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HELP!! Dropping out or staying in?

edited May 2008 in General
Hi all,
Long time reader, first time poster, I guess...
So I'm doing extremely poorly here after 2 years in the faculty of science, parents pushed and persuaded me into this field. Only have one more retake left with more than half of required courses to go.

I've lost all hope in myself and school, and am seriously considering dropping out and enrolling into a two year visual arts program elsewhere, where I will definitely enjoy it more. I'm also considering trying for the SFU BBA program, which is extremely tough to get in and will take a longer time, but will be something I'm interested in. Current CGPA = 2.39.

What should I do, continue with current program and try not to fail (3 years), try to transfer into BBA (4 years), or leave for trade school(2 years)? My parents have always (and still do) emphasized to me that I need a proper university degree no matter what, or I will not get a good job. Do my parents have a point or are they just Chinese parents trying to save face? Help! Thanks. :boy_hug:

Comments

  • edited April 2008
    lol having a university degree doesn't even mean you'll get a good job.

    Do what you want to do, it's as simple as that. I do not know how the retake things work, but if you want to continue with sciences you should maybe take less courses a semester to make sure you don't fail any.
  • edited April 2008
    um if you only have one retake left i wouldnt go into business

    in fact if you only have one retake left i would reduce my course load considerably and shape up

    you should really do what you want to do, maybe now your parents just wont pay for it or support you, why not go an arts bach degree im sure thats a compromise between a visual arts school and a BSc

    people with degrees earn more on average than people without but there are people without who earn more, so its up to you
  • edited April 2008
    I wouldn't drop out or stay in. I would take a break for a semester or 2 to figure it out. Getting away from school (ie. to work) really helps puts things in perspective and it will help you decide whats more important to you. I was in almost this exact situation in my second year. Used up all my re-do's on classes like math and physics and was thinking about transferring to business. I decided to take a couple semesters off to work and clear my head. I then decided that I should finish what I started in Science. Even though I ended up with a shitty gpa (2.5) and probably won't be working in anything Science related. If you think a Science degree on its own will help you land a good job, your very mistaken. In order for you to be successful in Science, or anything for that matter, is if you have a genuine interest in the subject. Otherwise you're gonna struggle for 3 more years just to get a piece of paper.
  • edited April 2008
    randomuser, sorry I actually have 3 retakes left but if I decide to retake phys and chem (failed them both last sem), then that leaves me with just one more. I always thought a business degree would be good because my long term goal in life is to have my own business.

    thx for the advice all.
  • IVTIVT
    edited April 2008
    cowmilk11;28474 said:


    I've lost all hope in myself and school

    Current CGPA = 2.39.

    Chinese parents
    I think you and your parents need to suck it up and realize that not everyone can get a 4.33 gpa. I bet they give you a hard time for not going to UBC as well. My gpa was 2.25 and is now 2.33 and i am not planning to drop anything.
  • edited April 2008
    cowmilk11;28484 said:
    randomuser, sorry I actually have 3 retakes left but if I decide to retake phys and chem (failed them both last sem), then that leaves me with just one more. I always thought a business degree would be good because my long term goal in life is to have my own business.

    thx for the advice all.

    my worry for you is if you go into business these people are very driven and lot of stuff is curved...i dont know if math just isnt your thing or your study pattern is not whats working but you could flunk right out of there too quite easily
  • edited April 2008
    2.39 is totally fixable.

    That said, if you really don't want to be here, then don't be here. Don't waste your parents' money. Go to a trade school or a technical institute, or just go out into the workforce.
  • edited April 2008
    Go to trade school and pick up a trade. You'll be making more money than most university grads.
  • edited April 2008
    are you taking summer this term? if not.. i suggest using it to talk with your parents and figure things out.. remember.. it is your life and your degree and not your parents.. they may have advices and want what they think is best for you.. but ultimately you're going to be the one stuck with that choice for the majority of your life.. so make it a worthwhile experience for you.. =)
  • edited April 2008
    I would rather you tell your parents upfront that science may not be the subject for you.
  • edited April 2008
    cheat your way through
  • edited April 2008
    what triple said
    and imo, 2.39 with the amount of credits I think you have, is not "fixable"

    Transferring into BBA, they require you do the lower level requirements of business (assuming BBA is what I think it is) + a CGPA of 3.06 or so to get in.
    You can probably do the math yourself to figure out what kind of CGPA you'll need in your two years of lower level requirements in BBA to raise your CGPA up to remotely competitive
    Alternatively, going to a college to do BBA wouldn't be the end of the world.
  • edited April 2008
    don't cheat, reconsider the program you're going to do.
  • IVTIVT
    edited April 2008
    what's wrong with a 2.39? I would love a 2.39!
  • edited April 2008
    Yea seriously, as long as it's enough to pass, graduate, and get the hell out.

    I doubt most employers are even going to care about your GPA except for the very big name companies.

    Unless you don't think you can manage to keep it up. What's the minimum CGPA for sciences before they kick you out? 2.40 or 2.00?
  • edited April 2008
    employers rarely look at gpa and if they do its only when you don't have any work experience. once you have some expereince they'll look at that.
  • edited April 2008
    IVT;28506 said:
    what's wrong with a 2.39? I would love a 2.39!
    he said to get into business or whatever he needs a 3.06, so its bad because getting it to 3.06 would require straight A+s lol
  • edited April 2008
    Look, the problem is that he/ she has reached the end of his/ her second year, a point of no return in her program. He/ She either has to suffer the rest of his/ her program and risk RTW or he/ she restart in a program more suitable for him/ her, but delaying her graduation. If he/ she is struggling even in lower level courses, there is no telling how bad he/ she will do in upper leve. May I also remind you that he/ she was used up ALL his/ her redo.

    For example, I am very lucky that I discovered humanities by the end of the first year. I can therefore quickly catch up on the lower level humanities courses and incorporate the humanities program into my academic plan without any sort of delay. Had I discover humanities later, I may have to stay a semester more to finish my History/ Humanities Double Major.
  • edited April 2008
    Well, I think there's no point in struggling through the next three years taking classes you're not interested in. That said, maybe you're just burnt out from taking so many courses. Only you will really know if you want to continue in science... and to me it sounds like you don't.

    I would take a semester or two off to work and/or travel. Consider ALL of the options. You should write down a list of everything you could do at this point... even options you haven't considered doing yet.
  • edited April 2008
    Yup, my parents did give me shit for not getting into ubc sciences (90% avg, f*ck me). I'm now considering taking time off, maybe the next two semesters to either:
    1.) try and find entry level work in my desired industry
    2.) take courses outside SFU in my industry (continuing studies at langara)
    3.) start to pay off student loan debt, nearing 20 grand.

    Can't really afford to travel, so that's out of the question. Could someone clarify whether or not there is a time limit for enrolling back into classes? How many semesters can I take off and still return if I decide to?
  • IVTIVT
    edited April 2008
    2 semesters in a row
  • edited April 2008
    no offence, but if your parents were not paying for your schooling and dictating which field you should go in that is pathetic on their part and you really got screwed

    like seriously, ouch
  • edited April 2008
    You should move out.

    Your parents obviously hate you.
  • edited May 2008
    I'm not sure if anyone's mentioned this already, but Vancouver has a large job market for visual and media arts. Why don't you make your parents understand that first, then maybe they will be more supportive.

    Also, PAY FOR YOUR OWN EDUCATION, that's the first step to flipping your parents the bird when it comes to them deciding what you should be studying.

    Canada is great to students when it comes to benefits. I've paid for my own tuition ever since I started, and my Chinese parents have not been able to have any say in what I study. I've done it all on student loans and my own cash from working. When you're an independent student (not receiving monetary aid from parents), half or more of your student loan will be in GRANTS, that's $$$$$ you don't even PAY BACK EVER.

    If it's going to be your life that you're living, it's only right that you pay for it yourself, no? As long as you have someone else pay your way, they'll always dictate what you do.



    Edit: I just realised how ironic that last line was since the government is basically paying for my education....
  • edited May 2008
    Lixie;29142 said:
    When you're an independent student (not receiving monetary aid from parents), half or more of your student loan will be in GRANTS, that's $$$$$ you don't even PAY BACK EVER.

    I'm confused. Which grants are you referring to? I have a lot of my tuition paid by a private scholarship, but I still need loans to match some tuition, books and living expenses. I dont have any help from my parents and I'm not sure what youre referring to by the grants part. It seems contradictory to what I've read but I havent read much. I've read about working for the government blahblah blah and getting amounts reduced, but nothing about amounts just getting reduced cause youre getting no help from parental units.
  • edited May 2008
    Lixie;29142 said:
    I'm not sure if anyone's mentioned this already, but Vancouver has a large job market for visual and media arts. Why don't you make your parents understand that first, then maybe they will be more supportive.

    Also, PAY FOR YOUR OWN EDUCATION, that's the first step to flipping your parents the bird when it comes to them deciding what you should be studying.

    Canada is great to students when it comes to benefits. I've paid for my own tuition ever since I started, and my Chinese parents have not been able to have any say in what I study. I've done it all on student loans and my own cash from working. When you're an independent student (not receiving monetary aid from parents), half or more of your student loan will be in GRANTS, that's $$$$$ you don't even PAY BACK EVER.

    If it's going to be your life that you're living, it's only right that you pay for it yourself, no? As long as you have someone else pay your way, they'll always dictate what you do.



    Edit: I just realised how ironic that last line was since the government is basically paying for my education....
    But if you've read his post, he's paying for his own education as well as being forced by his parents to take classes he doesn't want to.

    They're basically forcing him to do Sciences that he's obviously failing at AND forcing him to pay for his own education and bitches at him when he fails.

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