Please tell me this is an acceptable choice. (Grad school related)

[Jenny in Florida]

After years of looking at this program and repeatedly deciding it was too expensive, I finally decided to jump in start a graduate certificate through the Harvard Extension School over the summer. It's a series of four classes, with some flexibility in what you take, as long as you check off all four topics.

The class I took over the summer was excellent. Those two class meetings were absolutely the highlights of my week. (And these days, I have trouble finding things to enjoy or look forward to, so that was a very big deal.) 

For the fall, because the semester is longer than the summer session, classes meet only once a week. In the name of keeping myself busy and maintaining the two class-a-week thing, I decided to register for two courses, rationalizing that the workload for each course would also be spread out over more than twice as many weeks. I gulped when I paid the tuition, but all of my loved ones assured me that we could afford it and it was worth it if it made me happier.

It turns out, though, that one of the classes is just okay and the other is making me straight-up miserable. The professor in the second class is clearly brilliant, but the course itself is disorganized and confusing (at least to me). Despite being described as appropriate for beginners in the particular discipline -- and the fact that I'm not a complete beginner -- I feel lost and stressed all the time. I don't understand what he wants us to do much of the time. There are no graded assignments until the very end of the course, and even four weeks in we have not received any feedback on the "recommended work" we have done. We are required to use multiple online tools and platforms for the work, and he doesn't use any one of them consistently for communication. Sometimes, information about those "recommended" projects is posted in Canvas, sometimes on the primary collaboration platform he has us using, sometimes on another platform he just added and sometimes in gmail. 

Unfortunately, by the time I figured out just how bad a fit the course is for me (or vice versa?), I was past the drop-with-refund date. At that point, I figured I had little to lose by hanging in until the final withdrawal date to see if things get better. 

In the meantime, though, he has assigned us to start on a group project that will run the remainder of the semester. I do not want to leave my team in the lurch if I drop out later, so I am now leaning towards just giving up now.

The professor has required all 40 students to sign up for a weekly 30-minute 1:1 session with him (which also seems unreasonable to me, since it means he's spending 20 hours per week just on that). My first one is tomorrow evening, and at the moment my loose plan is to log into that session and lay out on the virtual table exactly how much I'm struggling and how I feel about this and let him know that, unless there's something I'm not seeing or something I can do that will make the situation a whole lot better, I plan to withdraw. Then, unless he pulls me back from the ledge, I'll likely go ahead and withdraw.

I will appeal and see if I can shake loose a partial refund, but I am desperate enough to get away from this that I won't be devastated if I get denied.

There are larger implications, here, in that after this experience I'm not sure I want to risk throwing more money at this program. But dropping this course would likely mean a change of plans, educationally, from what I thought I would be doing.

I should probably clarify that I don't need this certificate for any reason. I like to continue building my professional knowledge and working my brain, but skipping out on this program won't impact my career in any way. In fact, my boss is in her first semester of a master's degree program through the state university that she is really excited about and has been prodding me to join. Because of some credits I already have from the university and the fact that their tuition is so much lower than the HES costs, I could almost cover the tuition for the MA for what it would cost me to take two more classes through HES. 

I hate the idea of "wasting" money, but neither I nor my poor husband (who has to listen to me stress out and be miserable about this class) want me to stick with this just to prove a point or squeeze out a transcript grade.

Can anyone give me a really good reason not to withdraw? 

 

[Katy]

Wait until the meeting and I’m sure things will be more clear to you. In the mean time maybe google his name to see if he’s on a rate your professor type of site. 

[MooCow]

Yes to Katy. My dd had me do that this semester when I was having "issues" with a professor. 

[Jenny in Florida]

I already tried hitting up Rate My Professor for reviews. He has no ratings for either the extension school or the regular university. I have found references to him being on the faculty at another major university, but no ratings for him at that school, either.

[bolt.]

Withdrawing is not a bad option... but have you considered just slacking off instead?

It might be that your stress has its roots in your (perfectly normal) personal perspective on what it means to 'do well' and 'meet expectations'. In general, students can make a ton of mistakes in a messy course, and still get a B or C without hardly trying. What would happen if you gave yourself permission to be a different kind of student in response to the challenges of this class?

(If you still want to transfer your credits to the other program later, a transferrable credit is a transferrable credit whether you earned it with an A performance or a C- performance.)

[Jenny in Florida]

3 minutes ago, bolt. said:

Withdrawing is not a bad option... but have you considered just slacking off instead?

It might be that your stress has its roots in your (perfectly normal) personal perspective on what it means to 'do well' and 'meet expectations'. In general, students can make a ton of mistakes in a messy course, and still get a B or C without hardly trying. What would happen if you gave yourself permission to be a different kind of student in response to the challenges of this class?

(If you still want to transfer your credits to the other program later, a transferrable credit is a transferrable credit whether you earned it with an A performance or a C- performance.)

Well, the problem with slacking off is that this course involves a significant group project component. I would not feel right about not pulling my weight on the team.

Also, I need a B in every class in order to earn the certificate. So, not a lot of wiggle room, especially since the grading criteria are somewhere between murky and non-existent.

And a quick clarification: Because I did the other graduate certificate the at state university, I already have more credit hours that will transfer to any master's program I've found. The credits I am completing/would complete through HES are valuable only towards their cert or master's degrees.

Edited September 27, 2021 by Jenny in Florida

[bolt.]

Just now, Jenny in Florida said:

Well, the problem with slacking off is that this course involves a significant group project component. I would not feel right about not pulling my weight on the team.

Also, I need a B in every class in order to earn the certificate. So, not a lot of wiggle room, especially since the grading criteria are somewhere between murky and non-existent.

That's fair about the group project, which you could work fairly hard at, once you understand it. Your group may be able to help you figure out how to contribute well.

So if you try the semi-slacker approach and don't get your "B" in the end, then you don't get this course towards your certificate... which is exactly the same as if you withdraw now and don't get the course towards your certificate. The real questions are whether to ride out the class (with a relaxed attitude) for the info, the experience, and the possibility of a B in the end (if you can release your stress) or whether your stress would remain at a level that the experience would be more trouble than it's worth.

[Not_a_Number]

May I ask more details about what the class is about and what the group project is about? 

[regentrude]

I would definitely wait until the meeting with the professor. This sounds a bit weird - in no universe will a prof meet with all of his 40 students for 30 minutes every week. Sounds like some miscommunications along the lines.  Bring up that you don't understand what he requires.

I would not expect any feedback on recommended work. The fact that it's recommended and not required means he doesn't intend to grade it.

The fact that he is using multiple platforms suggest to me that this is a cobbled together course by some adjunct who is trying to use pieces of different classes he taught elsewhere

 

Edited September 27, 2021 by regentrude

[Jenny in Florida]

36 minutes ago, regentrude said:

I would definitely wait until the meeting with the professor. This sounds a bit weird - in no universe will a prof meet with all of his 40 students for 30 minutes every week. Sounds like some miscommunications along the lines.  Bring up that you don't understand what he requires.

I would not expect any feedback on recommended work. The fact that it's recommended and not required means he doesn't intend to grade it.

The fact that he is using multiple platforms suggest to me that this is a cobbled together course by some adjunct who is trying to use pieces of different classes he taught elsewhere

 

He has assured us that, although he won't be grading anything until the end of the course (because he doesn't think it's fair to grade us on things we aren't expected to know yet), that doesn't mean there will be no feedback. He has told us several times that he will be regularly reviewing our work and providing feedback (which is one of the reasons given for using the platforms he has chosen -- that he can check in on our work in progress).

And, yes, I thought the 30 minutes with each student thing was insane, but he has said it repeatedly.

[Jenny in Florida]

51 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

May I ask more details about what the class is about and what the group project is about? 

The class is in the digital media department, but is an option to fulfill the "technology" requirement for the learning design certificate. I'm hesitant to post a lot of details because I don't want to distract everyone with too much information. 

With that said, the class requires each student to design and prototype some kind of application of their own and also to collaborate on a class-wide project of which each four-person team has a particular piece to complete.

[PeterPan]

Have you spoken to his supervisor at the Extension School? They should be hearing about complaints sooner rather than later, and sometimes they can do something. (hire a TA, light a fire under his butt, whatever)

[Jenny in Florida]

1 hour ago, bolt. said:

So if you try the semi-slacker approach and don't get your "B" in the end, then you don't get this course towards your certificate... which is exactly the same as if you withdraw now and don't get the course towards your certificate. The real questions are whether to ride out the class (with a relaxed attitude) for the info, the experience, and the possibility of a B in the end (if you can release your stress) or whether your stress would remain at a level that the experience would be more trouble than it's worth.

Honestly, that sounds like the worst of both worlds. I end up having to sit through the class, siphoning off time and energy I could be devoting to my other class, constantly evaluating how much I need to do to meet the bare minimum, while more or less guaranteeing I will not learn what I hoped to get out of the course and likely torpedoing my GPA.

I do think the calculus would be different if this were an undergrad degree or if I were banking on this credential to have a big impact on my career. Then it might be worth gritting my teeth and riding it out for the sake of a line on my transcript. But that's not the case. Although I don't expect every class to be a circus of non-stop joy, this was supposed to be something for me to enjoy, not to endure.

[bolt.]

Just now, Jenny in Florida said:

Honestly, that sounds like the worst of both worlds. I end up having to sit through the class, siphoning off time and energy I could be devoting to my other class, constantly evaluating how much I need to do to meet the bare minimum, while more or less guaranteeing I will not learn what I hoped to get out of the course and likely torpedoing my GPA.

I do think the calculus would be different if this were an undergrad degree or if I were banking on this credential to have a big impact on my career. Then it might be worth gritting my teeth and riding it out for the sake of a line on my transcript. But that's not the case. Although I don't expect every class to be a circus of non-stop joy, this was supposed to be something for me to enjoy, not to endure.

Sounds like you've found your answer!

[Mrs Tiggywinkle]

I took some classes through HES and found them to be really hit or miss. The Poetry In America classes were excellent, but others just seemed a little off on expectations. Basically the same things that you found; multiple platforms, unrealistic or vague expectations, inconsistency everywhere.  Part of it is that these professors are contracted for a class or two and teach elsewhere full time.

Honestly, I’d withdraw.  HES, in my opinion, isn’t really worth the money, especially when the same certificates and degrees are so much cheaper elsewhere.

[Carol in Cal.]

I’d be inclined to drop if I was pretty sure that I could get another prof teaching the class on my next try.  But if he is the only one who does this one, I would want to stay on his good side and regroup.  

I’d probably tell him that I was very interested in the material, that I’m surprised at how many platforms we are using at once and finding it a little challenging to get an overview of all of the requirements, I’d ask whether there is a rubric for the final grade or final project, and if so, could I please have it, and say that I’m currently debating whether I should have just signed up for one class this semester rather than two, given my concurrent career responsibilities and health challenges.  If I had done any work so far, I would ask for feedback on it, and also for an example to follow, and I’d ask those FIRST in the meeting.

That would lay the groundwork for dropping, for a compassionate exception to the drop deadline refund rule, and not burn your bridges with the prof.  It might also get you just the personal attention that would turn this class into a good one for you.  

I’d ruminate for about 2-3 days after that meeting to decide what to do.
 

I’d also consider whether the group project was likely to be fun and/or rewarding and/or helpful professionally.  

Edited September 27, 2021 by Carol in Cal.

[Kanin]

Totally fine! And you'll be more aware of what to look out for in future classes. The 30 min with the instructor sounds odd. Why would he do that to himself? (Maybe he hates grading but likes meeting?) I hate courses that only give grades at the end. 

[Corraleno]

2 hours ago, Jenny in Florida said:

I should probably clarify that I don't need this certificate for any reason. I like to continue building my professional knowledge and working my brain, but skipping out on this program won't impact my career in any way. In fact, my boss is in her first semester of a master's degree program through the state university that she is really excited about and has been prodding me to join. Because of some credits I already have from the university and the fact that their tuition is so much lower than the HES costs, I could almost cover the tuition for the MA for what it would cost me to take two more classes through HES. 

What's the downside to the MA? If you can get an MA for the same cost as a 4-course certificate from Harvard Extension, I would definitely go for the MA.

[Jenny in Florida]

28 minutes ago, Carol in Cal. said:

I’d be inclined to drop if I was pretty sure that I could get another prof teaching the class on my next try.  But if he is the only one who does this one, I would want to stay on his good side and regroup.  

I’d probably tell him that I was very interested in the material, that I’m surprised at how many platforms we are using at once and finding it a little challenging to get an overview of all of the requirements, I’d ask whether there is a rubric for the final grade or final project, and if so, could I please have it, and say that I’m currently debating whether I should have just signed up for one class this semester rather than two, given my concurrent career responsibilities and health challenges.  If I had done any work so far, I would ask for feedback on it, and also for an example to follow, and I ask those FIRST in the meeting.

That would lay the groundwork for dropping, for a compassionate exception to the drop deadline refund rule, and not burn your bridges with the prof.  It might also get you just the personal attention that would turn this class into a good one for you.  

I’d ruminate for about 2-3 days after that meeting to decide what to do.
 

I’d also consider whether the group project was likely to be fun and/or rewarding and/or helpful professionally.  

So, if I do end up dropping this course, it makes it somewhat unlikely that I will continue with the certificate. I would more likely look for a different program. (The master's degree at the state university or possibly jumping to something entirely different like doing a certificate or associate's degree in graphic design.) However, even if I do decide to forge ahead with the HES cert, I wouldn't necessarily need to take this specific class again. I just need a course that checks off the technology requirement box. 

I have done all of the recommended work thus far, including contributing to the early stages of the group project. He has not yet acknowledged any of that work, let alone provided feedback.

He has emphasized repeatedly that there are no hard and fast requirements for the final project, that he will evaluate everyone's work based on where they start and how much they progress,

The group project is not of interest to me and does not relate to my job in any meaningful way.

[regentrude]

6 minutes ago, Jenny in Florida said:

The group project is not of interest to me and does not relate to my job in any meaningful way.

That alone would have me drop a course that I don't enjoy.
(ETA: I'd be hard pressed suffering through any sort of group project, LOL)

Edited September 27, 2021 by regentrude

[Jenny in Florida]

7 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

What's the downside to the MA? If you can get an MA for the same cost as a 4-course certificate from Harvard Extension, I would definitely go for the MA.

I shied away from the MA for a few reasons. 

I was on track to start the program when I got my breast cancer diagnosis, and I ended up dropping the intro class in favor of devoting the energy I had to completing the graduate certificate. That cert can lead into the MA, but by the time I finished the cert and came up for air after treatment, I felt like I had lost enough time to make it less attractive to jump into another lengthy program. 

Also, the state university classes are asynchronous, and I liked the fact that HES has regularly scheduled, instructor-led sessions. 

Finally, I had been very unimpressed with the quality of most of the courses I took for the graduate certificate and was kind of turned off on the university as a result. However, the MA I'm considering is offered by a different department (despite the fact that the cert credits can be used to meet some requirements). And my boss is really loving the MA program so far. So, I'm revisiting the possibility.

 

[Melissa Louise]

Totally fine to withdraw, before or after the 30 min chat. 

You know you'll end up having to manage the group project, right? That's how it goes - the conscientious student has to pull everyone else along. Shudder. 

Life is too short for a class that makes you feel miserable. 

[Bootsie]

I can't imagine a professor meeting 30 minutes one-on-one each week unless it is a highly specialized class where students are doing individualized work (and the professor has no other obligations)  If there was this one-on-one meeting every week, I would not expect other feedback on work throughout the semester.  

I don't think there is anything wrong with dropping if you have decided that this is not a good match for your interests and career needs.  I would not worry too much about leaving the team in a lurch should you drop later; surely the professor has dealt with how to handle that before.

[Jenny in Florida]

25 minutes ago, regentrude said:

That alone would have me drop a course that I don't enjoy.
(ETA: I'd be hard pressed suffering through any sort of group project, LOL)

I hate group projects, honestly. Sometimes, despite my reluctance, those projects have turned out to be the most valuable aspect of a course, but I always react badly to the idea.

 

[Jenny in Florida]

23 minutes ago, Melissa Louise said:

You know you'll end up having to manage the group project, right? That's how it goes - the conscientious student has to pull everyone else along. Shudder. 

I  mean, that has been what has happened before. At some point when I was doing the other graduate certificate, I opted to just lean into that and volunteer to assemble all the parts and proofread/edit to make sure we were presenting a consistent voice. That mitigated my stress because I had my fingers in all the parts of the pie and had the perfect excuse to clean up and fill in as necessary. 

In this case, though, at least two of the other three students seem to be much more plugged into and interested in this project than I am. 

[Jenny in Florida]

Oh! On the topic of group projects, by the way: I also have a group project/presentation to do for my other class. That one is in progress and going well, however. The parameters and goals are clear to me, and communication is being done through email and a single shared document to which we all contribute. It's manageable and also relevant to my interests. I would still prefer to just tackle the project by myself, but I can acknowledge there is some value in collaboration.

[Carol in Cal.]

1 hour ago, Jenny in Florida said:

So, if I do end up dropping this course, it makes it somewhat unlikely that I will continue with the certificate. I would more likely look for a different program. (The master's degree at the state university or possibly jumping to something entirely different like doing a certificate or associate's degree in graphic design.) However, even if I do decide to forge ahead with the HES cert, I wouldn't necessarily need to take this specific class again. I just need a course that checks off the technology requirement box. 

I have done all of the recommended work thus far, including contributing to the early stages of the group project. He has not yet acknowledged any of that work, let alone provided feedback.

He has emphasized repeatedly that there are no hard and fast requirements for the final project, that he will evaluate everyone's work based on where they start and how much they progress,

The group project is not of interest to me and does not relate to my job in any meaningful way.

Well shoot.

This is feeling more and more like a hard no.  I’d have that first meeting with the prof and see whether it changes my mind, and I would not burn any bridges with him during that meeting, but after that I’d probably withdraw.

[MercyA]

I wouldn't waste any more time or mental energy on it. I'd drop it now and not give it another thought. 

[wintermom]

Absolutely, dropping this course is an acceptable option.  I think it's wonderful that you are broadening your skillset, and you don't have to have completed a whole grad diploma or MA to demonstrate this on your resume. You can include the individual courses and their descriptions.

"Microcourses" at the graduate level seems to becoming more recognized and popular in my field. You can frame your academic accomplishments specifically related to the topics/skills.

Regarding the MA you mentioned at the state college, I would do a lot of exploration about the course delivery before tackling that - keeping in mind that things can change from year to year. I'm totally with you on hating asynchronous grad courses. I took a required one for my grad diploma last fall and it was far inferior to synchronous. Not a complete waste of time, but not something I would have chosen to spend time or money on.

Edited September 28, 2021 by wintermom

[Jenny in Florida]

3 hours ago, wintermom said:

Absolutely, dropping this course is an acceptable option.  I think it's wonderful that you are broadening your skillset, and you don't have to have completed a whole grad diploma or MA to demonstrate this on your resume. You can include the individual courses and their descriptions.

"Microcourses" at the graduate level seems to becoming more recognized and popular in my field. You can frame your academic accomplishments specifically related to the topics/skills.

Regarding the MA you mentioned at the state college, I would do a lot of exploration about the course delivery before tackling that - keeping in mind that things can change from year to year. I'm totally with you on hating asynchronous grad courses. I took a required one for my grad diploma last fall and it was far inferior to synchronous. Not a complete waste of time, but not something I would have chosen to spend time or money on.

So, what's funny is that my job is actually writing and developing asynchronous course materials (mostly for workplace safety and driver education and similar topics, not academic stuff). I have nothing against a well-designed asynchronous experience in certain situations. I just found the ones I had in the other program to be very poorly designed (kind of ironic, given the field and focus of the certificate). 

I did have a good experience with the faculty member who heads this other program, however, when I tried to begin the MA a couple of years ago. And my boss just started the program and is very happy with what she's doing so far. I also think it would be both fun and valuable to be in the same program as someone I know in real life, even though we would not be in the same cohort. Plenty of opportunity to compare notes and such.

But, yes, for sure I will list the courses I have completed/do complete on my resume. The summer course and the one I will be sticking with this semester are both pretty closely aligned with my area of professional interest.

Also, at least for the foreseeable future, I'm not looking for a new job. Barring disaster -- or an offer too good to refuse falling out of the sky (which has actually happened to two people in my department in the last few months) -- the plan is to stay with my current employer until I retire. I'd just like to continue getting better at what I do, exercising my brain and possibly setting myself up for more responsibility along the way. 

[Jenny in Florida]

Thanks, everyone. This week at work has turned into a bear. And because I was heads down on this big project that has to be done at work, I missed a whole conversation with the group for the class I'm considering dropping. They met and made decisions without me (fair enough, since I didn't respond and they were available to meet), but it really just underlines that this course is more trouble than I have energy to cope with at the moment. 

I feel pretty peaceful about dropping it and getting on with other things.

Given how close I am now to the 1:1 with the professor, however, I do plan to keep that appointment and let him know that I am dropping and why. Maybe it will help those who stick around.

[Mrs Tiggywinkle]

3 hours ago, wintermom said:

Absolutely, dropping this course is an acceptable option.  I think it's wonderful that you are broadening your skillset, and you don't have to have completed a whole grad diploma or MA to demonstrate this on your resume. You can include the individual courses and their descriptions.

"Microcourses" at the graduate level seems to becoming more recognized and popular in my field. You can frame your academic accomplishments specifically related to the topics/skills.

Regarding the MA you mentioned at the state college, I would do a lot of exploration about the course delivery before tackling that - keeping in mind that things can change from year to year. I'm totally with you on hating asynchronous grad courses. I took a required one for my grad diploma last fall and it was far inferior to synchronous. Not a complete waste of time, but not something I would have chosen to spend time or money on.

Sorry to sidetrack this thread!!  How would you list those on a resume or CV?

OP, given my experience at HES, I fully support you dropping.  Classes are good, but I think you can find a better experience cheaper someplace else.

[Jenny in Florida]

1 hour ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle said:

Sorry to sidetrack this thread!!  How would you list those on a resume or CV?

OP, given my experience at HES, I fully support you dropping.  Classes are good, but I think you can find a better experience cheaper someplace else.

I haven't had to update my resume recently, but when I was actively job hunting, I had a section on my resume for something like "Continuing and Professional Education." Anything that didn't terminate in some kind of recognizable credential got listed there with a brief description.

[wintermom]

3 hours ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle said:

Sorry to sidetrack this thread!!  How would you list those on a resume or CV?

I created a sub-section within the section 'Professional Training' and listed the two courses I had taken in the specific topic, the time and which university. Now these two courses are promoted by the university as a Microcourse. They are specialized and fit together perfectly for the topic area. 

[wintermom]

3 hours ago, Jenny in Florida said:

So, what's funny is that my job is actually writing and developing asynchronous course materials (mostly for workplace safety and driver education and similar topics, not academic stuff). I have nothing against a well-designed asynchronous experience in certain situations. I just found the ones I had in the other program to be very poorly designed (kind of ironic, given the field and focus of the certificate). 

I did have a good experience with the faculty member who heads this other program, however, when I tried to begin the MA a couple of years ago. And my boss just started the program and is very happy with what she's doing so far. I also think it would be both fun and valuable to be in the same program as someone I know in real life, even though we would not be in the same cohort. Plenty of opportunity to compare notes and such.

But, yes, for sure I will list the courses I have completed/do complete on my resume. The summer course and the one I will be sticking with this semester are both pretty closely aligned with my area of professional interest.

Also, at least for the foreseeable future, I'm not looking for a new job. Barring disaster -- or an offer too good to refuse falling out of the sky (which has actually happened to two people in my department in the last few months) -- the plan is to stay with my current employer until I retire. I'd just like to continue getting better at what I do, exercising my brain and possibly setting myself up for more responsibility along the way. 

I'm not against asynchronous courses in general, either. There are some really good courses out there. And there are some duds.

For the one required keystone course for a graduate diploma that only has 5 courses, I was really frustrated that it was only offered asynchronously. Especially as it had traditionally been offered synchronously. This particular prof changed the delivery method in 2019, made up a few10-minute youtube videos that year, and then just recycled the videos in 2020 leaving the old date. For the topics they hadn't created their own videos, they used power point presentations from past students. I also expected to have some meaningful interaction with the other students in the courses for this topic, as some of them work in the specific field and have great experiences to share. Trying to hold 'discussions' in writing on a discussion board in an LMS is pretty useless.

Overall, it wasn't a very inspiring course when you consider the cost of taking the course and the expectations set from similar courses.

All the best with your courses going forward!! I hope you enjoy the MA program. It's great having a buddy in the program. 😃

[SKL]

Sounds like a "cut your losses" situation, but I agree with going to the one-on-one before making it official.  I'd start out by asking him for feedback on how you're doing so far.  You might find it enlightening.

Let us know what he says in the one-on-one.

[Jenny in Florida]

So, funny story . . . I missed the 1:1.

Work this week is beyond busy, and I apparently misread the meeting invite he sent (or at least copied it onto my personal calendar incorrectly). I put to bed the piece of the work project I was working late on and switched to my personal laptop to figure out how to log into the meeting . . . and realized I was 28 minutes late to a 30-minute meeting.

I decided that was the last sign I needed. I sent him an email apologizing for missing the meeting but letting him know that I had planned to use our time to discuss leaving the class. I gave him a brief, polite but not inaccurate summary of my frustrations and explained that, for me, these classes are supposed to give me something to look forward to instead of something to stress about.

I then let my teammates for the group project know I am out and went ahead and submitted the withdrawal.

I'm sure I'll feel a bit queasy about it next time I have to make a payment on the credit card for a course I'm not even finishing, but right now I just feel relieved.

Thanks again for helping me think it through. (And I will for sure let you all know if he responds to my email.)

[Jenny in Florida]

Just to put a bow on this: I got a response from the professor to my email that was all of about two sentences, essentially saying, "Thanks for letting me know."

[Melissa Louise]

4 minutes ago, Jenny in Florida said:

Just to put a bow on this: I got a response from the professor to my email that was all of about two sentences, essentially saying, "Thanks for letting me know."

Yeah, you did the right thing. 

[ktgrok]

Yeah, I mean, it's great to balance pros and cons but there was really NO pro to staying in this class. 

[LucyStoner]

I'm glad you dropped it.  The tuition is a sunk cost- no need to throw your time and effort after a sunk cost.  That leads nowhere good in almost all instances.