I mentioned last month that DD really struggled with her Physics class last quarter (she has to re-take it Fall quarter) and now this quarter is struggling with Chemistry. She just had a big test yesterday and knows she did terrible. She had a chemistry class at the community college (also needed as part of her high school requirements) but it didn't transfer. She got an A- in that class and thought that would help her do well in this class. She is beyond frustrated. She studied all week (as well as for her other classes), through Friday night. Took Saturday off to spend with me, and then started back up again at 2pm Sunday, after I left. She also has to take some engineering classes and is not confident she will be able to do well in those, either. She does fine in the accounting, math and business classes.
For this major she has picked she has to have these classes and has to have a 3.0 GPA to even stay in the program! As it is from this last quarter she is not going to make it unless she gets an A in this Chemistry class. She did some looking into other degree's last night and found that she could switch to an Operations Management degree with a minor in what she is majoring in now and not have to take any science or engineering classes. 2 of the classes required for both degrees she is taking right now and she's only have to take a few extra business classes to get a minor in this degree and they count toward both degrees. Plus, she would be able to finish in 4 more quarters, 3 quarters if she wanted to take 4 classes per quarter, but I told her that is too much.
She is feeling a bit down, like she is failing and giving up. But, I told her she needs to study/work in what interests her and something she does well in. If she is constantly struggling and feeling like a failure she is not getting any satisfaction out of it. A person should be satisfied in the work (or schooling) they are doing. That's what college is for - to try different classes and see what you are good at/what you like to do. I wasted my whole first year of college because I totally changed my major.
This morning she will go talk to her advisor - about dropping this chemistry class and changing her major to Op Mgmt and a minor in the other degree. These are the types of classes she does well in and the type of work she wants to do. Science and Engineering are not in her "wheelhouse" apparently.
If she has to go an extra quarter past next year to finish we will have to figure out housing for that one quarter. Next year she is renting an off campus apartment with 2 other girls but that is just for that school year. I told her if worse comes to worse she will just have to be in a dorm again for that last quarter, maybe she'll get lucky and be able to get a private room. If not she can tough it out for 11 weeks.
I am so curious of what her current major is! I am a chemical engineer by degree so I took a whole lot of physics and chemistry. The one word of advice I always give to college students now is to make sure they research the careers that come after the degree and that they will like the work. I HATED a good chunk of my college classes but I toughed it through because I knew I would like my career afterwards (I work as a different type of engineer than my degree). Is management something she will enjoy doing? It's not for everyone (including me!). Internships are great at giving a student a chance to see what the job entails. If she can't do that maybe she could find someone to shadow for the day.
ReplyDeleteit's supply chain management, which interests her, but she didn't realize she would totally bomb on the science aspect of it. She probably won't have a choice but to drop the major anyway - with the 3.0 requirement (the other business majors do not have that) she is now just under that. She is looking for an internship this summer.
DeleteCorrect me if I'm wrong, I was under the impression supply chain management is managing inventory (not people) and operations management is managing people?
ReplyDeleteI think so. I haven't really got all the details from her yet (her plan was to manage both, I think)
DeleteHere's what it says about Ops Mgmt (so similar to supply chain, but just broader in scope, I think to encompass the whole organization, not just inventory:
DeleteOperations management is the direction and control of the processes within an organization. Operations managers are concerned with each step in providing a service or product – from acquisition of the raw materials and component parts to delivery to the customer. They determine what equipment, labor, tools, facilities, materials, energy, and information are required, how these can best be obtained, and how they are used to satisfy the requirements of the market place. Managers are also responsible for critical activities such as quality management and control, capacity planning, materials management, purchasing, and scheduling.
I feel your pain. After a two year degree in golf administration (which gasined nary a job offer), my son headed towards a degree in engineering. Then he got to the point. Where he realuzed he had at least a full ear of calc and more and he was never going to pass, so is settling for an associate in science and then taking a very long step back from college and looking at self training or apprenticing.
ReplyDeleteI kind of thought maybe she was biting off more than she could chew, but wasn't going to try to put a damper on her willingness to try. A bachelor's in any business degree is going to do well for her, so I'm not too worried that she will be ok. She'll end up with a major in Ops Mgmt and a minor in Supply Chain (w/o having to take all the science and engineering) and probably end up with the same type of job anyway, when she graduates, LOL.
DeleteI think going to the advisor is the best way to go, that's their job after all. Tell her good luck from me.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gill!
DeletePlan A is great, but always have a Plan B and even a Plan C. I personally had to switch my major my first year because I just wasn't into it. I went to Plan B but still pursued Deaf Education in a social capacity. I even still took classes because I enjoyed conversing in ASL. Went from living on campus to moving back home. Then after graduation with a degree in Biology. I went to Plan C and went back to school for another degree. Again moving back home. Now I have a job that a really enjoy each and every day. It will all work out.
ReplyDeleteI was on plan D by the time I graduated college 😳
DeleteTell her not to get discouraged those classes can stump many people sometimes it is just a matter of really understanding the subject and it will take more than one try.
ReplyDelete