Ava
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Post by Ava on May 19, 2014 22:58:17 GMT -5
The teacher gave me an F. Only reason I'm still in the program is because I did great in the other 2 classes I took and also did great in my prior semester. I already enrolled to take the class again this Summer, with the same teacher because he's the only one who teaches Statistics here. I cannot take it at another institution because the school already waved the maximum 12 credits when I started the program. I cannot transfer more credits. So far; had to cancel my Summer vacation in order to take the class in July, had to drop another Summer class because this one is a pre-requisite, all the other classes I'm enrolled for the Fall semester have Statistics as a pre-requisite, and if this teacher fails me again I may be kicked out of the MBA program because my GPA would fall under 3.0, and definitely I won't be graduating in December. Failing the class is mainly my fault because I find the subject extremely difficult. I also changed jobs in March and the new job is stressful and very time consuming. I did what I could and it wasn't enough. I knew I was not doing great, but I didn't expect this. The teacher never let me know I didn't stand a chance when I could still drop out and get a W instead of an F. Also, an F seems kind of too much. I didn't do enough to pass the class, but I took the tests, never missed a class, did definitely get more than a 0 in every test. I am angry with myself for failing. I've never failed a class before. I am also very angry with the teacher because he seems to find pleasure in failing students. Is it possible that one single teacher can have so much power over my future, when I've been doing great in all my other classes? I don't want to see him again, and yet I'll be there in July. And there's another class I have to take that he's also the exclusive teacher. 2014 hasn't been my year so far
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on May 19, 2014 23:28:15 GMT -5
I knew I was not doing great, but I didn't expect this. The teacher never let me know I didn't stand a chance when I could still drop out and get a W instead of an F. Also, an F seems kind of too much. I didn't do enough to pass the class, but I took the tests, never missed a class, did definitely get more than a 0 in every test.
Ava.....you are a graduate student, you should have been able to figure out that you were failing. Did you ever go to him and ask for help? Did you look into a tutor? Did you go to some of the sites that were posted that explain principles online?
An F means that you made less than 65 (or 60, depending on the program) not zero.
It sucks, believe me, I do understand failing when I timed out of writing my dissertation. However, I own my failure. I screwed up and there were a lot of things that I could have (and should have) done differently. It wasn't my advisor's fault, it wasn't the infection's fault. It was my fault, my responsibility. Just like your grade was your responsibility.
JMHO
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giramomma
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Post by giramomma on May 19, 2014 23:34:51 GMT -5
I'm sorry. You've got a lot of time between now and July to get yourself up to speed . You also know the instructors style, how they grade, and typical assessments. Frankly, that's quite a leg up, and I'd use it to your advantage.
I'd hire a tutor, try to find someone who would be willing to be a study buddy with you, online resources, different textbooks, anything between now and then.
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mcsangel2
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Post by mcsangel2 on May 19, 2014 23:38:30 GMT -5
I agree with the advice to hire a tutor. I had to do that for 7 months to get up to speed for a calculus class after a 17 year break from math. You need to do whatever it takes to pass this class, you can't just assume you'll pass the second time around without stepping it up.
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Ava
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Post by Ava on May 19, 2014 23:41:56 GMT -5
I have to step it up. Obviously I'm not doing enough. Yes, I'm a graduate student but I'm new at this. I'll have to hire a tutor. Cannot fail again. I honestly thought I had enough for a C.
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mcsangel2
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Post by mcsangel2 on May 19, 2014 23:49:22 GMT -5
I have to step it up. Obviously I'm not doing enough. Yes, I'm a graduate student but I'm new at this. I'll have to hire a tutor. Cannot fail again. I honestly thought I had enough for a C. Did he not give out a grading rubric at the beginning of the semester, so that you knew how grades were calculated? I've never heard of a professor not doing that.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on May 19, 2014 23:51:52 GMT -5
A C is not considered a passing grade in graduate school, Ava.
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on May 19, 2014 23:58:40 GMT -5
I agree with Mich.
Ava, I'm sorry you failed but a lot of your language is blaming your professor and I find that misplaced based on the information you gave. Unless he had a personal beef with you, I can't see any of this being his fault.
I seriously doubt he likes failing his students. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Usually profs have to explain why students failed to the dean and no one wants to have that conversation. I taught graduate students and the one thing I hate hearing is that I "gave" a student a certain grade. Students EARN their grades. If you didn't know how you were doing, you didn't put enough effort into finding out. The burden of effort is on YOU, as a student, not on your teacher.
Every class I have ever taken in my entire life either had a grading scale or an 'average' score given after an exam or project or on the syllabus. If you were truly never given ANY indication EVER of how you were doing, then I apologize, but I'm guessing that's not the case.
If you never received ANY indication of how you were graded, then you have a case to do to the dean and appeal your failure. But I can't imagine anyone as rigorous as a statistics teacher failing to provide such information.
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Ava
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Post by Ava on May 20, 2014 0:47:15 GMT -5
He gave us a mean, a highest and a lowest grade for each test. He also gave us the note for each test. I didn't do good but I was never the lowest. I still think an F was brutal.
I know it's my fault. How do you think I feel? I also find he's not a good teacher, he just happens to be the only one available. Yes, you may think I want to blame him for my failings, but I am blaming myself. I also happen to think he's not in the right profession. Not everybody is cut out to be a teacher, and how come nobody wants to take his class, and he students drop his class and he fails a lot of them. It's the first time in my life a teacher fails me. Also try to understand I'm in shock and trying to deal with this.
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msventoux
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Post by msventoux on May 20, 2014 1:29:46 GMT -5
Sorry Ava, I know it's rough. I withdrew from statistics and calculus rather than fail. They weren't subjects that came easily to me and I let other things become more important than passing them. It came down to realizing that I would have to work my butt off no matter how unpleasant it was or not graduate.
I was devastated the first time I got a B in college. By the time I got to calculus and statistics and was committed to passing them, I didn't really care what my GPA was as long as I passed. I wound up passing one of them during summer school. It really sucked because I was going to class 4 nights a week for that class and studying constantly through the best part of summer, but it was worth it in the end.
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bobosensei
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Post by bobosensei on May 20, 2014 2:43:01 GMT -5
Can you give up one of the classes you already transferred in so that you could take stats somewhere else and then transfer that in?
Otherwise, you know this is very important and you just have to buckle down as best you can and ask for all the help you can get. If you fail again maybe it is a sign to look into a different degree program.
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2014 5:49:54 GMT -5
An F is generally not 0. It's more like under 60%. What range were your mean scores? Do you have all of your graded items to calculate?
I think the tutor is a good idea. Maybe start now.
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dannylion
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Post by dannylion on May 20, 2014 6:14:06 GMT -5
I'm sorry you've had this bad experience, Ava. I hope you will be able to improve your grade when you retake the class.
This is graduate school, though, and the stakes are higher along with the expectations. Just showing up for class and participating isn't going to be enough. You will need to demonstrate mastery or at least an acceptable level of competence with the subject matter. A tutor is likely your best option for bridging the gap between your learning style and the instructor's teaching style.
Good luck. This is just a bump in the road.
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lazysundays
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Post by lazysundays on May 20, 2014 6:34:06 GMT -5
My first degree, I definitely would have failed organic chem except it was graded on a bell curve and everyone who scored 15% got a C. I hated the professor because he just dictated and didn't engage/teach. Once I found myself chanting "shut the F*** up" I stopped going. The other class I didn't put energy into was calculus. I walked away late in the semester and carry an "I" on my transcript. I later had to actually self learn the organic Chem and calculus for my biochem class. Never spent so much time on a subject before. I tried to learn it inside and out, and passed class with B+ no curve. We learn through college that some classes like math and science require daily practice to know the topic. You will be fine. It's about priorities and time management like with everything else we want in life. Don't let it leave a bad taste in your mouth. Just a bump on your road to success.
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Ava
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Post by Ava on May 20, 2014 6:34:41 GMT -5
Well, I was able to sleep some hours. I was going to call out work today because I feel (and look) bad, but I'll go in and do my best.
Yes, definitely this is graduate school and the stakes are higher. But I'm not giving up the program because of one class. Besides, I'm on financial aid and it's not that easy to change course. I don't want to start from zero again in another program; I'm halfway through here. There aren't many programs available for what I want to do; the extra credits to sit for the CPA.
I am still angry, but more than anything, I'm confused and sad.
I know this is my fault, but somehow it doesn't seem right to me that failing one class would have so many consequences. It's not like I've failed classes often. It's just one. I've been studying for years at night school and working during the day. It was difficult attending this class also; it's 45 minutes from home and it ended at 10:00 pm. Fail once and you may lose everything?
And it also seems unfair that no matter what, he's still the only teacher available for Statistics and another class that goes after Statistics. I don't want to see him again. You may think what you want but I know he's not a good teacher. He has a heavy accent that makes it difficult to understand what he's saying. That's not his fault, but he could talk slower, at least. He goes very fast, and keeps repeating "This is very easy" every time he starts something new. He knows very well people drop and fail his class, so what makes him think it's easy? He really shows no empathy for anyone. I'm not saying he has to give me a grade I don't deserve. But why not approach or communicate a little better with the students when there's still a chance to remedy the situation, or at least to drop and try again later?
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lazysundays
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Post by lazysundays on May 20, 2014 6:39:50 GMT -5
Definitely get a tutor, or find a classmate to do homework with. I love tutoring for free while I'm in a class. Teaching and discussing also teaches us. It's a much less boring way to learn.
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Ava
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Post by Ava on May 20, 2014 6:48:41 GMT -5
Yes, I didn't get a tutor last time. I'll have to start looking now that I still have time. I cannot fail this horrible class again. I'll pay, because I want the tutor to be committed, and I don't want to study with another student who's as confused as I am. I mean; I am risking my continued acceptance in the program here.
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2014 6:53:01 GMT -5
Yes, I didn't get a tutor last time. I'll have to start looking now that I still have time. I cannot fail this horrible class again. I'll pay, because I want the tutor to be committed, and I don't want to study with another student who's as confused as I am. I mean; I am risking my continued acceptance in the program here. and I'm pretty sure a bunch of us on here suggested you get a tutor when you said you weren't doing well and you resisted the idea. If you have your tests, I would start with a tutor now and go over each test and figure out where you went wrong on anything.
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on May 20, 2014 6:58:12 GMT -5
I can't speak for every program, but where I got my MST there was one class that was horrid. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE was struggling with it. I even spoke to my advisor about it and he told me that class was what was used to weed out the serious students from those who were (perhaps) not as focused. The program had a good national reputation and they didn't hand degrees out to just anyone who showed up for class. I worked my frigging ass off for this class and only barely managed to pull a B. It was the only B I got in my master's program.
I would try to find one of the students who got an A in this class in the last round and try to get them to tutor you. Even though the teacher sucks somehow they were able to figure it out and maybe they can communicate that better to you.
You can do this.
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Miss Tequila
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Post by Miss Tequila on May 20, 2014 7:08:37 GMT -5
He gave us a mean, a highest and a lowest grade for each test. He also gave us the note for each test. I didn't do good but I was never the lowest. I still think an F was brutal. I know it's my fault. How do you think I feel? I also find he's not a good teacher, he just happens to be the only one available. Yes, you may think I want to blame him for my failings, but I am blaming myself. I also happen to think he's not in the right profession. Not everybody is cut out to be a teacher, and how come nobody wants to take his class, and he students drop his class and he fails a lot of them. It's the first time in my life a teacher fails me. Also try to understand I'm in shock and trying to deal with this. You keep saying that you take responsibility for your posts but your posts say otherwise. all I see is you blaming the teacher (he fails his students, first time a teacher failed me, he is an awful teacher, etc). I've had professors that I clicked with and I had professors that I struggled with. At the end of the day it was in my to do what I needed to do to get the grade. If I didn't, it was in me not the professor.
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on May 20, 2014 7:19:50 GMT -5
I'm sorry ava-that sucks. were you under the impression he would grade on a curve, so when you saw your scores compared to the rest of the class thought you were passing? I think starting with a tutor now is a great idea. Your professor is probably a terrible teacher but that doesn't mean you can't still learn the material and pass his class. While looking for a tutor maybe check out coursera for free online classes. Good luck and remember that everyone fails at something (sometimes a bunch at the same time). Try to learn something from.it and move on. Sent from my ADR6410LVW using proboards
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2014 7:24:44 GMT -5
Well, I was able to sleep some hours. I was going to call out work today because I feel (and look) bad, but I'll go in and do my best. Yes, definitely this is graduate school and the stakes are higher. But I'm not giving up the program because of one class. Besides, I'm on financial aid and it's not that easy to change course. I don't want to start from zero again in another program; I'm halfway through here. There aren't many programs available for what I want to do; the extra credits to sit for the CPA. I am still angry, but more than anything, I'm confused and sad. I know this is my fault, but somehow it doesn't seem right to me that failing one class would have so many consequences. It's not like I've failed classes often. It's just one. I've been studying for years at night school and working during the day. It was difficult attending this class also; it's 45 minutes from home and it ended at 10:00 pm. Fail once and you may lose everything? And it also seems unfair that no matter what, he's still the only teacher available for Statistics and another class that goes after Statistics. I don't want to see him again. You may think what you want but I know he's not a good teacher. He has a heavy accent that makes it difficult to understand what he's saying. That's not his fault, but he could talk slower, at least. He goes very fast, and keeps repeating "This is very easy" every time he starts something new. He knows very well people drop and fail his class, so what makes him think it's easy? He really shows no empathy for anyone. I'm not saying he has to give me a grade I don't deserve. But why not approach or communicate a little better with the students when there's still a chance to remedy the situation, or at least to drop and try again later? I'm sorry you failed your class. But you're going for your Masters, so of course every class you take now is a stepping stone to the next level. You're not in undergraduate land anymore. There no more basket weaving classes to help your GPA. As for the teacher, well, consider his style as practice for different managerial styles out in the workforce. You're not going to click with everyone but you will have to figure out how to communicate with your coworkers. I second (or third) everyone keeping on top of what you don't understand and talking to the teacher if you don't "get" something. And also, will this be the only summer class you take? Only having this class to focus on should help you as well.
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giramomma
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Post by giramomma on May 20, 2014 7:24:55 GMT -5
It sounds like your instructor grades on the bell curve. No matter what the grade, a few people are going to fail. It's the nature of the bell curve. And you can get a B and still fail with the bell curve.
You also should have been able to calculate your grade as you moved through the course. If your instructor did not discuss how he graded in his syllabus, the first thing I would do this week is ask for a meeting time with him so you understand the expectations for this next offering. It's a summer school class. He's not going to redo a whole course, including the grading system between now and then.
If your instructor says he will not give you an indication of your grade, but decides only on the last day, and does not tell you what your grade is based on (homework vs exams), then the next person I would see is your student services person in the business school.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2014 7:29:39 GMT -5
Ava, you are reminding me of some of my online students. Some of them submit some really awful work, but they do submit. So I often give them half-credit. They aren't connecting the dots, though, to realize that half-credit is still failing. You are expressing this same attitude: I showed up, I took the tests, I did the best I could, etc. But your best was not "passing" according to this professor's standards.
Your professor would be doing you no favors if he gave you a passing grade in statistics. You have said yourself that it is a prerequisite for several of your other classes. If that is true, you have to really understand the subject or you will find the situation snowballing as you use it in more and more depth.
It is always hard to "fail," but take ownership of what happened and implement the steps that will prevent it from happening again. Blaming the teacher won't help you pass the second time either.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2014 7:32:44 GMT -5
This is a VERY good point!
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Nazgul Girl
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Post by Nazgul Girl on May 20, 2014 7:40:44 GMT -5
Ava, if I was in your situation, I would start taking free, online Statistics classes to * practice* for your repeat summer Stat course. You can practice on these free classes every single night after work, and several hours on the weekends. I had to do this to learn anatomy when I was taking coding classes for my certification, since I am not a medical person by background. Repetition breeds familiarity and also a feeling of mastery, since confidence is so important in academics. One free class that I found online was www.coursera.org/course/stats1 Another bunch of free statistics courses are at the wonderful, online, free Khan Academy: All you have to do is sign up and go through them all: Topics Data and statistics Math » 6th grade (U.S.) Inferential statistics Math » Probability and statistics Sal's old statistics videos Math » Probability and statistics » Descriptive statistics Statistics and probability Math » 7th grade (U.S.) Probability and statistics Math Show all 12 topics... Videos Z-statistics vs. T-statistics Math » Probability and statistics » Inferential statistics Statistics: The average Math » Probability and statistics » Descriptive statistics Statistics: Standard deviation Math » Probability and statistics » Descriptive statistics Statistics: Variance of a population Math » Probability and statistics » Descriptive statistics Statistics: Sample variance Math » Probability and statistics » Descriptive statistics Show all 19 videos... Skills Types of statistical studies Math » Probability and statistics » Statistical studies Statistical questions Math » 6th grade (U.S.) » Data and statistics » Introduction to statistics Good luck. I'm sure that you can conquer this.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2014 7:44:06 GMT -5
I second Khan Academy!
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2014 7:45:22 GMT -5
Failing one class isn't having that many consequences. You have to take a summer course and push back another course. You're going to be okay, just keep trucking. Get the tutor, do the work and keep right on going. Most very successful people have had setbacks along the way. It's part of the journey.
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whoisjohngalt
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Post by whoisjohngalt on May 20, 2014 7:58:07 GMT -5
Wow, I would have been kicked out of the program I just finished if I got anything below 76. Yep, anything below 76 is F in my school for graduate level classes.
that being said, THANK YOU LORD I didn't have to take statistics bc I wouldn't have made it past the first test. I just don't stats at all. I don't even know if any tutor would have helped me.
the ONLY reason I passes stats in my undergrad is bc 1 - it was community college, so I don't think it was that rigorous and 2 - a guy in my class spent 3 hrs with me right before the final exam stuffing as much info in my head as he could and I memorized it as much as I could.
Obviously, none of it helps OP, but I just wanted to say that there are some classes that some people just don't "get it" and that's OK. Try to get through the class any way you can and move on with your life.
Not understanding one class is not that crucial (usually)
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swamp
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Post by swamp on May 20, 2014 8:00:17 GMT -5
I got a D in Real Property my first year of law school. I now do real estate. The crap you learn in class has no bearing on what you do in the real world. Suck it up, get a tutor, pass by the skin of your teeth, and move on.
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