It’s a guarantee that you will enjoy some classes more than
others. Many students find classes in
their majors to be far more interesting than required general education
classes. That’s totally
understandable. But how do you handle
THAT class, the one that, for whatever reason, you hate?
Oftentimes, students are doing poorly in the classes that
they dislike. Here are some factors to
consider.
- If it is not a required class and you can drop it without penalty to your transcript or your financial aid, consider dropping it.
- If it is a required class, especially one in your major and even if there would be no penalty, the decision is a bit more complex. Does the same instructor always teach this class? If one of your issues with the class is how it is taught and the same person always teaches it, you might as well stick it out unless things are going truly horrendously. Is this class difficult to get into? You might not want to give up a seat in class that is offered only once a year or an upper division class that everyone in your major needs to complete, as it might significantly delay the completion of your degree.
- You can choose to fight back. Take all your annoyance and frustration about that class and re-route that energy into getting the best grade you possibly can. Neglecting that disliked class and getting a poor grade just means that you will need to retake it. The rules for retaking classes have recently become much more strict at many colleges and universities, so you may not have very many chances to take another shot at it.
- Talk to the instructor about your study strategies to see whether they are suitable for the class material. Talk with other students who are doing well in the class to see how they approach learning the information. Seek out study groups, check if tutoring is available, and find out whether there are supplemental materials such as textbook study guides or websites to leverage your learning process. Don’t let this class knock you down without giving it your best.
That class you hate will have just as strong an impact on
your GPA as one you like. If you are
proactive in dealing with the situation, you will never have to take that class
you hate again.
