Do I still have a chance at a C+ / better?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a student's concerns about their chances of passing a chemistry class after receiving a low score on the first test and not attending the second test. Participants explore the implications of these actions on the student's overall grade and potential strategies for improvement.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants calculate that to achieve a C (70%), the student would need an average of 280 points across four tests, which may require scoring highly on the remaining tests and the final.
  • Others suggest that dropping the class might be the best option given the current performance and lack of effort shown by not attending the second test.
  • One participant mentions the possibility of pulling a passing grade through strategic studying, even if the student feels unprepared.
  • There is a discussion about the consequences of skipping tests, with some noting that it could lead to removal from the class depending on institutional policies.
  • Some participants express skepticism about the student's likelihood of passing based on their current approach and decisions.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally do not agree on the best course of action for the student. While some advocate for dropping the class, others believe there may still be a theoretical chance to pass if the student performs well on future assessments. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the student's potential for success.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding assumptions about grading policies, the weight of tests, and the potential for class curves, which are not fully clarified.

Edin_Dzeko
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I got a 61 / 100 on my first Chem test. There are 4 test and a final. I didn't bother showing up for the second test I just didn't want to go in there and waste time. I didn't know squat so I decided not to show up. That's a 0. I don't think the prof allows a make up without a doctor's note.

So

Test 1: 61/100
Test 2: 0/100
Test 3:
Test 4:


What do you think my chances are? Can I still pass the class?
 
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Are you asking for people to abuse you? Perhaps you came to right place.
 
Stephen Tashi said:
Are you asking for people to abuse you? Perhaps you came to right place.

abuse? why and how?
 
If a C is 70%, then you need a total score of 280 on 4 tests. Less the 61 you already got, that means on the last two tests and the final (assuming each is weighted equally, which they probably aren't) you need a total of 289, or about 97 on each test. That means you need to learn everything you should have learned when you were wasting time, plus all the new stuff. If I were you, I'd drop the class. Those sorts of scores would be difficult for a good student to get.
 
You should drop the class in my opinion.
If you decided not to show up because you didn't know any of it and thought it was a waste of time, it seems like you just didn't put forth any effort in it as far as I can tell.
 
Given you didn't show up to an exam for reasons other than things out of your control (Family death, health problems, etc).

Drop the class.
 
Get a fake doctor's note?
 
Drop the class unless you can somehow convince the professor to give you a better grade.
 
What do you think my chances are? Can I still pass the class?

Is the class curved? Anyways, you really need to work harder. You shouldn't just 'not show up' to tests and hope to get a C+ in the course. It's disgraceful.
 
  • #10
Dude it's okay, here is what happpened with me

Midterm 1: 20%

Midterm 2: 97.3%

Average so far? 70% Yay...now I just got to wait for the finals to bring my grades down even further
 
  • #11
You'd be surprised what you can pull out of your *ss on some exams, even if you don't actually know all that much. Especially if the class is an intro-level course, go get a problem set, take 20 minutes, and learn one concept or one type of problem really well. If you pick a concept or problem that the professor seems to like, odds are it or something like it will show up on the exam. Bam, 10 points. Got an hour before the exam? Repeat and hope you guess right.

It's certainly no way to learn the material, but if you're in over your head and just trying to survive with a passing grade, giving up and eating a 0 is a really weak option (unless you spent that time studying feverishly for something else that needed work). It's interesting that you thought spending an hour or two scraping the bottom of the barrel for lucky points would be a waste of time, yet you still seem to care whether you pass the class or not.
 
  • #12
flyingpig said:
Dude it's okay, here is what happpened with me

Midterm 1: 20%

Midterm 2: 97.3%

Average so far? 70% Yay...now I just got to wait for the finals to bring my grades down even further

Haha, I was hoping for the same thing in my discrete class.

Midterm 1: 47%

Midterm 2: 49%

Didn't happen. Although the average was 53, so I'm not that far off. :redface:

To the OP...if you wouldn't have completely skipped that second exam, this wouldn't be as hard. I'm sure if you tried on the other two you could at least pull a C. Do you even have an option to drop at this point?
 
  • #13
1) Is it theoretically possible to pass? I think yes. a good showing on the final is usually enough to pass.
2) are YOU going to pass? highly unlikely. You have exhibited behavior that is extremely inconsistent with that of someone who will pass. Indeed at some schools skipping a test without permissions would be sufficient grounds for the instructor to remove you from the roll. You might check whether you are still in the class. I would guess it certainly disqualifies you from getting any slack of any kind.
 

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