Need advice to convince someone

[vektor]

Originally Posted by Locke

You've got a victim mentality because you've analyzed the situation a million ways from Sunday. Analyzing the situation is smart, but right now you're taking the 'animal backed into a corner' approach and if you speak to the prof with this attitude you're going to have a bad time.

I appreciate your advice and have taken everyone's advice in this thread. Do not worry, I am not going to take the victim's standpoint at all when I go in there. I was merely attempting to portray the facts in a way so people understand exactly where I'm at, thanks for the advice. I most definitely don't hate him, I am not like that. The reality is he really is a miserable old S.O.B and I figured that's probably a factor, like I have to some how get around his preset negative attitude and likelihood of denying a young white guy what he wants just because he can. I'm not going to go in and attack and be negative, I just have one shot at it and want to go at it with the best odds of succeeding.

Believe me when I say he is renowned as one of the worst profs in the University, I just need to get this done and I'm willing to be daisies and sunshine if that's what I need to do (I have no problem with that), the only reason I ever mentioned it is in case someone else has had similar experiences with winning over people with negative attitudes.

[Oling_Roachinen]

99% of the time the real reason a professor wouldn't sign off on something like this isn't because they want to see your life ruined but rather that they don't want to waste their time with students who aren't qualified to be in their class. Doing that would either force them to stall on their material to let those catch up or bring down their class average because those students just didn't catch on.

So don't just focus on what it would mean for you, but what it would mean for him - nothing. Reassure him you know the material; show him your marks on the supplementary courses; and it wouldn't hurt to study up and bring in materials showing you understand what you didn't 2 years ago.

And if he does say no, don't stress too much. If he's notorious as you believe he is, there's still hope with the dean and other resources, even if they've already said it's up to the prof.

[vektor]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

99% of the time the real reason a professor wouldn't sign off on something like this isn't because they want to see your life ruined but rather that they don't want to waste their time with students who aren't qualified to be in their class. Doing that would either force them to stall on their material to let those catch up or bring down their class average because those students just didn't catch on.

So don't just focus on what it would mean for you, but what it would mean for him - nothing. Reassure him you know the material; show him your marks on the supplementary courses; and it wouldn't hurt to study up and bring in materials showing you understand what you didn't 2 years ago.

And if he does say no, don't stress too much. If he's notorious as you believe he is, there's still hope with the dean and other resources, even if they've already said it's up to the prof.

I think this is the advice I needed. Convince him it won't effect him, time to go study up on linear algebra just in case, thanks!

[KTrain]

I always thought the mantra was "D's get degrees."

[Locke]

Originally Posted by KTrain

I always thought the mantra was "D's get degrees."

No, no, no! 'C's get degrees.

[OffsideSpecialist]

Originally Posted by Rathji

I am still confused how you could only manage a D in linear algebra.

My first year linear algebra class had a 54% mean grade. It seemed to be the roughest first year class for engineers.

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by OffsideSpecialist

My first year linear algebra class had a 54% mean grade. It seemed to be the roughest first year class for engineers.

My linear algebra courses were nothing but math proofs of matrices. Stuff like prove why A*B does not equal B*A. Definitely not trivial.

[OffsideSpecialist]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

My linear algebra courses were nothing but math proofs of matrices. Stuff like prove why A*B does not equal B*A. Definitely not trivial.

I think the fact that it was so abstract and seemed to have no real life uses was upsetting. I killed that course two years ago, but now I don't remember a damned thing.

[malcolmk14]

If he doesn't sign the waiver, send anthrax to his office in a suspicious package.

[Table 5]

Sooo.....update?

[trumpethead]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Sooo.....update?

Im guessing it went somethin like this....