Hi. I don’t know whether I should drop calculus and then retake it next year. Should I select it as no credit? Is 3 courses too few? I don’t think I have a hope of passing the course (I failed both the first two midterms). I can’t afford another F on my transcript, (I already got one from first-year physics which I should have dropped when I had the chance). How does not taking the required courses for your program affect the future? What should I do about this besides cry in fetal position?
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hey there,
firstly: don’t cry in the foetal position. not only will it not make you feel any better (if anything, it will put even more stress on your body that is trying to cry and breathe while having its lungs all crumpled), but there is absolutely no practical place at uoft to go into the foetal position. we don’t even have spots to nap in (not officially), let alone spots to settle down on the ground.
just so you know, the deadline to make a Y course credit/no-credit is february 16th. that is also the deadline to drop a Y course from your academic record and GPA. SO don’t panic – you’ve still got some time to sort all this out.
if you do drop it, make sure to do it before the deadline. and it’s better to drop it and take it again than to fail and take it again.
HOWEVER, it is important to keep in mind that if you don’t get the credit and it’s a requirement for a program you’re interested in, you will not get into the program. you just won’t. it’s called a requirement for a reason.
so if you DON’T get the credit, you can do one of two things: take the course again in the summer, and hopefully not get too behind on getting into your program of choice, OR:
look into a different program. if you had your heart dead-set on a specialist in mathematics and it turns out that you hate calculus – maybe math isn’t right for you. (BUT make sure you don’t let your grades make this decision for you. disliking something and struggling with it are two different things. if you are still really passionate about whatever it was you need calculus for, there are ways to get there).
if you need some help figuring out your next step, i would recommend making an appointment with the registrar’s office. as AMAZING and HELPFUL as askastudent undoubtedly is, your registrar has a bit more context about who you are and your specific situation.
to me, you’re just a couple of paragraphs on a screen. some cute, paragraphs, for sure. very charming. but a bit limiting in terms of information.
good luck with your journey, my friend,
aska