Should I just drop my physics class?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the decision of whether to drop an algebra-based physics course that is not required for the participant's engineering major. The participant expresses feelings of being overwhelmed by the workload and contrasts their experience with that of peers in similar courses. The conversation touches on the implications of receiving a "W" on the transcript and the participant's interest in the subject matter.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • The participant feels overwhelmed by the workload in their physics course, which they believe is more demanding than that of peers in other sections.
  • Some participants suggest consulting a guidance counselor to understand the implications of dropping the course and whether it would negatively impact the participant's academic record.
  • There is a discussion about the potential reasons for the perceived difficulty, including the possibility of missing prerequisites or the professor's teaching style.
  • The participant notes that their class collectively struggles with the course, indicating a shared experience among peers.
  • One participant reassures that a "W" on the transcript is common and typically does not affect future academic assessments.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the implications of dropping the course and the impact of a "W" on future academic pursuits. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best course of action for the participant.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights the participant's interest in physics despite the challenges faced in the course, as well as the lack of support from the professor, which may contribute to the difficulties experienced.

Zanar
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Trying to keep this as short as possible, I'd like to be an engineer, and I'm currently taking an algebra-based physics course. It's not a class I need for my major (of course, I will need calc-based), but I've already passed the drop deadline, so I'll receive a "W" on my transcript. It's been four (going on five) weeks of school, and the workload is extremely overwhelming for a class I don't need. I think the problem with this is largely due to my professor—compared to the workload of the other people in my labs, their professors hardly give any work that goes beyond having a fundamental (mathematical) understanding of each section. Basically, all the other algebra-based physics professors are a world easier on their students when giving work than mine is.

Right now, I also have a variety of computer classes (largely programming) and a math class in my schedule. Those are classes I actually do need to take, and this physics class is hindering me from receiving the A grades I should be able to get.

Now, don't get me wrong, I find that I REALLY love the material in this physics course—I truly think it's all incredibly intriguing! But at the rate my professor is handing out work, I don't think I can keep up with all my classes the way I'd like to. Opinions?
 
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You should see if you can talk to a guidance councillor type at your school. It may be that dropping a class at this point is a big black mark. Or it may not be a big deal. It's hard to evaluate this without detailed info on your school.

Consider asking the prof about this. Maybe there is some reason the work seems harder for you than it should. Maybe you are missing some "secret weapons" or some such. Or maybe you missed a prerequisite class.
 
Thanks for the reply. Anyway, I'm only in community college. Can anyone here give any insight on transferring with a "W"? I'll ask a counselor, but I just want to hear more of people's experience with that on here.

It's actually not that the work seems harder for /me/ than it should because this is exactly how the majority of my /class/ feels about this course. When it comes to figuring out the "physics" (deciphering problems before actually doing the math), my class is essentially within the same range of abilities with each other, though I'd say I have a slightly better /conceptual/ understanding of the material, which helps with getting through the actual physics. I've also surpassed the prerequisite by quite a bit, which was only a college-level algebra course. My professor also doesn't provide outside help, and she has stated this in every class (no office hours), and she also doesn't reply to her emails until a week or two later.
 
A "W" won't have any effect on future assessments, if that's what you really want to know.

People withdraw from courses for all kinds of reasons.
 

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