What Now?

[Dirty Waters]

     Basically I have been asking myseslf that question for the past couple of days.  Just to fill you in on the background I'm in the last semester of my college career, I hope to graduate with a degree in electrical engineering from purdue in december, and the only class i have left is my senior group project.

    Their are three other people in my group, one of them is great at what he does,  but has no people skills.  Another guy is ok at what he does, and the last person is a flat out moron.  We divided up the blocks for the project (an autonomous robot that searches for LED towers that blink at a certain frequency, and reports telemetry to a pc) and I took the second hardest block for myself in addition to writing the proposal.   Also I did the morons work for him too.  Oh and in my group pretty much every one hates every one else , the moron and I dont get along but aside from that im friends with the other two people.

    Fast foward a few weeks latter and 1 of my 3 things is working, the other 2 non working blocks cost 100 bucks and take three days to fabricate.  So far ive droped about $450 on parts and boards (in addition to all the time i spent on things), but at least the work i did for the guy who doesnt know jack is working out.   So basically I'm going to fail this class.  Which sucks because I am 4 credits shy of graduating and I'm going to have to retake this class, and then an additional 2 classes( one builds on the other so you cannot take them at the same time, basically I'll be in school for another year and a half).

    So what should I do, I cant ask my parents to pay for a year and a half more of school.... heck i dont even know what to tell them when i have to tell them that im not graduating.  I'm freaking out here, and i feel like i am out of options. I'm seriously considering enlisting in the Air force or some other branch of the service or something... well either that or playing in traffic...... at night..... in dark clothes.


    So basicaly im stuck and cant think of anything that qualifies as a good next move,  so does any one have any ideas on how i should proceede here, or knew of any one who was in a situation remotly like mine?   I'm obsessing over this and im pretty sure that i wont be able to make a rational decision (im kind of impulsive that way)  Because as of right now I am officially out of ideas any anything any one can come up with is better then what i have right now.

[SD_Eagle5]

      I'm freaking out here, and i feel like i am out of options. I'm seriously considering enlisting in the Air force or some other branch of the service or something... well either that or playing in traffic...... at night..... in dark clothes.

You're better off playing in traffic, I'm getting out of the Navy after 9 years of service and the day of my release can't come fast enough.

   I'm obsessing over this and im pretty sure that i wont be able to make a rational decision (im kind of impulsive that way)  Because as of right now I am officially out of ideas any anything any one can come up with is better then what i have right now.

Are you OCD? Well I am...or used to be. I sort of cured myself. Anyways, there is NOTHING in life worth stressing this much about - NOTHING. First off tell your parents straight up that you farged up and are willing to do whatever it takes to correct the problem...even if they don't offer to pay for the extra year of school, at least you'll of gained their respect and shown that you're a grown up.
Second, take out a student loan. You can defer payments for 5 years after you graduate and you get 30 years to pay it off.

Always remember to ask yourself this: What Would Chris Knight do?

Lazlo Hollyfeld: Well, how'd you do?
Chris Knight: "How'd I do?" I passed, but I failed! Yeah!
Lazlo Hollyfeld: Well, then I'm happy and sad for you.
Chris Knight: Thank you.

[Susquehanna Birder]

Have you talked with the professor? Or your academic advisor?

Hell, paying for another year is a no-brainer, especially if your parents have been footing the bill. And don't give up. Consider the amount of time and money that's already been invested, and at least have the patience to complete it. Once you get the sheepskin, and you decide you don't want to do it, then figure out something. At that point, at least, you'll have something to show for all your hard work.

[rjs246]

Marry rich.

[Diomedes]

There are some things you can do.

First, you need to get with your professor.  Get a meeting with him/her and be prepared with everything you've mentioned here.  Have a report of all expenses printed up, with receipts attached (and bring a photocopy that you can leave behind.)  Write up a letter explaining your situation to leave with the professor as well.  Spend some time on it so it reads better than this post.  Then see what happens.  If the professor has no interest in your claim, go to the dean.  Try the same tactic.  Investigate what recourse you may have to an appeal on the grade.

If all that fails, take a deep breath and chill.  So you spend another year and a half in school.  That's alright.  You're young, you've got time on your side.  Find a way to finish.  You've got to keep showing up until it's done. 

Well, there's the pep talk.

Don't forget to beat the moron's ass for farging things up.  Or at least let the air out of his tires and farg his girlfriend.

[Rome]

I agree with everyone else here.

Take your concerns to the professor immediately.   If he/she isn't cooperative, take it to his/her boss (department chair).

Also - remember, you can always take the class over again if it doesn't work out during this term.  I know it's a zesty prospect but I had to do exactly that in a small business management course.  I got stuck with three morons who had no interest in completing the tasks at hand and I had a professor who had no interest in helping me resolve the situation.  I took it to the chairman and he resolved it by allowing me to drop the class and re-enrole during the next semester with a different professor.  They even gave me a break on the tuition too.

Good luck. 

[Diomedes]

Oh and do yourself a favor..don't join the farging military.  Let someone else do George W. Bush's killing.

[MadMarchHare]

Whatever you do, finish school.  Your skill set will only pay if you have the piece of paper.  It is absolutely worth the effort.

And be up-front with your parents, no excuses, just explain the situation.  Any reasonable parent will accept this and move on.

[Rome]

BTW: I'm curious, how could you only be four credits shy of graduation yet still need to take two classes more after this one to graduate?

That doesn't compute.

[BigEd76]

Am I the only person that paid his way through college by himself? 

[Diomedes]

I borrowed incredible amounts of money, and worked between 20 and 30 hours the whole time (at a real job, not a federally subsidized, study-while-you-work job.)  But my mom borrowed money, too.  So I can't say I paid for it myself. 

[Dirty Waters]

Its the last time that they are offering the course.  They are modifying it so that you have to take the one semester group project (which im doing now) and then after that you have to do a two semester indivual project.

[Wingspan]

Am I the only person that paid his way through college by himself? 

being the oldest of 5 kids, i payed a bunch of it myself (mostly loans). and i'll still be paying for another 8 or 9 years or so

[Father Demon]

The best move I ever made in life was enlisting in the USAF.  The second best move I ever made was getting out 10 years later.  The experience, plus my degree I earned while in the military (working 40 to 50 hours a week, so blahh to Dio's part time working    ) helped me get my job today.  I wouldn't trade that experience for the world.

That said, stay in school and get your degree.  Doing it the hard way, which is taking 2 to 4 classes per semester, is NOT the path you want to take.  Basically, I put my professional life on hold for 10 years.  Fess up to the folks, be a man, and stay in school.  Five years from now, you'll be glad you took the high road.

[MURP]

I agree with taking this up with your professor/school counselors/dean etc. 

Not graduating and bailing out would be the worst thing to do IMO.  Whats another year or so if you have already come this far?  With an electrical engineering degree you should be making some nice dough in the future and you will have no problem paying off any type of school loans.   The short term future may suck a bit, but think long term.  In a couple years you will be damn glad you got the degree while watching the birds on a big screen tv... instead of listening to the birds on a radio while you scrub toilets on a boat.