Can a student rarely attend lectures and still do well in a class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My freshman son (in a selective top 20) NEVER attends his physics lecture and rarely attends chemistry. He does participate in the labs and attends "tutorials." Right now he has a B+ and a B in the classes but promises he will end up with an A in at least Chemistry, possibly physics. Would he potentially do better if he attends the lectures? I didn't go to a four year college, so I am kind of clueless!

PS: I know this because I have been tracking him (please don't make this thread it about this issue). I haven't brought it up to him and don't plan to unless he ends up with poor performance.

I would hope that some of the other posters are correct and the lectures are the big intro lectures that are taped or follow the textbook exactly, with the real learning in the labs and tutorials. In this case it would seem like your kid is ok.

Personally, I wouldn't take the risk of skipping the lectures. You just never know what little information you might gain that could be valuable on exams. And what else is he doing with the time? Sleeping in? Point out that each class hour is the equivalent of $X tuition dollars.

I only missed one class in all of college and that was because I was sick.

OP here. Yes, I agree to a point, but if DS comes out of the semester with a 3.5 or higher, I will not nag him. I want him to have autonomy. But if he gets a C or below in one of these classes, I will certainly call him on it...especially Chemistry, where he doesn't have to good reason to not attend. The physics teacher's accent is so thick, a lot of kids complain about him...so I get it. Sounds like going to a lecture you cannot understand where the notes are available online is a waste of time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My freshman son (in a selective top 20) NEVER attends his physics lecture and rarely attends chemistry. He does participate in the labs and attends "tutorials." Right now he has a B+ and a B in the classes but promises he will end up with an A in at least Chemistry, possibly physics. Would he potentially do better if he attends the lectures? I didn't go to a four year college, so I am kind of clueless!

PS: I know this because I have been tracking him (please don't make this thread it about this issue). I haven't brought it up to him and don't plan to unless he ends up with poor performance.

I would hope that some of the other posters are correct and the lectures are the big intro lectures that are taped or follow the textbook exactly, with the real learning in the labs and tutorials. In this case it would seem like your kid is ok.

Personally, I wouldn't take the risk of skipping the lectures. You just never know what little information you might gain that could be valuable on exams. And what else is he doing with the time? Sleeping in? Point out that each class hour is the equivalent of $X tuition dollars.

I only missed one class in all of college and that was because I was sick.

OP here. Yes, I agree to a point, but if DS comes out of the semester with a 3.5 or higher, I will not nag him. I want him to have autonomy. But if he gets a C or below in one of these classes, I will certainly call him on it...especially Chemistry, where he doesn't have to good reason to not attend. The physics teacher's accent is so thick, a lot of kids complain about him...so I get it. Sounds like going to a lecture you cannot understand where the notes are available online is a waste of time.

how on earth do you know that a lot of kids complain?

[Anonymous]

You are paying for that particular college’s education. It seems like a waste of money if he/she doesn’t attend half the classes. You could save so much with on-line colleges if that’s how he prefers to study, just reading posted lecture notes. My kid is at a small NESCAC school, and they are absolutely punished if they don’t go to class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My freshman son (in a selective top 20) NEVER attends his physics lecture and rarely attends chemistry. He does participate in the labs and attends "tutorials." Right now he has a B+ and a B in the classes but promises he will end up with an A in at least Chemistry, possibly physics. Would he potentially do better if he attends the lectures? I didn't go to a four year college, so I am kind of clueless!

PS: I know this because I have been tracking him (please don't make this thread it about this issue). I haven't brought it up to him and don't plan to unless he ends up with poor performance.

I would hope that some of the other posters are correct and the lectures are the big intro lectures that are taped or follow the textbook exactly, with the real learning in the labs and tutorials. In this case it would seem like your kid is ok.

Personally, I wouldn't take the risk of skipping the lectures. You just never know what little information you might gain that could be valuable on exams. And what else is he doing with the time? Sleeping in? Point out that each class hour is the equivalent of $X tuition dollars.

I only missed one class in all of college and that was because I was sick.

OP here. Yes, I agree to a point, but if DS comes out of the semester with a 3.5 or higher, I will not nag him. I want him to have autonomy. But if he gets a C or below in one of these classes, I will certainly call him on it...especially Chemistry, where he doesn't have to good reason to not attend. The physics teacher's accent is so thick, a lot of kids complain about him...so I get it. Sounds like going to a lecture you cannot understand where the notes are available online is a waste of time.

how on earth do you know that a lot of kids complain?

My son told me and also I read about it on Rate My Professors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are paying for that particular college’s education. It seems like a waste of money if he/she doesn’t attend half the classes. You could save so much with on-line colleges if that’s how he prefers to study, just reading posted lecture notes. My kid is at a small NESCAC school, and they are absolutely punished if they don’t go to class.

I don't know about that. Do you really think it's a waste if he is getting good grades? The OP said it is a top 20...so I imagine a degree from his university is worth much more than an online degree.

Your kid would be "punished"? In what way? Strange choice of words.

[Anonymous]

It's short sided not to go to class. What if the professor changes the date for an assignment? Some make attendance part of your grade.

There is so much that occurs in class, besides not being able to understand the professor. Might want to sit up front? That's a ridiculous excuse to not go to your job. Yes your job. What is he doing when he's not in class. When he goes to work will he not work with colleagues he can not "understand".

This is a bad habit. But you and your young adult are paying a whole lot for him to just not go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My freshman son (in a selective top 20) NEVER attends his physics lecture and rarely attends chemistry. He does participate in the labs and attends "tutorials." Right now he has a B+ and a B in the classes but promises he will end up with an A in at least Chemistry, possibly physics. Would he potentially do better if he attends the lectures? I didn't go to a four year college, so I am kind of clueless!

PS: I know this because I have been tracking him (please don't make this thread it about this issue). I haven't brought it up to him and don't plan to unless he ends up with poor performance.

I would hope that some of the other posters are correct and the lectures are the big intro lectures that are taped or follow the textbook exactly, with the real learning in the labs and tutorials. In this case it would seem like your kid is ok.

Personally, I wouldn't take the risk of skipping the lectures. You just never know what little information you might gain that could be valuable on exams. And what else is he doing with the time? Sleeping in? Point out that each class hour is the equivalent of $X tuition dollars.

I only missed one class in all of college and that was because I was sick.

OP here. Yes, I agree to a point, but if DS comes out of the semester with a 3.5 or higher, I will not nag him. I want him to have autonomy. But if he gets a C or below in one of these classes, I will certainly call him on it...especially Chemistry, where he doesn't have to good reason to not attend. The physics teacher's accent is so thick, a lot of kids complain about him...so I get it. Sounds like going to a lecture you cannot understand where the notes are available online is a waste of time.

how on earth do you know that a lot of kids complain?

My son told me and also I read about it on Rate My Professors.

it is time to step away from the child.

Your son may very well have a bad professor, but "accent" is often what people turn to instead of the real problem: the class is hard, or the professor isn't prepared (goes both ways).

[Anonymous]

My single mom made my brother do the math to figure out how much each class during a semesters actually cost. She said it would be like taking her heard earned money and burning it or throwing it away if he skipped classes. My brother was an idiot and dropped out since he never went to class. That overheard lecture stuck with me and I rarely skipped class. Gotta love some good old Catholic guilt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My freshman son (in a selective top 20) NEVER attends his physics lecture and rarely attends chemistry. He does participate in the labs and attends "tutorials." Right now he has a B+ and a B in the classes but promises he will end up with an A in at least Chemistry, possibly physics. Would he potentially do better if he attends the lectures? I didn't go to a four year college, so I am kind of clueless!

PS: I know this because I have been tracking him (please don't make this thread it about this issue). I haven't brought it up to him and don't plan to unless he ends up with poor performance.

I would hope that some of the other posters are correct and the lectures are the big intro lectures that are taped or follow the textbook exactly, with the real learning in the labs and tutorials. In this case it would seem like your kid is ok.

Personally, I wouldn't take the risk of skipping the lectures. You just never know what little information you might gain that could be valuable on exams. And what else is he doing with the time? Sleeping in? Point out that each class hour is the equivalent of $X tuition dollars.

I only missed one class in all of college and that was because I was sick.

OP here. Yes, I agree to a point, but if DS comes out of the semester with a 3.5 or higher, I will not nag him. I want him to have autonomy. But if he gets a C or below in one of these classes, I will certainly call him on it...especially Chemistry, where he doesn't have to good reason to not attend. The physics teacher's accent is so thick, a lot of kids complain about him...so I get it. Sounds like going to a lecture you cannot understand where the notes are available online is a waste of time.

how on earth do you know that a lot of kids complain?

My son told me and also I read about it on Rate My Professors.

it is time to step away from the child.

Your son may very well have a bad professor, but "accent" is often what people turn to instead of the real problem: the class is hard, or the professor isn't prepared (goes both ways).

Really? Why on Earth would a kid make that up? If the professor is unprepared, then he would just say so, no? You people just looking for any way to trash the smart kid who can get As and Bs without going to class. Some people can do that and get away with it. If the kid is going to tutorials and labs and studying the notes, he is probably fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My freshman son (in a selective top 20) NEVER attends his physics lecture and rarely attends chemistry. He does participate in the labs and attends "tutorials." Right now he has a B+ and a B in the classes but promises he will end up with an A in at least Chemistry, possibly physics. Would he potentially do better if he attends the lectures? I didn't go to a four year college, so I am kind of clueless!

PS: I know this because I have been tracking him (please don't make this thread it about this issue). I haven't brought it up to him and don't plan to unless he ends up with poor performance.

Fraternity brothers at my university shared tests/study guides. They would sign up for large lecture classes and show up for tests and ace the class. Attending the lectures were unnecessary for them.

[Anonymous]

OP here. There seems to be some confusion. DS is going to classes, just not all. He goes to all his seminar classes (small classes) of which there are three. He has three lecture classes, two of which have labs which he always attends. He goes to 1 lecture class regularly, 1 lecture class about 1/2 of the time, and the other never. He goes to all three tutorial classes which supplement the lecture classes He has nothing below a B so far. I got the mid term report in the mail.

You can give me all the advice you want about how he is wasting my money, but I am NOT going to tell him what to do if he is succeeding. His college education is fully funded with our 529 and we have plenty of money to go around. Money is the least of my worries. I just want him to be successful and responsible.

And from what I understand, the lecture professors do not take attendance, nor do they care whether or not you attend their classes.

[Anonymous]

What other more important things is he doing? I can understand students who need to work to pay for their bills sometimes skipping class but he sounds like an entitled douche who is fine with wasting his family’s money for no good reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What other more important things is he doing? I can understand students who need to work to pay for their bills sometimes skipping class but he sounds like an entitled douche who is fine with wasting his family’s money for no good reason.

Okay, he is probably sleeping in. Is anything wrong with that? Probably. But I am fine, like I said, if he gets good grades and does the work...and it appears he is. That's what it's like when your kid is smart and can pull it off. Apparently you are not familiar with that phenomenon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What other more important things is he doing? I can understand students who need to work to pay for their bills sometimes skipping class but he sounds like an entitled douche who is fine with wasting his family’s money for no good reason.

Okay, he is probably sleeping in. Is anything wrong with that? Probably. But I am fine, like I said, if he gets good grades and does the work...and it appears he is. That's what it's like when your kid is smart and can pull it off. Apparently you are not familiar with that phenomenon.

My kid is smart enough to know that wasting his family’s money is a douchy thing to do. If he is so smart, why doesn’t he have all As? Why hasn’t he figured out that you are tracking him? My kid is 13 and has figured out to get his way around the location tracking on his phone.

[Anonymous]

Person who said kid would be punished if they skipped class. I meant that they will fail if they miss more than two classes. I see what you are saying that if he gets good grades then it doesn’t matter, but I would question the value of that school if the professor’s lectures (that’s the person you are paying for) are worthless and the TAs can teach it better.