Chem 101 Lab Question

[hopefulmedschoolstudent]

Hi!

Sorry if this is not the correct place to post this. This is my first time using SDN.

I am currently a freshman in college on the premed track, and while I have an A in my Lecture class (a totally weed out class btw), I just got a 50 on my Lab report (lecture and lab are different).

The TA for lab is EXTREMELY difficult. I am failing lab right now. Ironically, though, even though I got a 50 on the lab report, the class average was a 41 - so I can't be the only one struggling.

I am planning to meet with my TA soon, but he is not approachable or helpful at all. I'm stuck on what to do. I hope this does not come off as a pity party, but have any of you all been in this situation before? We have a rubric, which I used and followed, but then the comments he wrote on my lab report were all comments that were not even discussed in the rubric. We have a second report due this week.

Thanks!

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[SpottyGlassware]

All you can do for now is write your next lab report following the rubric AND the comments your TA gave you this time. Also, remember to check sigfigs if you had to do any calculations. Those things can make or break you. As for interacting with your TA, just be nice and remember that he probably has a lot of other responsibilities on top of teaching your lab.

If your TA isn't helpful, or if this pattern of the whole class getting bad grades continues, go to the person in charge of overseeing all the general chemistry lab sections (or your professor for lecture if s/he holds any sway). They will be able to tell you where to go for help on your lab reports while they put pressure on the TA to improve.