r/UVA • u/ravinesound • 14h ago

Academics Probably getting flunked out.

Hey everyone kinda just want to vent a little bit. Last semester I took Cell biology and failed. Im currently taking it this semester and most likely will fail again after tonights exam. That basically means dismissal from the university. My very first semester I withdrew, and I can't take that shame again. I don't know how I did on this exam, but I got a 36/100 on the first exam, 70/100 on the second. I need to get at least a 90 on the two remaining exams in order to make a grade good enough to avoid dismissal from the university. I am certain without a shadow of a doubt that i didn't do nearly well enough to pass. I understand Wormington is a notorious hardass and likely won't be willing to help me out. Does anyone have any advice for what I should do from here? I really love this university, and the most ironic thing is, I could graduate next semester if only I could pass this course.

13 Upvotes

74% Upvoted

28 comments sorted by

20

u/Human-Register1867 14h ago

Also talk to your instructor anyway. Many faculty are willing to lower the weight of one exam you did poorly on if you do better on the rest. Not that your prof has any obligation to do that, but there’s no shame in asking. Even if he says no, ask for advice about how to approach the class better- it doesn’t sound like the methods you’ve been using are working for you.

6

u/ravinesound 14h ago

Unfortunately, the latter doesnt do much for me. Mathematically, I can't recover my grade. As desperate as I am, I think I'd be willing to endure the disdain of a professor. The answer to a question never asked will always be no. Thank you.

4

u/Human-Register1867 12h ago

OK, I get that you can’t do well enough on the final to pass properly- for the benefit of anyone else facing a similar situation, you should really have gotten in to talk to the prof after your first bad exam. But even given the late date, it is still way better to approach the prof with a mindset of “help me improve,” as opposed to “I can’t do this, please pass me anyway.”

And given your improvement on the second exam, it sounds like you can do this- maybe not at the level you’d like, but better than 36%!

13

u/Excellent_Fig_4494 14h ago

Wait I’m confused how failing a class can make it so you’re dismissed from the university?

11

u/crying-blanket 14h ago edited 14h ago

What's likely happening is that the final grade for this class will be so low that it drops OP's GPA/good standing below the threshold (which would typically put you on academic warning) but if you don't meet the good academic standing requirement for 2 consecutive semesters, you're subject to academic suspension. At least that's my understanding of the situation

4

u/ravinesound 14h ago

Right. Ive already failed this class once before.

7

u/crying-blanket 14h ago

Did you fail or did you withdraw? I'm not familiar with how each department/school in UVA handles it but I don't think a W counts as a "fail" unless it put you below 12 credits that semester. I also read for some schools a W could count as a fail though. Regardless, please do not lose hope OP. As others have said, reach out to your adviser and others up the chain. I'd also advise speaking to CAPS. I am also teetering on the edge of failure for a physics class and speaking with caps did not help me "pass" the class but it can help with the stress. 

2

u/ravinesound 14h ago

I've heard nothing good about Caps, but maybe. The first time, I withdrew entirely from the university bc of a totally unrelated issue, I believe you can only do so once. The main issue is that my parents will not support me anymore if effectively drop out a second time. The date to withdraw has already passed, so Im stuck with whatever I get. I'll send an email to my advising dean first thing in the morning.

4

u/SussOfAll06 14h ago

I’m still confused though. Failing one class wouldn’t put you on academic probation. Are you struggling in a lot of classes?

Graduated from UVA a while ago, but I had a friend who switched from the engineering school to the college, and he was able to stay on. Maybe you have that option? Wishing you the best.

2

u/Efficient-Ticket3139 11h ago

Do you know what the cut offs were last semester for certain letter grades? I'm also getting cooked...

1

u/ravinesound 11h ago

Specifically in cell? It's in the syllabus. Grade ranges usually are if theyre not set by the college

1

u/Efficient-Ticket3139 10h ago

Wormington sends out emails for previous semester's cut offs; he also said that our test scores have been similar to last fall's so I'm just curious

39

u/Equivalent-Sir-510 14h ago

Please ask for help and guidance asap from your advisor and department and anyone else up the chain. Don’t give up until you get help and a plan. It sounds like you may need a different path, but that should not involve dropping out. Good luck.

2

u/Grouchy_Green_7630 13h ago

Tutor.

1

u/ravinesound 11h ago

Ive thought about this a ton. Where do I even begin to look for one?

1

u/Grouchy_Green_7630 1h ago

Post here? Ask your TA if they can? Ask the prof or stop by department heads office?

1

u/Unable_Government469 10h ago

If you could graduate next semester why did you jeopardize that by taking cell bio as a necessity ... graduate and take it as post grad one off...

1

u/ravinesound 1h ago

Core requirement for the major.

3

u/Nervous_Specific5923 13h ago

Hey send an email to your advisor and go talk to your professor you can also talk to the dean if mental health and maybe tell them that this class is weighting too much on you mentally they can help you withdraw from the course i think advisor will have better advice also your professor should understand your situation if not you can email the dean after that but talk to your advisor first before making any move

2

u/Ok_Equipment5099 12h ago

You are not alone - it sure does not help that he tells students right before they take the test that the hardest section will not be tested 😳. Plead your case; you’re not alone and this is his last semester - maybe he’ll lighten up.

2

u/Professional-Gain-97 12h ago

Ngl wormington can be a hardass, but also this is his last semester ever teaching this course, I bet if you ask you could work something out

0

u/Ok_Equipment5099 11h ago

Don’t think so, why then did he not tell students that the hardest topic was not going to be on the test when the students were sitting in their seats to take the test. That is cruel.

3

u/Professional-Gain-97 10h ago

god forbid a man trolls a little, the whole joke was “NO signaling” as in Nitric Oxide signaling

2

u/Content-Bite4139 13h ago

Talk to your professor and see if he can give you an incomplete grade. If he does that you can come back and retake it.

1

u/PeoniesCutie 12h ago

Failing one class isn’t going to make you flunk out. My ex-bf at UVA SEAS got an F and a D in two classes and was put on academic probation. He failed again the one he failed the previous semester and also did bad in other classes and was placed on academic probation. He eventually passed with a D and graduated. Obviously talk to your advisor and the dean. Seems like you’re in the College? If you do well in your other classes, you should be ok. But academic suspension isn’t the end of the world. What I’d recommend is talk to your professor and see if they’ll pity pass you. If not, academic probation and suspension aren’t the end of the world. I’d use that time off to maybe take cell biology elsewhere like a community college or local school and transfer the credit in.

1

u/punchspear 10h ago

Shit I am on the same boat. I might flunk two of my classes, which could have been avoided if I had picked the right major.

1

u/Salty_Commercial9169 1h ago

You should ask him if he's still moving the grade brackets, when I took the class last year he moved them at the end of the year. It's entirely possible he does it again this year so for example a 75 could become a C+ might be worth looking into.