What's up guys. I'm currently in my second semester of PT school, and like a lot of others on here, things have not gone smooth. I'm going to keep it very honest, I really just need someone who has been in my shoes to help uplift me. My first semester ended with a 2.98. My program does not allow you to have more than eight credits below a B, and I got a B- in kinesiology. This wouldn't even be a really big deal if I would've gotten an a in test and measures like a lot of other students, instead I got a B in that and it hurt my GPA. I find myself struggling in the things that are supposed to be easy for a lot of students and it's honestly starting to frustrate me. I'm currently on academic probation and I literally just need a 3.03 to stay in my program, but as weird as this sounds I don't even know if I'm capable of getting anything above a B, even in my easy classes. I'm kind of just ranting at this point but can someone please give me a little bit of motivation, or a little bit of a peptalk. I've been feeling very down seeing the averages of the exams and then me always being at the bottom and I honestly can't stand it anymore. It's not like I'm not trying, I am studying, but it just doesn't seem to translate very well. I'd really appreciate it.
Advice/Peptalk Needed Bad! (Struggling SPT)
- Thread starter Gymkage
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I don't think any class is *supposed* to be easy for students. There are some that are commonly harder and commonly easier, but there are always countless exceptions. Comparing yourself to everyone will always be a huge source of unnecessary stress. And I know it's hard to not, but try to not. As long as you stay above 3.0, your grades don't matter at all.
For each course, I would go talk to each professor. Talk both about the content, but also an overall conversation about your study habits. Many times they can give you pointers of how to study their materials. Do this even if you can't stand the prof or think they are a terrible teacher - it doesn't matter because regardless, you need to pass their courses which means you need to figure out how to understand their thought processes.
You'll get through. You were good enough to get into the program, and get through your first semester, albeit precariously. You just need to figure out how to study more efficiently and retain it in a way that translates to exams.
I had several courses I started borderline failing based on first exam, and ended on high B's low A's. In each instance, I went to the prof, went over the exam, tried to understand where I went wrong in my thought processes, understand how they word questions, and would go in before upcoming exams to make sure I am grasping what they wanted us to grasp. It is time-consuming, a lot of humble pie, and can be .... not fun when you don't like the prof, but it got me through and I graduated and passed my boards with plenty of room to spare. And every semester I thought would be the one to take me down, and every semester I got through.
Good luck. PT school is rough.
For each course, I would go talk to each professor. Talk both about the content, but also an overall conversation about your study habits. Many times they can give you pointers of how to study their materials. Do this even if you can't stand the prof or think they are a terrible teacher - it doesn't matter because regardless, you need to pass their courses which means you need to figure out how to understand their thought processes.
You'll get through. You were good enough to get into the program, and get through your first semester, albeit precariously. You just need to figure out how to study more efficiently and retain it in a way that translates to exams.
I had several courses I started borderline failing based on first exam, and ended on high B's low A's. In each instance, I went to the prof, went over the exam, tried to understand where I went wrong in my thought processes, understand how they word questions, and would go in before upcoming exams to make sure I am grasping what they wanted us to grasp. It is time-consuming, a lot of humble pie, and can be .... not fun when you don't like the prof, but it got me through and I graduated and passed my boards with plenty of room to spare. And every semester I thought would be the one to take me down, and every semester I got through.
Good luck. PT school is rough.
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Do you have a faculty mentor? Is there an academic advising or learning services office that you should be meeting frequently with (since you are on probation)? I agree that learning how to study for professional school is a totally different process, and the more help you have, the easier it hopefully gets.
