Should I or shouldn't I?
Sep. 16th, 2004 09:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tanithryudoI'm waffling very badly in the decision to drop one of my tech classes, most likely EE122 (Computer Networking).
I started to consider this option a few days ago, when I spent the evenings of half the days of last week, plus Mon-Wed this week up to 2-4 a.m. working on the our first homework assignment for CS162. (Really, the assignment was "homework" only in name, and more like a mini-project. I mean, how many "homeworks" require you to work in groups of up to 5 people and still make them stress/rush at it? And if this is called homework, then what the professor calls a "project" is going to be a nightmare.) There are 6 more "homeworks" to go and an actual project just in that class. Plus, both my other tech classes have term projects as well. Not a good combination, needless to say.
So I've been thinking about whether to drop the class. So far the only reasons for *not* dropping would be:
1. My parents will not be happy. Especially Dad.
2. Not being able to predict the future, I can't be 100% sure that I can get by with all three classes.
3. The class is pretty interesting; one of our profs is really good but is unlikely to be teaching that class again next semester.
4. Extra classes in relevant topics always look impressive on a resume.
...While on the "for" side, I have the following reasons:
1. I don't have any unit requirements that I need to cram classes in to fill. (In fact, if I hadn't taken a semester off for an internship and only taken two tech classes in the second half of my junior year, I could've gradudated at the end of said junior year). I don't need the class.
2. I am reminded of the lesson to be learned from last (well, Fall 2003) semester, when I was so busy with EECS150 that my neglect of othe classes resulted in a really bad grade for EE128.
3. With more time to concentrate on less classes, I might get a better grade than usual, and pull up my languishing GPA.
4. I'll have more free time. (This is my purely selfish rationale.)
5. Some of the topics from EE122 overlap with CS162 anyhow. In fact, most of the people in that class already have taken 162 before, and thus have a better background/grounding in that class. It would be an uphill struggle to compete with them, grade-wise.
6. The EE122 project is basically coding (a very CS-like project for a supposed EE class). Programming is *always* time consuming. CS162 is practically all programming already. A double dose would be a serious time cruncher.
7. What my parents don't know won't hurt them. *cough*
8. There are still a lot of people on the wait list for EE122, some of whom need the class more than I do. In fact, the professor told the class at least twice that if anyone knew a friend (or themselves) was wavering on dropping the class, to try and convince them to drop ASAP.
I'll make the final decision on Friday or Monday (Telebears is down for the weekend, IIRC). Meanwhile, any suggestions out there for me?
I started to consider this option a few days ago, when I spent the evenings of half the days of last week, plus Mon-Wed this week up to 2-4 a.m. working on the our first homework assignment for CS162. (Really, the assignment was "homework" only in name, and more like a mini-project. I mean, how many "homeworks" require you to work in groups of up to 5 people and still make them stress/rush at it? And if this is called homework, then what the professor calls a "project" is going to be a nightmare.) There are 6 more "homeworks" to go and an actual project just in that class. Plus, both my other tech classes have term projects as well. Not a good combination, needless to say.
So I've been thinking about whether to drop the class. So far the only reasons for *not* dropping would be:
1. My parents will not be happy. Especially Dad.
2. Not being able to predict the future, I can't be 100% sure that I can get by with all three classes.
3. The class is pretty interesting; one of our profs is really good but is unlikely to be teaching that class again next semester.
4. Extra classes in relevant topics always look impressive on a resume.
...While on the "for" side, I have the following reasons:
1. I don't have any unit requirements that I need to cram classes in to fill. (In fact, if I hadn't taken a semester off for an internship and only taken two tech classes in the second half of my junior year, I could've gradudated at the end of said junior year). I don't need the class.
2. I am reminded of the lesson to be learned from last (well, Fall 2003) semester, when I was so busy with EECS150 that my neglect of othe classes resulted in a really bad grade for EE128.
3. With more time to concentrate on less classes, I might get a better grade than usual, and pull up my languishing GPA.
4. I'll have more free time. (This is my purely selfish rationale.)
5. Some of the topics from EE122 overlap with CS162 anyhow. In fact, most of the people in that class already have taken 162 before, and thus have a better background/grounding in that class. It would be an uphill struggle to compete with them, grade-wise.
6. The EE122 project is basically coding (a very CS-like project for a supposed EE class). Programming is *always* time consuming. CS162 is practically all programming already. A double dose would be a serious time cruncher.
7. What my parents don't know won't hurt them. *cough*
8. There are still a lot of people on the wait list for EE122, some of whom need the class more than I do. In fact, the professor told the class at least twice that if anyone knew a friend (or themselves) was wavering on dropping the class, to try and convince them to drop ASAP.
I'll make the final decision on Friday or Monday (Telebears is down for the weekend, IIRC). Meanwhile, any suggestions out there for me?
