[Rhodes22-list] SVSU Fall Semester, 2003 Results

[Roger Pihlaja]

Hi Everybody,

Well, I just got my report card on-line for the Fall Semester, 2003.  I ended up with 5 A's, 1 A-, and 1 B+ for an overall 3.824 GPA.  That's not too shabby for an old nerd, especially considering the heavy class load.  The B+ was in Solid Mechanics and was the 2nd highest grade in the class.  A lot of the students in my Solid Mechanics class will be retaking the class next semester because it's a required core curriculum class for all engineering majors.  In order for the course to count towards their major, engineering students must pass Solid Mechanics with at least a C at SVSU and nearly 50% of the class didn't score well enough!  My problem with Solid Mechanics was I never did remember enough of my Calculus, Differential Equations, & Statics from college classes taken 30+ years ago to get sufficiently fast at doing these problems to ace the exams.  Therefore, on the exams, I always ran out of time.  I had a 98% average on the graded homework in that class, when I had time to think about the problems and work thru the Calculus, Statics, & Differential Equations.  Based upon my homework grades, I think I actually understand and know how to apply the subject material pretty well.  I'm just not real fast at working out the problems.  It's a classic case of test taking ability vs. real world ability.  Fortunately, in a real world job situation, this shouldn't matter.

The A- was in Dynamics and was the highest grade in the class.  Dynamics is another required core curriculum course and close to half the students my class will be repeating it next semester.  Actually, Dynamics was one of the prerequisite courses for Solid Mechanics, which was also part of my problem with Solid Mechanics.  I had to get special permission to take both courses concurrently, a practice I definitely would not recommend!

A more reasonable total class load or simply not taking both of these courses at the same time would have made a huge difference. But, I need to be finished with my BS mechanical engineering degree in a year or less, so there was no choice.  Ah well, I'm still in the game and still committed to seeing this adventure thru to the end.  Boy, am I ever glad this semester is over!

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilbrium