Rusty on math, but placed into Calc I for upcoming prerequisites. Retaking precal as a refresher?

[SquishyMonster90]

Hey guys,

Just looking for a little advice about math prerequisites. I'm a non-traditional premed, 25 years old. I have a degree, but I'm going back to school this summer to get prereqs. I was a music major in undergrad, so I haven't done any prereqs at all. I have a current GPA of 3.94.

I just took the math placement test for my school and I got placed into calculus I. My last math class was Precalculus and I took it in sophomore year in high school- 2006. I managed to get placed into calculus because I studied my ass off on Khan Academy reviewing Algebra and Trig.

Precalculus in high school was a struggle for me. I'm really strong in science, but not so much in math (more than likely because I just don't like math so I make stupid mistakes). It was my only non-A (I got a B+). I'm still not sure if it's because I struggled with the material or because I was out of school for over a week that semester with the flu (our school system had block scheduling- missing one class was the equivalent of missing two normal classes and I had precal everyday, so I missed a total of like 20 lectures or something).

My question: Should I proceed with taking Calculus I or should I take Precalculus as a refresher? I don't want to jump straight into Calculus I and get a bad grade just because I don't remember **** from precalculus class 10 years prior.

TLDR: Nontrad premed who hasn't taken a math class since 2006 (precal- sophomore high school) placed into Calc I for prereqs and wants to know whether to proceed with Calc I or retake Precal as a refresher to avoid flunking Calc? If I do jump straight into Calc, what topics should I study to prepare myself? Algebra? Trig? Precal? Geometry? Anyone have any advice on this situation? Also, as a bonus question, after Calc I, would you recommend Calc II, Stat I or both Calc II AND Stat I? Which combo will look the best to adcoms? Thanks guys!

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[eteshoe]

You can do either. If you choose to do calc 1 - Google 'Paul Dawkins math notes'. Studying his stuff helped me test out of all of calc and diff eq back in UG

 

[DrMidlife]

Music is math. Look for that. Make friends with working ALL THE PROBLEMS not just those assigned. Same with all the science classes. Problems are etudes. No different.

Being able to ramp up for a placement test on Khan says you don't have a problem here. You just need to be ready to work. A 3.94 in music speaks to your work ethic and ability to sequester yourself to practice. There's no problem here.

Adcoms need you to do a premed curriculum. Get over the need to find approval for every thing you do (or take that neurosis over to pre-allo). Find the premed advisers and/or the premed advising web page that tells you what classes to take. Take them.

Breathe.

 

[willow84]

I took calculus last fall after a 12 year gap between calc and precalc. Khan Academy and office hours were my best friend. I did every single problem assigned to me; some even twice. If you were able to do well using KA for prep then I think you'll be fine in calc if you stay as dedicated. Brush up on trig and algebra before starting.

 

[ADSigMel]

I'm taking Orgo I this summer, after not having taken Gen Chem since 1999. I'm using Khan to refresh and finding that it's all coming back to me readily, so, to the extent that Orgo builds on Gen Chem, I feel like I'll be very well prepared by the time I make it through the topic on KA.

If you were able to test into Calc after using KA's Algebra and Trig, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to use KA's Precal to prep for your Calculus course this summer.

 

[timephone]

Calculus as a concept isn't that hard to understand. It's about changing rates and accumulation. But the way it's manipulated symbolically and the algebraic/trigonometric skills you employ in class are what can make it challenging.

Check to see what type of Calculus class it is. Most schools have a Calc 1 for STEM majors and a "dumbed down" Calc 1 for social science/business majors. Even if you're in the harder version, look for a professor with a good rating/reputation who strives to make things clear for her students. Use resources online. Practice practice practice. The more problems you do on your own, the better you'll do when exams roll around.

 

[wholeheartedly]

I'm not historically a fan of math class, which is a bit odd since my current job is a whole lot of data analysis, but I never took a pre calc type class. I went straight to calc and did fine for the amount of studying I did.

If you're someone who has a demonstrated history of doing extra work and using outside resources to be successful, which you clearly do, I think you'll be fine.

 

[Ad2b]

Why do you need calc? If it is specific to the schools you are interested in, then fine. MOST do not require calc.

 

[trev5150]

The concepts of calc are not difficult to grasp, it's the algebraic trickery that gets layered in there by professors trying to be "creative". I know of one that revels in creating the most convoluted problems. I think he sits at home grading exams getting major kicks out of the duct-tape-and-chicken-wire solutions that students come up with.

 

[Astharia]

I took Calc at my community college in 2013. It had been 7 years since I took a precalc like "math analysis" class in high school, of which I never went to and got a C. Before that I was always very good at math growing up, so I just went in and did the class and got an A. I had an amazing professor who assigned a ton of homework problems, which I did every night which is the best way to learn it and do well. I never took math at a big school but I imagine it wouldn't have been that much harder than that CC class. The midterm was 7 hours (broken into two and class was canceled for a week) the final 3.5 hours long. It was an 8am five days a week class...

So it's really up to your comfort level. Ask around how that class is or look at ratemyprofessor for reviews.


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[TallPreMed]

OP I am in the process of doing the same thing. Just finishing up precalc and I will be taking calculus this summer. I took precalc as a junior in HS in 2007/8 I'm not a strong math person so I needed the refresher just to get my brain back in math mode.
The way I see it, it's another A to boost my math GPA for MD schools and overall GPA.