So here's the deal... I'm taking a course right now which I do not need for my degree, but do need for my professional designation. For it to qualify for my designation requirements, I need to get a minimum of a 60 in it. I am in a position where I have to get a 56% on the exam to get a 60 in the course (I haven't done super well so far).

Normally, if that were the mark I needed, it'd be a no-brainer. But the prof spent 3 hours at the start of the term telling us how 40% of the fall term class failed the exam. I'm not exactly in the top 60% in this class either, because a) I don't fully understand the material, likely because b) it is really boring.

The exam is saturday at 2pm. I know VERY little about the material right now.

Should I make an executive decision, fail the course, and take it through Athabasca? Or should I cram, do my best to get 56 on the exam, and then risk losing all the information before the sun rises on Monday anyway?

Discuss.

Originally Posted by sniderj

So here's the deal... I'm taking a course right now which I do not need for my degree, but do need for my professional designation. For it to qualify for my designation requirements, I need to get a minimum of a 60 in it. I am in a position where I have to get a 56% on the exam to get a 60 in the course (I haven't done super well so far).

Normally, if that were the mark I needed, it'd be a no-brainer. But the prof spent 3 hours at the start of the term telling us how 40% of the fall term class failed the exam. I'm not exactly in the top 60% in this class either, because a) I don't fully understand the material, likely because b) it is really boring.

The exam is saturday at 2pm. I know VERY little about the material right now.

Should I make an executive decision, fail the course, and take it through Athabasca? Or should I cram, do my best to get 56 on the exam, and then risk losing all the information before the sun rises on Monday anyway?

Discuss.

If I were you, I would definitely put in the effort now and just pass it. It's only Thursday, you have tomorrow and a little bit of Friday to learn the heck out of the material. Why bother wasting money taking it again - especially when you don't find the material interesting - get it over and done with.

Good luck!!

I don't see why you would purposely fail a course. I needed a 57.5 just to PASS accounting last term, let alone get a 60 in the class. I finished with a 2 in the course.

If the grade doesn't matter (like, if all you need is the 60), then I don't see why you couldn't just aim for the 60. You're a smart enough guy, I don't imagine you failing an exam..

But then again, at this point, I guess your average doesn't mean shit all since you're graduating anyways.

So let's just bring it down to money. To waste 600 bucks or not to waste, that is the question.

Part of the problem is that I have to actually KNOW the stuff for more than 2 days... I will need to write an entrance exam which (among many other things) tests the knowledge I should have acquired from this course. :S

Well, when's the entrance exam? Wouldn't it be possible to just teach yourself the material from now on till the entrance exam if you get that 60?

Originally Posted by lawleypop

Well, when's the entrance exam? Wouldn't it be possible to just teach yourself the material from now on till the entrance exam if you get that 60?

Your logic is persuasive... perhaps I will just sit down and get'er done... God I hate this course

The new Left 4 Dead campaign just came out.

Video games vs. education... tough break, but I'd say go for the cramming, your prof is probably just jerking you around. That large of a failure rate means something is damn wrong.

Or, you know, bell curve. *shrugs*

Originally Posted by sniderj

Your logic is persuasive... perhaps I will just sit down and get'er done... God I hate this course

Shoulda just asked me over msn.

Well, tit for tat. Convince me to study for an exam that no matter what, my mark will go down (going into it with an 88 >_<)

Edit: I already tried the whole "think of how rewarding it must be to get your first 11 or 12 in university! That doesn't justify the amount of effort needed. :( gah, curse my laziness.

Why did you have to tell me about L4D? You're a cruel person!

Honestly, this prof is a whole bag of dicks. I know he's not jerking us around, because I know pretty much everyone who took the course last term.

And there's not a chance he's bell curving. He doesn't believe in it, and the area chair who signs off on the marks is a little nazi who gets all wet in the pants over low averages. lol.

Originally Posted by lawleypop

Shoulda just asked me over msn.

Well, tit for tat. Convince me to study for an exam that no matter what, my mark will go down (going into it with an 88 >_<)

Edit: I already tried the whole "think of how rewarding it must be to get your first 11 or 12 in university! That doesn't justify the amount of effort needed. :( gah, curse my laziness.

lol. I have nothing motivational to say at this juncture...

:( :(

but but.
i don't like to help people unless I get something in return, even if I do consider you a friend. LOL. XDDD

-reads the first chapter- :(

Originally Posted by lawleypop

:( :(

but but.
i don't like to help people unless I get something in return, even if I do consider you a friend. LOL. XDDD

-reads the first chapter- :(

haha. What course is it?

Originally Posted by sniderj

haha. What course is it?

2ka3. >_<

Originally Posted by lawleypop

2ka3. >_<

LOL. It's almost not possible to get a bad mark in that course... just read through the notes once... it'll be fine.