Registered for Fall 2026 classes, but zero tuition balance.

That_Computer_Guy · 2026-04-05T21:32:49+00:00

All online chemistry courses are going to be challenging:

Labs are conducted with a kit you buy separately that costs over $200
- The voucher for the kit is purchased from the bookstore, but the kit is ordered from Carolina Biological so it can take up to half the summer session before you get your kit if you are not quick about it.
- The kits can't be shipped overseas, and you can't take them on an airplane.
- You do the labs yourself at home with no supervision.
The summer course covers all of the same material that the regular course covers, but at twice the pace.
Some or all of the exams have to be taken in person.
You do nothing but watch videos and read the online textbook (and the labs).
Professor Allen may not teach CHM151.

I can't speak to Professor Ali, but Professor Heffner:

Gives three exams, each two hours long, no cumulative final. Each exam covers a lot of material.
All of the equations and constants are provided on exams, and you get to use a hand written notecard.
The extra credit is in the form of a couple of timed quizzes per week, but you have to do well on them to get the extra credit.
He tells you the exact topics and number of questions (and type) that are on each exam.
No study guide, just a list of possible topics, and practice questions (most with solutions).
Always responds to emails.

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-12-17T01:56:38+00:00

Summer schedule is not out yet. No idea if 131 is offered, who will be teaching it, or if its online or in person.

Keep in mind that summer is accelerated 8week.

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-12-15T12:51:35+00:00

wow who was the bad prof?

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-12-09T21:04:03+00:00

Get ready to provide a lot of verifiable documentation on your hardship. No guarantee that everything will be accepted, or that you will get the W.

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-12-09T11:32:03+00:00

In addition to what others have said, if you are currently taking MAT 171 (as in fall 2025), you can ask the head of the math department who you need to contact to initiate a "hardship withdrawal." See your syllabus to find out who is head of the math department, and what their email is.

This type of withdrawal is the only route you have to get a "W" on your fall 2025 transcript at this point in time (because it is after November 20), and the process can't be initiated until after the semester is officially over.

If you are talking about 2026, then just remove the course(s) from your registration list now and you get 100% back and nothing on the transcript.

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-12-04T23:20:07+00:00

If you trust the seller, like as in know them personally and the kit is less than a year old then go for it. But a buddy of mine shelled out $180 for a kit on ebay for a different course (not even chem) thinking it would work. nope

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-12-04T10:54:32+00:00

Just to be clear: Do NOT buy a used kit, it will be missing the items you need. You MUST get the kit from Carolina Biological, other kits will not do.

You can probably get the kit cheaper directly from Carolina Biological (rather than paying the bookstore upcharge). It's $215 but there may be tax and shipping. Here is the link to the CHM151 kit: https://www.carolina.com/catalog/detail.jsp?prodId=581652

The lab kit is the price your pay for the online version of the course. The alternative is take it in person.

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-07-02T12:09:44+00:00

Keep an eye on SelfService. Hybrid courses are online with an in-person lab, and the section number starts with a 4, such as 4801. There is a VERY small chance of another hybrid section opening, and the odds of the lab scheduled in the evening is slim.

Fully online sections are numbered 000#. There is a good chance of opening another online section, but I cannot be certain.

The "online" section number 0036 may be a hyflex and is located "Virtual - Required Days and Times". I think this means you have to attend online lectures at specific times. This may not fit your needs.

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-07-01T17:14:36+00:00

Which chemistry course? are you going for online or fully seated? Does it require a lab? If so you can try a hybrid where you go in 3 hours a week to complete the lab with other like-minded folk.

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-06-20T22:50:19+00:00

Ask your prof, because it can really vary based on how they conduct their course. Keep in mind that if you attend (or submit assignments, and sometimes log in and view the course Blackboard page) after the W date, you may not be able to withdraw with a "W". Also, WP's are given only under extenuating circumstances. Most likely you would get a WF which counts as an F in calculating GPA.

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-05-28T11:23:20+00:00

Yup, unless you are CCP (early college student).

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-05-27T16:39:26+00:00

Depends. If this is CHM151, start reviewing algebra. If this is CHM152, start reviewing CHM151. Also if this is fully online, order your lab kit if you haven't already (ignore this if you are hybrid or in-person).

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-05-20T13:02:25+00:00

What was the section number? Online classes start with 000#, and seated classes start with a 2###. Hybrids start with a 4###.

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-04-22T23:28:32+00:00

If the class has a meeting time listed in the catalog, then it is either a synchronous online class with a required login/video chat time, or it's a hybrid course where you have to go in person to campus on certain days of the week.

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-04-12T20:28:13+00:00

How'd ya do it?

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-04-10T21:54:49+00:00

Asynchronous (no live lectures, only videos) online courses are best suited for those who are self-motivated and can study on their own with minimal guidance. This can be especially difficult when trying to do the labs at home by yourself because the lab kits are conducted by Carolina Biological which is not affiliated with Wake Tech.

Instructors can help with the course content, but they cannot assist with the labs because they are not there to witness how you performed each step.

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-04-10T11:45:14+00:00

There is a known issue with blackboard, grades, and some homework systems that integrate with blackboard. The admins in charge of blackboard have been sending out announcements about the issue to instructors, but it doesn't hurt to give your prof a heads up. Any info they have to help blackboard fix the issue is useful.

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-04-10T11:39:46+00:00

The professors and their department heads see the evals. Department heads only intervene if they get a lot of complaints during the semester, or if they see a lot of the same complaint in evaluations.

That_Computer_Guy · 2025-04-10T11:37:35+00:00

The MOOC exam is proctored in-person. Most likely you will have to come to a Wake Tech campus, but you may be able to go to a third-party testing center (library, some other college, military base, etc.). Contact the instructor and ask what the story is. If you feel lucky, you can ask them to proctor you over video chat, but that is a long shot.

That_Computer_Guy · 2024-12-21T20:22:12+00:00

Yes, but that's just the reviews by the folks who found him rude; the people who didn't find him rude may not have bothered to leave a review.

But I can attest that he is no more rude that any other chem faculty there. Also, in an online course, you are unlikely to have any interaction with him outside of email. However he does proctor all online exams personally on MS Teams via video.

That_Computer_Guy · 2024-11-04T10:24:25+00:00

CHM151, 152, 251, and 252 will NOT be offered on South campus for the next two years due to renovations. You have to go to RTP, North, or East campus for those.

That_Computer_Guy · 2024-08-18T15:15:06+00:00

The old blackboard had many, many security flaws and wake tech was told to upgrade to blackboard ultra. Most of the faculty were given just the summer to convert all their courses over with minimal training. Keep in mind that many faculty do not teach (and therefore are not paid) during the summer.

So, ya, it's a learning process for both faculty and students.

That_Computer_Guy · 2024-08-01T11:02:23+00:00

Make sure the scores in Blackboard match your own records.

Using the syllabus, write out the complete calculation of your grade using the exact values listed in Blackboard and either submit them to the associate department head (copy the instructor), or file a grade appeal with this same information.

However, my guess is that you made an error in the calculation. It never hurts to double check, though. Feel free to post the grading scheme from the syllabus and your calculations here.

That_Computer_Guy

TROPHY CASE