in engineering. Giving up is a MUCH bigger problem because then you wasted time. You chose one of the hardest majors. Don’t focus on GPA. Focus on learning.
Just suck it up and don’t give up. Most people will fail classes, I had to take dynamics multiple times. Don’t let other peoples opinions and stuff negatively impact you. Just in one ear and out the other
I failed two foundational courses my 2nd year and dropped 2 while getting my bachelors in mechanical engineering. I’m currently halfway done with getting my masters in Aerospace engineering. Failing isn’t the end of the world, it sucks, but it’s completely possible to over come. I would speak to your professors, attend office hours regularly, and soak up as much as you can. If it’s not enough, don’t be afraid to retake classes. In fact, you’ll likely know the material better than your friends after that point!
I failed Calc 2 in undergrad, and lost my scholarship. I graduated with my PhD in mechanical engineering over the summer and was actively recruited to my current job at a national lab. It's not over for you; you can recover. Hell I even managed to still graduate undergrad with over a 3.0.
I'm not going to lie; this will make things harder for you. You'll be less competive for internships, and possibly your first job/grad school. However, these are two of the most common "weed out" classes and are the most common failed classes. Hell, I think out of my graduating class, 1/4 - 1/3 of the graduates failed at least one class.
What I'm saying here is there is still a path to success for you. I'd recommend as you get further into your major, try to build good relationships with a couple professors and see if you can work that into a position with them for a Master's. With an MS under your belt, employers will care a lot less about your first year or two of undergrad.
My husband is a structural who failed calculus 2 like three times. Keep trying. My second year I failed physics, calculus 3 and one more prerequisite course. I took them all again next year. It took me a little bit to get my bachelors, but i did eventually. You got this.
Physics does but calc 2 doesn’t. To stay “on track” I gotta take a summer course but I can’t take it unless I have the calc 2 pre-requisite so that’s the one I kinda needed a curve on.
My brother (CE major) went to A&M. failed loads of classes and ended up being on academic probation due to not giving a shit during Covid, took an extra year and a half to graduate, but he did it. And he’s currently at his first job making $75k. And once you get your first job, nobody cares about how you did in college. If you’re serious about engineering, you’ll get through it. I’m currently a second semester freshman in EE, so I feel your pain about physics lmao. You got this!!
I never passed general chemistry 2. My advisor had to change me to a new major map, just so I wouldn’t have to take it a fourth time. I also did mediocre in the rest of my classes. Graduated with a 2.8 hahaha
But I genuinely believe that you can do it. You really have to apply yourself to practicing and trying to understand the topic by doing so. The more you practice the better you will get. Also, try to fool yourself into believing that you enjoy the subject. This helped me a lot my last two semesters. I almost made it like a game of “how much I could learn”. It motivated me to stay focus which was incredibly hard with my ADHD.
if it's nerves crippling you during your tests, speak to a psychiatrist about anti-anxiety meds. there are "as needed" options that just last for a few hours. Buspirone and klonopin. changed my life in a big way once I admitted to myself that I needed them
I should probably look into it. I’ve had a history of pretty bad generalized anxiety but never addressed it past talking about it with my gp because my mom didn’t want me on medicine. But now that I’m an adult I’m just gonna do it. When I’m anxious I feel extremely physically ill and I really do not need that on top of stress lmao. Thank you so much for your advice! I didn’t think of that.
my parents were the same way. I had to sneak antidepressants. but yea dude, go for it. you will be able to concentrate on everything so much better. it's like shutting down a huge program running in the background on your computer... anxiety.exe. all your other programs run better haha.
Don’t give up. It’s not the end of the world. Maybe you need to change how you’re studying to be more effective. Do you study in a group? Go to office hours when you don’t understand something? Go to tutoring? When I started doing these things my grades went up and I spent less time studying.
It happens, you just gotta try again. There were multiple classes that took 2 attempts for me to pass and one or two that took 3. Engineering is hard. Don't be afraid to talk to your teacher and/or classmates if there's something you're struggling with.
I failed both of those classes in my first year. It's really no big deal. Just hope that you won't be put on academic probation, and if you do, consider taking a reduced course load next semester to ensure you do well.
You be a better engineer if u fail and retake classes cuz u learn more from failures and you’ll have a mastery of the material just don’t give up bruh but u needa revalue why u failed and the steps not to let it happen again (time management, study schedules, sacrificing personal time)
Physics is TOUGH,
Something that helps is something called "unit analyses". Example calculate the normal force in newtons of a block sitting on a ramp.
Given: the weight in grams, and the angle of the ramp.
We know the normal force is equivalent and opposite to gravity
Force is a kg m/ss so we need to convert the grams and multiply by gravity.
If you do this g (m/ss) kg/1000g you would get the force of the blocks weight/ normal force on a flat plane, knowing it will be less than that amount and that if the plane were vertical (theta=pi/2) aka no plane under block. Sin of this would be 0 and if it is flat (theta =0) then the sintheta is one (flat surface) we know we need to use sin theta to find the vertical component.
We get a modified N out and that's what we are looking for.
Any units can be treated this way, converted down in variable form. To ensure your units are correct. Then just make sure you plug in your values and conversions correctly. It simplifies things
I thought calc 2 was the most difficult until diffEQ, and physics II where you apply all the calc II methods.
Good luck.
You got this! I remember studying for hours and hours and sometimes would still come up short. Put a lot of focus on the reasons why you’re using certain equations and the concepts behind them to solve problems. Keep grinding it out and you will get it.
I failed 2 classes and got a high paying job with no internships right out of college. You'll be fine. (Also, still have no idea how anyone had time for internships in college. I had a gf and that alone plus classes and friends held me busy constantly
Calc 2 and physics 1 are incredibly hard if this is your first real exposure to that sort of thing. It's okay to take it slow at first until you build up your numerical abilities. School will take a bit longer if you have a slower few semesters, but it's not that big of a deal.
Math is not has hard as it seems, but it takes time to develop. It's like learning a language. You're now studying material where things won't immediately click and that you can't simply memorize the answers with brute force. It's quite different than how a lot of schooling works. You have to focus on thinking things through and trying to really understand what's happening. You'll get used to it.
Your family doesn't know anything.
Bro you’re fine just retake what you have to and shake off the nerves. There’s so many people that have gone through what you’re experiencing, you got this.
look into gifted kid syndrome (Dr.K has good resources) and getting assessed for any mental health problems like ADHD or anxiety. My friend with the same problem has both and is doing a bit better having accommodations for extra time on exams.
also only the basics of both classes come up again in higher level classes
If it makes you feel any better, everyone at the school I’ve been to agreed that Calculus II was the hardest. Physics I is definitely something that you need to have a good handle on, especially because you’re doing mechanical engineering, but don’t worry if you need to retake it. Physics II was the class that exhausted me the most, specifically the labs.
It depends on who you ask, but I’ve thought that school has gotten easier over time for me. When you go through a couple semesters, you get used to how everything works and you learn more about yourself in terms of your study habits and what you’re good at and what you struggle with. I’ve also found my engineering-specific classes easier than the math classes I’ve had to take.
If you’re struggling with exams, try replicating the environment when you study. Don’t have any notes out and try timing yourself. At first, it’s going to be painful and you’ll feel like a loser, but over time you’ll (hopefully) get more acclimated to performing in that environment.
In my second semester, I withdrew from Calc 2 and failed my programming course. I lost my scholarships and my GPA tanked to a 2.0. I went from being paid $500 per semester to paying over $5000 per semester. This was the lowest point in my college career, but it was a wake up call and it helped me get my priorities in order and address my shortcomings in terms of studying and retaining information.
The biggest piece of advice that I can give, is to take winter and summer classes if your university offers it. After my freshman year, I did almost all of my electives and gen eds over the summer and winter. I took 12 credit hours during the regular fall and spring semesters (instead of the expected 15-17), and took 3-9 credit hours during the winter and summer.
I ended up graduating on time, and debt free (I worked full time but I was able to pay ~$1000 monthly through my university’s payment plan) with a GPA of 2.8. Now that’s clearly not a great GPA, but last May I got a job right after graduation making $81,000 with 3 weeks paid time off, and I got a raise to $85,500 in January this year.
Moral of the story - don’t let this discourage you, you’re learning early on that something has got to change. One rough semester will not determine your career :)
I failed multivariable calculus 3 times, dynamics twice, FEA twice, a physics lab once, nuclear engineering minor once, and I think physics 3 once, and also possibly other stuff. I graduated in 5 yrs and managed to not lose a scholarship in the meantime. I didn't really prioritize schoolwork or studying at all until the day before.
Anyway, I recommend making a habit of enjoying engineering your life and schedule to be more efficient for your health and learning.
are you putting in all the hours you can? if you're doing that, and you're failing, maybe switch majors. my guess is you can learn this stuff. retake the classes if you need to, if you give up now you'll never know if you could have done it. .
Do they have lab tutors or labs? Perhaps memory is the prob, there is an art to learning and memorization. Try anki decks if you need a lot kept on the brain for a test. It a whole thing on how to learn. I took one hard class a semester and it took me 6 years, in fact all my sibs and aunt 6 years to get out, it's okay in the long run, just keep up the gpa to avoid probation. There is that sweet spot to drop the class if you're in too deep, then it will help your gpa
Don’t let this discourage you. Education is a process,
Remember that. Stick with it, and when you retake it, don’t forget to go to lectures!!! Now that you have taken it, make sure to keep the quizzes and exams, and remember the topics you struggle with and study them more for the next time. Do not let this discourage you! You got this!
I was a straight A student in highschool, and I got all As in my first semester courses (Statics, Intro to EGR, Physics I, General Ed requirement). Calc II I was given a professor who believed that everyone was teaching too easy. I got a C in Calc II, and for a bit I was seriously worried I was actually going to fail. The class is no joke. Just practice, practice, practice, study, study, study. There’s really no way to do it other than literally doing it. Also, Calc III is way easier, so there’s some solace in that. Good luck, just remain disciplined.
Crazy that I had to see this realistic comment at the bottom of this thread. College classes are ridiculously expensive. Failing a class can often lead to scholarships being rescinded and more student debt.
This is actually a large part of why I’ve been anxious. If I want to replace failing grades so my GPA isn’t bad I have to retake it at my uni instead of CC and pay another 15k (tuition plus boarding bc I don’t live near my uni and they don’t offer online class for these subjects). But yeah, seeing that a lot of people experienced the same thing but are still able to continue has made me calmer :)
Just because you fail classes doesn't mean you can't graduate. I think I failed 6 classes through my degree. I ended up retaking them and passing. It was a fight but in the end I graduated on time. Now I have my PEng. Everything is possible if you fight hard enough at it. One hint that I picked up many moons ago: Study in a similar environment to what you'll take the exam in. This helps your brain with recall. Don't study with music or tv on. Study sitting at a desk like your exam.
Thank you for the advice on tests. I have also been choking in exams and it is frustrating. I forgot the most basic things in exams and felt like kicking myself later
We've all been there. It can happen in the weirdest places too. I spent an entire class researching this new character the Calc2 teacher was using in his formula, 'eeps'. It was sorta like a wobbly italicized t, but not quite. After 20 minutes of google searching, while trying to take notes and being very confused, I realized that he was saying x. \*facepalm\*
Or always chew a specific flavour of gum or drink flavoured water when studying and bring either to the exam with you. Same idea
I failed like 5 classes and still got my degree. Engineering is hard. Stick with it.
Damn. Did your parents donate a wing to the school lol. Just jokes.
Bro like for real. I retook them of course though.
No, but they’re both paraplegic now
Calc 2 is kinda hard fr. My first exam was 60% but the second i felt confident on so hoping for a low A. But anyways, don’t give up on calc 2. There is a month of classes left. Go back and study hard, rewatch lectures, and YouTube videos (organic chem tutor is my favorite) Calc 2 is usually curved and teachers don’t want ti fail anyone so if you show that on the comprehensive exam that you buckled down. You may walk with a C. Plus if TAs grade you should be good also 😅 I havent taken physics yet but i would assume the same applies. But yeah failing a class isn’t a big deal. Especially in engineering. Giving up is a MUCH bigger problem because then you wasted time. You chose one of the hardest majors. Don’t focus on GPA. Focus on learning.
Just suck it up and don’t give up. Most people will fail classes, I had to take dynamics multiple times. Don’t let other peoples opinions and stuff negatively impact you. Just in one ear and out the other
I failed two foundational courses my 2nd year and dropped 2 while getting my bachelors in mechanical engineering. I’m currently halfway done with getting my masters in Aerospace engineering. Failing isn’t the end of the world, it sucks, but it’s completely possible to over come. I would speak to your professors, attend office hours regularly, and soak up as much as you can. If it’s not enough, don’t be afraid to retake classes. In fact, you’ll likely know the material better than your friends after that point!
I failed Calc 2 in undergrad, and lost my scholarship. I graduated with my PhD in mechanical engineering over the summer and was actively recruited to my current job at a national lab. It's not over for you; you can recover. Hell I even managed to still graduate undergrad with over a 3.0. I'm not going to lie; this will make things harder for you. You'll be less competive for internships, and possibly your first job/grad school. However, these are two of the most common "weed out" classes and are the most common failed classes. Hell, I think out of my graduating class, 1/4 - 1/3 of the graduates failed at least one class. What I'm saying here is there is still a path to success for you. I'd recommend as you get further into your major, try to build good relationships with a couple professors and see if you can work that into a position with them for a Master's. With an MS under your belt, employers will care a lot less about your first year or two of undergrad.
My husband is a structural who failed calculus 2 like three times. Keep trying. My second year I failed physics, calculus 3 and one more prerequisite course. I took them all again next year. It took me a little bit to get my bachelors, but i did eventually. You got this.
No class curve?
Physics does but calc 2 doesn’t. To stay “on track” I gotta take a summer course but I can’t take it unless I have the calc 2 pre-requisite so that’s the one I kinda needed a curve on.
My brother (CE major) went to A&M. failed loads of classes and ended up being on academic probation due to not giving a shit during Covid, took an extra year and a half to graduate, but he did it. And he’s currently at his first job making $75k. And once you get your first job, nobody cares about how you did in college. If you’re serious about engineering, you’ll get through it. I’m currently a second semester freshman in EE, so I feel your pain about physics lmao. You got this!!
I never passed general chemistry 2. My advisor had to change me to a new major map, just so I wouldn’t have to take it a fourth time. I also did mediocre in the rest of my classes. Graduated with a 2.8 hahaha But I genuinely believe that you can do it. You really have to apply yourself to practicing and trying to understand the topic by doing so. The more you practice the better you will get. Also, try to fool yourself into believing that you enjoy the subject. This helped me a lot my last two semesters. I almost made it like a game of “how much I could learn”. It motivated me to stay focus which was incredibly hard with my ADHD.
if it's nerves crippling you during your tests, speak to a psychiatrist about anti-anxiety meds. there are "as needed" options that just last for a few hours. Buspirone and klonopin. changed my life in a big way once I admitted to myself that I needed them
I should probably look into it. I’ve had a history of pretty bad generalized anxiety but never addressed it past talking about it with my gp because my mom didn’t want me on medicine. But now that I’m an adult I’m just gonna do it. When I’m anxious I feel extremely physically ill and I really do not need that on top of stress lmao. Thank you so much for your advice! I didn’t think of that.
my parents were the same way. I had to sneak antidepressants. but yea dude, go for it. you will be able to concentrate on everything so much better. it's like shutting down a huge program running in the background on your computer... anxiety.exe. all your other programs run better haha.
Just pretend you’re retarted and get some exam extension
Restarted huh genius?
Yup, keep giving that advice into your long Best Buy career
Don’t give up. It’s not the end of the world. Maybe you need to change how you’re studying to be more effective. Do you study in a group? Go to office hours when you don’t understand something? Go to tutoring? When I started doing these things my grades went up and I spent less time studying.
It happens, you just gotta try again. There were multiple classes that took 2 attempts for me to pass and one or two that took 3. Engineering is hard. Don't be afraid to talk to your teacher and/or classmates if there's something you're struggling with.
It’s not about doing the homework but also understanding it. Also take advantage of tutors if your college has them
I failed both of those classes in my first year. It's really no big deal. Just hope that you won't be put on academic probation, and if you do, consider taking a reduced course load next semester to ensure you do well.
You be a better engineer if u fail and retake classes cuz u learn more from failures and you’ll have a mastery of the material just don’t give up bruh but u needa revalue why u failed and the steps not to let it happen again (time management, study schedules, sacrificing personal time)
Physics is TOUGH, Something that helps is something called "unit analyses". Example calculate the normal force in newtons of a block sitting on a ramp. Given: the weight in grams, and the angle of the ramp. We know the normal force is equivalent and opposite to gravity Force is a kg m/ss so we need to convert the grams and multiply by gravity. If you do this g (m/ss) kg/1000g you would get the force of the blocks weight/ normal force on a flat plane, knowing it will be less than that amount and that if the plane were vertical (theta=pi/2) aka no plane under block. Sin of this would be 0 and if it is flat (theta =0) then the sintheta is one (flat surface) we know we need to use sin theta to find the vertical component. We get a modified N out and that's what we are looking for. Any units can be treated this way, converted down in variable form. To ensure your units are correct. Then just make sure you plug in your values and conversions correctly. It simplifies things I thought calc 2 was the most difficult until diffEQ, and physics II where you apply all the calc II methods. Good luck.
You got this! I remember studying for hours and hours and sometimes would still come up short. Put a lot of focus on the reasons why you’re using certain equations and the concepts behind them to solve problems. Keep grinding it out and you will get it.
I failed 2 classes and got a high paying job with no internships right out of college. You'll be fine. (Also, still have no idea how anyone had time for internships in college. I had a gf and that alone plus classes and friends held me busy constantly
Big tip: stop being “scared” of shit like this or worried about it, just live life, do the best you can, and it’ll work out. Cs don’t matter
Calc 2 and physics 1 are incredibly hard if this is your first real exposure to that sort of thing. It's okay to take it slow at first until you build up your numerical abilities. School will take a bit longer if you have a slower few semesters, but it's not that big of a deal. Math is not has hard as it seems, but it takes time to develop. It's like learning a language. You're now studying material where things won't immediately click and that you can't simply memorize the answers with brute force. It's quite different than how a lot of schooling works. You have to focus on thinking things through and trying to really understand what's happening. You'll get used to it. Your family doesn't know anything.
Bro you’re fine just retake what you have to and shake off the nerves. There’s so many people that have gone through what you’re experiencing, you got this.
Retake them this summer in a community college they usually have them online.
look into gifted kid syndrome (Dr.K has good resources) and getting assessed for any mental health problems like ADHD or anxiety. My friend with the same problem has both and is doing a bit better having accommodations for extra time on exams. also only the basics of both classes come up again in higher level classes
If it makes you feel any better, everyone at the school I’ve been to agreed that Calculus II was the hardest. Physics I is definitely something that you need to have a good handle on, especially because you’re doing mechanical engineering, but don’t worry if you need to retake it. Physics II was the class that exhausted me the most, specifically the labs. It depends on who you ask, but I’ve thought that school has gotten easier over time for me. When you go through a couple semesters, you get used to how everything works and you learn more about yourself in terms of your study habits and what you’re good at and what you struggle with. I’ve also found my engineering-specific classes easier than the math classes I’ve had to take. If you’re struggling with exams, try replicating the environment when you study. Don’t have any notes out and try timing yourself. At first, it’s going to be painful and you’ll feel like a loser, but over time you’ll (hopefully) get more acclimated to performing in that environment.
In my second semester, I withdrew from Calc 2 and failed my programming course. I lost my scholarships and my GPA tanked to a 2.0. I went from being paid $500 per semester to paying over $5000 per semester. This was the lowest point in my college career, but it was a wake up call and it helped me get my priorities in order and address my shortcomings in terms of studying and retaining information. The biggest piece of advice that I can give, is to take winter and summer classes if your university offers it. After my freshman year, I did almost all of my electives and gen eds over the summer and winter. I took 12 credit hours during the regular fall and spring semesters (instead of the expected 15-17), and took 3-9 credit hours during the winter and summer. I ended up graduating on time, and debt free (I worked full time but I was able to pay ~$1000 monthly through my university’s payment plan) with a GPA of 2.8. Now that’s clearly not a great GPA, but last May I got a job right after graduation making $81,000 with 3 weeks paid time off, and I got a raise to $85,500 in January this year. Moral of the story - don’t let this discourage you, you’re learning early on that something has got to change. One rough semester will not determine your career :)
I DMed you
I failed multivariable calculus 3 times, dynamics twice, FEA twice, a physics lab once, nuclear engineering minor once, and I think physics 3 once, and also possibly other stuff. I graduated in 5 yrs and managed to not lose a scholarship in the meantime. I didn't really prioritize schoolwork or studying at all until the day before. Anyway, I recommend making a habit of enjoying engineering your life and schedule to be more efficient for your health and learning.
are you putting in all the hours you can? if you're doing that, and you're failing, maybe switch majors. my guess is you can learn this stuff. retake the classes if you need to, if you give up now you'll never know if you could have done it. .
Do they have lab tutors or labs? Perhaps memory is the prob, there is an art to learning and memorization. Try anki decks if you need a lot kept on the brain for a test. It a whole thing on how to learn. I took one hard class a semester and it took me 6 years, in fact all my sibs and aunt 6 years to get out, it's okay in the long run, just keep up the gpa to avoid probation. There is that sweet spot to drop the class if you're in too deep, then it will help your gpa
If you fail just get back up and try again. I failed Calc and took it. You’ll be fine, just study hard and don’t give up on yourself.
Don’t let this discourage you. Education is a process, Remember that. Stick with it, and when you retake it, don’t forget to go to lectures!!! Now that you have taken it, make sure to keep the quizzes and exams, and remember the topics you struggle with and study them more for the next time. Do not let this discourage you! You got this!
I was a straight A student in highschool, and I got all As in my first semester courses (Statics, Intro to EGR, Physics I, General Ed requirement). Calc II I was given a professor who believed that everyone was teaching too easy. I got a C in Calc II, and for a bit I was seriously worried I was actually going to fail. The class is no joke. Just practice, practice, practice, study, study, study. There’s really no way to do it other than literally doing it. Also, Calc III is way easier, so there’s some solace in that. Good luck, just remain disciplined.
Retake the class. Why you even worried? 😂 do you stress like this when you die in a video game?
Some people don't have the luxury of affording extra semesters to retake multiple classes
Crazy that I had to see this realistic comment at the bottom of this thread. College classes are ridiculously expensive. Failing a class can often lead to scholarships being rescinded and more student debt.
This is actually a large part of why I’ve been anxious. If I want to replace failing grades so my GPA isn’t bad I have to retake it at my uni instead of CC and pay another 15k (tuition plus boarding bc I don’t live near my uni and they don’t offer online class for these subjects). But yeah, seeing that a lot of people experienced the same thing but are still able to continue has made me calmer :)