Is it worth retaking difficult courses to maintain a high GPA in college?

[pete5383]

Hey everyone. I have a quick question for you (I'm thinking a bit ahead, I know, but I like being prepared.) So, I'm in Sophomore year of Electrical Engineering, and I like it a lot, especially now that I'm getting to work with microcontrollers and into more complex electronics. Anyways, my question is this - I have to two classes this year that, although I love them, they are very hard. I would like to get A's in them, but I could see myself getting B's. Now, coming off a...subpar high school performance, normally B's would be good. But I'm doing well in college, and I have a 3.97, and the B's (if I got them) would take me down to 3.83. Next semester I'm going to have two spots open for classes, and I was wondering, if I don't get my desired A's, if I should retake them and keep my good (I think) GPA? How much will it matter when I'm out in the real world? Also, I don't know if it matters, but I have an internship right now, too. And I plan on going to grad school right after undergrad.

So would it be worth the time to retake them next semester? It will be a fairly easy semester, and I think the second time around, I could probably ace the classes. I know what everyone is going to say probably, that I should just try to bring my grades up this year, and that is definitely the plan, but if I can't get them up by the end of the semester, should I retake? Thanks everyone!

 

[mr_coffee]

pete, I think that would not be the smartest of things to do. If you already have an internship, your already in good standings. If you want to go to school forever, you can retake your classes your going to get B's in but that would be expensive and I don't think a smart move.

 

[Gott_ist_tot]

It's probably a bad move. The same two classes on the transcript would be worse than a 3.83. Also, does your school allow you to retake classes that you received a B in? I know that in my undergrad institution they allowed you to retake some classes in your first year if you received a D or lower. However, even though they did not go into your GPA calculation they did appear on your transcript. I know a few people who tried your tactic and it just screwed them over. One guy tried to apply for an internship and the semester he tried to apply was the semester after his poor performance (which he then bombed to allow a retake). Thus, he did not get the internship. Even mor tragic was a student who got kicked out his freshman year because his GPA was too allow after failing classes on purpose.

 

[^_^physicist]

A "B" as you stated is actually still quite a strong grade. If you finish the class and believe you understood the material and have a good enough grasp that you feel you could move on to the next level, I don't see a reason to retake the course.

Granted, if you had (by some bizarre instance), an extra spot later on into your college career where you didn't need any extra credit in particular, you might consister retaking the course then, so long as you know that the retake will not appear your transcript (this is what my school does...you strike the course from the record and start over on it).

 

[pete5383]

I have a couple extra spots for classes, that if I don't retake, I'd just fill with some random classes (or maybe a physics class or math class?). My school allows any class to be retaken, but it will show on the transcript. I think they way it works is that the first grade will be in brackets, while they second will not, and only the second grade will count into the GPA calculation. So what I'm gathering is that retaking would actually be harmful in a way?

 

[Plastic Photon]

Outside of completely failing a course, do not retake the course. Learn on your own, as an engineer you should be capable of this.

 

[pete5383]

I'm not worried about understanding it. The harder of the two class that I'm thinking of retaking, Intro to Microcontrollers, is a class that I love. I do very well in the labs and have made some (not to brad) pretty cool stuff. I understand the classes very well, just, for some reason, the tests give me a little bit of trouble. I'm just worried about someday when I'm looking for a job/grad school that I'll wish my GPA was higher.

 

[symbolipoint]

If you passed a course with C or better, then you should not re-enroll in it to study it again; just restudy it on your own, UNLESS YOU HAVE GREAT CONCERN ABOUT G.P.A.

If you were in a course but you did not receive C or better, then you will need to restudy something - whatever portions of the course and its prerequisites that you did not learn well. Restudy those on your own before you re-enroll in the course officially.

 

[complexPHILOSOPHY]

You don't even have a B yet! Instead of worrying about retaking the class, just spend some extra time practicing your TEST TAKING! Go over your tests you have done, make sure you master them and try to ask your professor if he has old tests you can work through or find some online.

This investment will be more beneficial than wasting another second considering the b and the retake.

<333 go read dude, get off here and get the A!

 

[pete5383]

I know, I know, I think I'm just directing my worry to the wrong outlet, and I will kick butt to pull myself up to the A I want. Just one question - if I do repeat, both grades go on my transcipt (the old grade is placed in brackets or something). Just for future knowledge, just in case, what do employers/grad school think about this? Is it a bad thing to have?

 

[complexPHILOSOPHY]

If you end with a B, which you won't if you try your best, I still don't advise that you retake the course but I am not qualified to give you that advice because I have never had experience with that and I am still doing a lot of lower-division stuff.

You won't get a B, just go spend more time on your test-taking if that is all that suffers. There is an art to taking a test, which you have to subjectively discover on your own, I think through practice. If you need some tips, I am sure we can try our best to give you some but I think each individual constructs their own cognitive model of efficient and effective test taking, or atleast I do.

 

[mattmns]

If you have nothing to take wouldn't you be better off taking another advanced EE class (or even in math or physics, or possibly research). I would think that would look better to grad schools than retaking a class you might get a B in.

 

[pete5383]

Thanks for the advice everyone - That's kind of what I was hoping you'd tell me :) I would personally love to take some more advanced EE classes than do the repeat, but I wasn't sure if it would be better to keep my GPA up. Thanks alot! And grad schools look at extra classes I've taken?