[Bioionic]

I am sorry if I am posting this in the wrong place, but I need a reality check, and also some words of advice.  I pretty much put all my eggs in one basket, that being that I would get a degree in science.  Unfortunately my eggs are running low, I have about drained my savings account going to school, and I just received my final grade for General chemistry, which was a D. 

I have like 70 semester hours completed and maintained a 3.8 GPA up until now.  Summer school starts on Monday, and I am retaking Gen chem again, but this time the course is only 5 weeks long.  I have tried to determine where I went wrong last semester, and I just can’t put my finger on it.  I think my troubles first started with stoichiometry and continued downhill from that point. 
I guess my question is this, was chemistry just child’s play for most of you?  Did any of you struggle with it until one day a light switch went on? 

I feel that I am at a crossroads, and that maybe I need to be pragmatic and accept the fact that science is not meant for me.  There is always economics or somthing...

Thanks

[Mitch]

Can't you work this summer, and try again in the fall if you're running low on money?

[Astrokel]

I guess my question is this, was chemistry just child’s play for most of you?  Did any of you struggle with it until one day a light switch went on? 

I would not say chemistry is an easy subject, but most importantly, is your interest in the subject.

[enahs]

I actually "failed" Gen Chem 1 and had to retake it. I withdrew from the course when I realized the highest I could get would be a D. Every science classes before that was boring. I would not buy the books, or even look at them in the library. I would show up to lectures without paper or pen. I would get A's on everything. I just had a very large amount of knowledge for almost every science but Chemistry. Not really sure how it worked out that way.

I actually enjoyed finally having my ass kicked. It got me really interested in chemistry. Now I have a bachelors and am working towards my graduate degree. Doing a lot of great research. *shrugs*

Unfortunately my eggs are running low, I have about drained my savings account going to school, and I just received my final grade for General chemistry, which was a D.

I have like 70 semester hours completed and maintained a 3.8 GPA up until now.

What country are you in?
In the US Student Loans are great. Most people do not realize that the loans and interest are tax deductible. You may also qualify for PELL Grants, AKA free money! And with a 3.8 GPA, you are a great candidate to find a scholarship, even if it is only a partial one.

[Gerard]

I am sorry if I am posting this in the wrong place, but I need a reality check, and also some words of advice.  I pretty much put all my eggs in one basket, that being that I would get a degree in science.  Unfortunately my eggs are running low, I have about drained my savings account going to school, and I just received my final grade for General chemistry, which was a D. 

I have like 70 semester hours completed and maintained a 3.8 GPA up until now.  Summer school starts on Monday, and I am retaking Gen chem again, but this time the course is only 5 weeks long.  I have tried to determine where I went wrong last semester, and I just can’t put my finger on it.  I think my troubles first started with stoichiometry and continued downhill from that point. 
I guess my question is this, was chemistry just child’s play for most of you?  Did any of you struggle with it until one day a light switch went on? 

I feel that I am at a crossroads, and that maybe I need to be pragmatic and accept the fact that science is not meant for me.  There is always economics or somthing...

Thanks

ah never use poverty as an excuse let me tell you of my story..
i have been a working stundent for three years at the chemical engineering lab. what i earn is just enaf to pay for my tuition...i walk 2 to 3 kilometers from school to home, yes i obtain a small grade but i didnt give a sigh,if i have a small grade in my subjects i can compensate that with my work experience...
then when my contract ended for the 3rd year i became as a assistant researcher in the micorbiology laboratory and microbial technology for another 6 months,then i became a science tutor to the lower years,still what i earn is enough for my tuition fees....

and i have to be honest,i even got retakes in my math subjects:algebra,differential equaitons, advnace mathematics and chemical separations all because i failed to come on time during the exams or that i failed to study the day before the exam but i made sure that the second take i'll go for the ace which i did an A grade in all of my retakes...

dont feel descriminated because you are poor or even you have a retakes because you have to work for your education remember what pastuer sais:"Chances always favors the prepared mind" or if i put it in my own words "Chances favors the determined one..."
just keep it up,i know work and study is not an easy task, i have been working for 5 years for my eduction and look at me now at the age of 22 i am at the last stage of my course and soon i will be working for my M.D and Ph.D. degrees...

stand your grounds, failures are only for quitters!

[Bioionic]

Thanks all.  Gen Chem take 2 begins in the morning.  I really hope I can do better this go around.

[raney nickel]

Id use the summer to take a breather and decide what you want.  Hard subjects usually take a longer bit to digest and a quarter is kind of a short time to go through that amount of info.  When you're in college try not to rush it and do your best to take a lot of those courses that interest you, even if they're out of major (basket weaving and rowing).  I know it seems like a lot of money now, but once you finish and get a job you'll realize its not really that much in the end and hopefully it was worth it.

[tamim83]

I also struggled to pay for school and as far as chemistry goes I am an interesting case; I happen to be legally blind.  So getting class notes and doing labs was very difficult for me.  There were chemistry classes that were easier to get through than others and Gen. chem was pretty hard for me because I hade no reliable way of getting class notes.  I had to make do with the small amount I got out of class and the book as well as plenty of time spent in my professor's office hours.  As I was able to get grant money for more adaptive technology, it did get a bit easier, but I was always at a slight disadvantage. 

I think that you can do well still.  Everyone has had a tough time with a class, and I don't think you should give up on this if you really would like to study chemistry.  There is a lot going on in gen. chem. since it is a survey course and a lot gets thrown at the students with little time to connect the dots.  Although a five week gen chem course would be rough, you have the advantage of seeing the material before and sometimes the second time around is a lot better.  As long as you commit an ample amount of time to studying, you can do pretty well. 

Good Luck 

[Gerard]

dont give up on your dreams, remember failures are success turned inside out

[Bioionic]

Today went fast, but was easy. Covered dimensional analysis, and nomenclature.  Tomorrow empirical formulas and Stoichiometry.  By Friday we will be on chapter 4.  So this time around is really fast paced, but it should just be review for me afterall.
I really never asked for help too much last semester, I think I will try it this time.

Thanks for all the encouragement...

[Bioionic]

Just an update. I just finished the 5 week summer class with the same teach I had last time. This time around I got a B. So next semester I am off to chem 2

What helped me this time was to really understand dimentional analysis, although it did not help much with lewis, IMF and that Clapeyron fellow.

[tamim83]

Nice job, glad you did well 

[Bioionic]

Thanks, I guess the real trick was not giving up, which I was very close in doing.

[danny411]

na, its just business....

you get a bad grade roll the dice again

i have a A+ average so far but my last chem test didnt go well...

so if i do poor on the next one...i retake the course...(they are free for me)

i have dropped like 5 classess this yr....roll the dice...