School and Robotics.....

[slickguy2007]

Is it just me or does everyone's grades go down starting at the beginning of build season.... I spend a lot of time doing robotics and I sometimes I find it hard to go back to school work after thinking about our robot. Especially inbetween competitions I am always doing something other than focusing on my studies. I just wanted to know if I was the only one....

(BTW, I am avoiding school work now by surfing through CD :D )


GO 1403!!!

[omutton]

I am the exact same way. Between competitions I can't really focus, and I probably won't be able to focus between now and Atlanta. Then after Atlanta, I'll be upset that I have to wait a whole year to go through it all again!

[Beth Sweet]

Our team requires students to keep up their grades if they plan to participate. I don't feel that it is acceptable for those who intend to be tomorrow's leaders to be decreasing their academic achievement to try to do so. That doesn't make sense to me.

[Joe_P.]

i believe if i hadn't joined the robotics team, my grades would be better.. of course, i would miss a lot of the excitement of robotics


i too am avoiding school work by surfing the net period, especially CD :]

[Winged Wonder]

our team also has grade requirements in order to stay on the team, but my grades dont usually take that much of a hit a the beginning of 2nd semester (aka Build Period). although it is true... during first semester my grades were absolutely stellar (4.0 baby with scary hard classes!) but they've slumped a little.. mostly to the fact that i havent been completitng all of my homework, and i've been missing a lot of school to go travel to robotics competitions. :) robotics is so discracting... but in the long run, its good for us, dispite the annual slump in grades. after all, robotics gives us more of a purpose to really study mathematics and science (especially physics!)... not just for help in working with the robot itself, but also it helps give us focus for what we wish to aspire to become when we "grow up". :)

and yes, i too am procrastinating and searching around on Chief Delphi instead of finishing up all of my makeup work that i missed when i went to Denver... ^^; i shall repeat... Robotics is very distracting!

[Not2B]

As a non-school mentor, I can't check grades (nor do I want to). But I tell the team that school is their job - FIRST is for fun. I have to do the same thing. I still work 9-10 hours a day BEFORE robotics start.

By the way, has anybody experienced grades going UP during FIRST? We've had several cases of that (from what I've heard).

Thanks!

[KTorak]

I'm having a hard time doing work between GLR and Nationals. Nationals is so close, around 2 weeks away, and I have an essay to do by Friday. I'm so used to waiting to the last minute to do it becuase I have been busy with robotics stuff. Although, the build season really didn't affect my grades, I actually did better in my Honors Geometry class then I did the previous Quarters.

[Winged Wonder]

As a non-school mentor, I can't check grades (nor do I want to). But I tell the team that school is their job - FIRST is for fun. I have to do the same thing. I still work 9-10 hours a day BEFORE robotics start.

By the way, has anybody experienced grades going UP during FIRST? We've had several cases of that (from what I've heard).

Thanks!

actually yes! we've had three students raise their grades just to stay on the team, and Denny Caldwell, one of our mentors (he's been with the team since it started!!) actually doubled his GPA in a single semester after joining the team. as i steal a quote from his bio (http://www.thepinkteam.org/main/aboutMentors.aspx?id=1) on our website: ...I had hardly any free time at all. I now had a reason to finish my Lit. paper -- To go work on the robot. FIRST made me realize that I worked my best under pressure by applying that preasure to my life. I now had deadlines to deal with, problems no one could solve, and still had to keep my grades up at school. I didn't have time to try and figure out how to get out of my math homework. I had a robot to build.:)

[StephLee]

My grades didn't slip during build season, but only because all my classes this semester are easy. I don't have any more competitions this year to look forward to(that I know of), but I still have to use self-imposed bans from CD to get my homework done(especially geometry).

[Andrew Y.]

my grades have stayed stedy this year.

i think i dropped 1 point in one class, but all other classes went up :ahh: :ahh:

[Jill1022]

All my grades went up actually. Thank goodness, we need good grades to stay on the team.

[zc923]

Granted, grades are important, but in the long run, the expirence you gain in robotics outweights anything you are taught in a class room with dusty textbooks and chalk.

Sure, my grades have a dip in them since 2nd semester, right after midterms, start of build season. But then again, its understandable. Instead of me giving 110% towards school, im giving it 70, and robotics 40. Most teachers understand. Its the same with science olympiad and such.

Keep your priorities straight, your grades at a level you are proud of, and have fun.

[Rombus]

its a bit different when you get to college, My major is electronics technology, but I'm focusing on robotics. Its alot of fun to go help out my team since i get to apply what i learn, and vice versa i learn stuff i apply in the classroom. Alot of times you will find that you just wont get a concept until you apply it or see it in person. Its pretty interesting to see how a paper analysis of a circuit changes when you measure that circuit on a breadboard.

Now a word of wisdom from a college student to you high schoolers: Dont skimp on any of your classes. Sure, a C may pass you in a high school math class, But you will be kicking yourself in college for not learning the basics in high school, you save ALOT Of time by doing well in high school!

[Daniel Brim]

My grades don't go down to badly. It's after competitions that I have trouble keeping them where my gpa is (4.0 weighted :ahh: ). After missing 2 days of school and that all important Saturday, makeup work is tough. Also, since Championships are just 2 weeks before AP tests start, I don't have as much time to study. I know today I spent 10 hours doing makeup homework, and I'm still a day or two behind. The quarter ends Friday, so I need to make it up by then on top of making a AP US DBQ and writing an english essay.

In the end, it's all worth it. I love robotics, and honestly, I don't care if I get a B or two, just don't get me started on Cs :)

[thoughtful]

Granted, grades are important, but in the long run, the expirence you gain in robotics outweights anything you are taught in a class room with dusty textbooks and chalk.

Sure, my grades have a dip in them since 2nd semester, right after midterms, start of build season. But then again, its understandable. Instead of me giving 110% towards school, im giving it 70, and robotics 40. Most teachers understand. Its the same with science olympiad and such.

Keep your priorities straight, your grades at a level you are proud of, and have fun.

Knowledge that we gain for robotics is unmeasureable. Just like life, FIRST throws curve balls at you and you must be able to hit them for a homerun. However, FIRST also teaches us to solve problems hence we cannot give up on our grades and make robotics an excuse. I am in grade 12, its hard to keep up with the homework. I have to stay up many nights, but this is my final year i need these grades for my life. I love robotics so i must do both! :eek: . So far this year i am fine. I hope and pray that i continue to maintain my average.

[Dorienne]

My grades did slip each year, but only in the classes I never really was good in in the first place (Math for example). Though I do need math for my profession, I won't need Algebra II, or Geometry, etc. But it all is still good to know, so I am trying my hardest to get through Calculus at this point.

I go to a magnet school, which is basically a public school with an honors/GT (Gifted and Talented; a step above honors) program, specifically for science, mathematics, and computer science. It's a great school, but when I was a freshman, I was struggling, and when I was doing robotics, it got worse, but only in some classes. It isn't that bad now, but I got used to the times I'd be unable to do my work, and so I have a mental idea of what times I need to do my homework.

Here's a big tip: My team has our meetings from 4-8pm each day during the build season, except Saturday, when our hours are 10-4pm. I stay at school each day afterwards to do my homework before the meeting starts. I make sure the right books are with me so I don't have to do it all when I get home at 8:15pm each night. Take the initiative -- do the work when you have the time, before the meeting, possibly during the meeting, at break, etc. Don't cram it all in. It won't do you any good; trust me.

[Matt Fultz]

My grades went up last year during build, especially in math. Cyber Blue has grade standards, and I get it in my head that, unless i work until its finished, i'm just gonna fail...plain and simple. This year i didn't really see any change since the homework load dropped some

[zc923]

Just a few questions for teams who require a certain grades to be able to participate on the robotics team:

What is the allowed average?

Is it based on teachers recomendations/sugestions? (as sports are at our
school)

Has anyone not been allowed to participate because of their grades?