A bit of a sobering moment...

[Planet Ocean]

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Okay so I begin undergrad this fall 2010 at my state university. It will have been 2 years since I had graduated from high school so I had to take a math placement test. I must say that I was rather dishearthened to find out how terribly I had scored. For that reason I will be placed into a low math course. We are talking sub-precalc. For me it has been a bit discouraging but my question is if anyone else here has had a similar experience and can relate? Also, were you able to successfully graduate to upper level math courses and did starting out in a low math course affect your success in other medical school pre-reqs. I want to thank those who reply in advance🙂

 

[Total180]

Hey, a lot of times you get argue your way into a pre-cal class...that is, if you think you would be able to get an A in it. I would just go to the head of the department and make your case. Normally they aren't too hung up on those placement tests. Just make sure you know your basic math before you start school. I transferred to a new school after 2 years of college, and I hadn't taken math since my junior year of high school. I placed into college algebra, but argued a bit and they had no problem letting me into pre-calc. I only went up to calculus 1, but I was able to make A's pretty easily. If you have trouble, most colleges have math labs or tutors, and I would strongly suggest taking advantage of whatever educational tools your university provides. Good luck!

 

[Dr Optimistic]

Okay so I begin undergrad this fall 2010 at my state university. It will have been 2 years since I had graduated from high school so I had to take a math placement test. I must say that I was rather dishearthened to find out how terribly I had scored. For that reason I will be placed into a low math course. We are talking sub-precalc. For me it has been a bit discouraging but my question is if anyone else here has had a similar experience and can relate? Also, were you able to successfully graduate to upper level math courses and did starting out in a low math course affect your success in other medical school pre-reqs. I want to thank those who reply in advance🙂

If you have time and aren't too concerned, taking your math from the beginning isn't all bad. For starters, there is a sGPA boost if the As are easier to come by as you start from a comfortable level. I did the same as I had taken a few years off from high school and wanted to make sure I did okay. I found I was able to do very well without much pressure since the concepts weren't entirely new to me. I always was fine at math but I hated it. This was my way of mentally easing into the material.

With that being said, most math classes at the beginning do a quick review of some of the major concepts taught before. If you picked up an old textbook and spent a couple of days with it, you would probably be set for the regular level of math.

Either way don't stress. If you start relatively easy you will be much stronger in algebra and trig which is used a lot in your future math courses and physics. Learning trig well will only help you later. I dislike math and never planned to do more than the minimum required of me and was really happy to be able to start "below my level" to give me more confidence. I did intermediate algebra to college algebra and trigonometry to calculus in three semesters. I also recommend if you are bad at math or dislike it to take them all consecutively so you don't get rusty and have to relearn it again.

Either way good luck!

 

[Planet Ocean]

Hey, a lot of times you get argue your way into a pre-cal class...that is, if you think you would be able to get an A in it. I would just go to the head of the department and make your case. Normally they aren't too hung up on those placement tests. Just make sure you know your basic math before you start school. I transferred to a new school after 2 years of college, and I hadn't taken math since my junior year of high school. I placed into college algebra, but argued a bit and they had no problem letting me into pre-calc. I only went up to calculus 1, but I was able to make A's pretty easily. If you have trouble, most colleges have math labs or tutors, and I would strongly suggest taking advantage of whatever educational tools your university provides. Good luck!

You know what, I think I'm going to give that a shot and see if they don't mind bumping me up a class because I truly believe that the one I am placed in isnt necessary. Thanks for sharing with me and If anyone else has a similar experience I would love to hear it.

 

[Slowpoke]

I went to a community college straight from high school. I was placed in Trig going into community college (even though I had taken trig in highschool). At the time, it felt demeaning, but now that I look back on it - Trig + College Algebra were easy A's that will help my GPA in the long run. Don't be discouarged by a low math placement. In fact, its better to start where you should instead of tackling a higher level math class and suffering a GPA damage in the long run.

 

[Artimacia]

If it makes you feel any better, at my school, even if you did well in math, you still had to take college algebra

 

[echidna]

Can you retake the placement test? When I went back to school for my post-bacc it had been like 5 years since I'd taken a math class and I placed into something that was definitely below my abilities. Remedial arithmetic or intro to numbers or something, I don't remember. Seriously I think it might have been pre-algebra. So I picked up a trig/pre-calc textbook from the library, boned up for a week, and subsequently placed into calc. It's worth a shot.

 

[Klemptor]

I tested into Intermediate Algebra (it comes before college algebra and is basically the equivalent of Algebra II in high school). I made it through Calc III with all As in math and no problems whatsoever. If it's what you tested into, then it's where you belong. If you want to save time, you can take courses during summer semesters to catch yourself up to where you think you ought to be. I hear BCPM summer courses are frowned upon, but I took two summer math courses, and it doesn't seem to have affected my application or my skills negatively in any way. Good luck!

 

[MidnightSun32]

I started my freshman year after 5 years of being out of high school. I couldn't remember any math when I took the placement test. I took the remedial class and it all came back to me really fast. The remedial was an easy pass and the math classes since then have been pretty easy for me. Math has always been a good subject for me though, but it was just surprising on how fast you forget everything when you haven't been using it.

I wouldn't say it affected my other pre-reqs too much other than I'm good at the math parts lol. I am glad that I just sucked it up and went into the remedial classes though. They said based on my HS classes and ACT or whatever that I could have just placed into a higher class. Since that was 6 years ago (I think the ACT was my junior year; I can't even remember!), I'm really glad I didn't do that.

 

[phathead]

It is possible that you weren't taught some areas and that's why you scored low on the test. I know several high schools who don't do a very good job teaching something like trig or basic algebra.

As long as you're not in a sub-1000 class, I say go for it. If you're starting out in college, you're gonna need easy classes anyway as its a heck of a transition. Plus, the easy As are nice.

 

[smarttee88]

Okay so I begin undergrad this fall 2010 at my state university. It will have been 2 years since I had graduated from high school so I had to take a math placement test. I must say that I was rather dishearthened to find out how terribly I had scored. For that reason I will be placed into a low math course. We are talking sub-precalc. For me it has been a bit discouraging but my question is if anyone else here has had a similar experience and can relate? Also, were you able to successfully graduate to upper level math courses and did starting out in a low math course affect your success in other medical school pre-reqs. I want to thank those who reply in advance🙂

It is perfectly fine for you to start at a lower level. I also scored significantly lower on my math placement test than I believe I should have, but I found the extra courses I had to take to be nice refreshers and I, for the most part, eased through them with very little to no difficulty. It can be quite discouraging to say the least, but I don't believe it will put you at a disadvantage in terms of doing well in your future pre-med courses. In fact, if you take the extra math course, you may be much more well equiped to tackle your pre-reqs much easier than you otherwise would have.

 

[ILikeDrugs]

Heh. I was placed into geometry. Did that in the summer. Algebra and and trig during the normal year. It's not that big of a deal. You could always study over the summer and retake the placement test, if your school allows that.

 

[funklab]

Okay so I begin undergrad this fall 2010 at my state university. It will have been 2 years since I had graduated from high school so I had to take a math placement test. I must say that I was rather dishearthened to find out how terribly I had scored. For that reason I will be placed into a low math course. We are talking sub-precalc. For me it has been a bit discouraging but my question is if anyone else here has had a similar experience and can relate? Also, were you able to successfully graduate to upper level math courses and did starting out in a low math course affect your success in other medical school pre-reqs. I want to thank those who reply in advance🙂

Same type of thing happened to me. I did pretty ****ty on the test, and they said I could take it one more time. I did ****ty again. Oh well, what are you gonna do? College algebra it is!

It's really not a big deal though, the placement tests are there for a reason. Think of it this way, you get a chance to take some easy math classes and boost your BCPM grade! Plus the prerequisites require very little math skills, a little trig and algebra for the most part. And math for the MCAT can be learned in an afternoon.

Its not the end of the world, and you are just starting out. If you make sure that you get an A in whatever math class you are placed in, it can definitely be a positive thing.

 

[amakhosidlo]

Like everyone's said, no big deal. I wound up starting in pre-calc, things turned out OK. One piece of advice though, unless there were some sort of mitigating circumstances surrounding your performance, maybe stay away from math if it's not your strong suit. You'll more than likely be thrown in with Econ and engineering kids once you get to calc, and if you struggle at all your gpa, specifically your Sgpa (bcpm), which is pretty important, will suffer.

Bottom line, you don't need Calc/upper level math to get in to (most) med schools. Don't make your life anymore difficult than it has to be.

 

[mwalker394]

I placed into "College Algebra," even though I had gone up through Calculus AB in high school, but I think the fact that I did so poorly on the test shows that I really did need work in math. I had always struggled in high school anyway. So I took the class, even though I felt a little silly, and went back and took Calc I & II. It was better than tolerable; it was really a great thing. It gave me such a better understanding of math and I was so comfortable in Calculus, I got an A and A+. I would have been lucky to pass if I hadn't taken the time to get a firm algebra foundation. I highly recommend sticking it out.

 

[Planet Ocean]

Well...I was going to see if I could talk them in to letting me get into a higher class but after thinking about it and reading your replies I'm probably just going to go where I tested into. I mean I like the idea of getting some easy A's and god knows how much I could benefit from some good math review anyways. So I will swallow my pride and take solace in the fact that I am in good company among those of you who started from similar circumstances. Thanks everyone🙂

 

[docelh]

If your math is fundamentally weak, that means you're going to have to work that much harder in chemistry and physics.

 

[Sesom]

There is no shame in starting out in a lower math class. High schools just do not push students enough in math. You have no idea how many people are in you exact same situation as you. I had to take 5 classes to get to calc 1. I am now finishing trig and on my way to calc this coming fall. I wouldn't listen to any of these people that try and tell you to find a way to bypass your placement. I have a very strong foundation in math, I do not believe there is a class that I cannot ace. Like Docelh said you do not want you math to be weak. My reccomendation is to not waste time, enroll in that math class now!

 

[Danlee07]

At my school, the lower the class level, the more BS workload they put you through. So if you're lazy, it's not really a free A. The higher class level, the more BS facts they make you soak up with no homework.

I'm guessing your math is weak, but maybe you can do calculus? This might be just terrible advice. Calc was 4 tests + 1 final.

People I knew in precal asked me questions and it was just like every little concept expanded for 2 weeks...they had homework due every week, 8 tests, midterm, and a final...

 

[ThaliaNox]

I've always personally felt that since it is in a college's best interests to keep you as a student for as long as possible, the more classes they can make you take, the better. The result: Math placement tests which put people ridiculously far back in math. Someone above said that they had to take five classes to get to Calculus. I don't know about your school, but at mine Calculus is the first math class to count towards graduation. That's over a semester's worth of classes you've taken without moving one step closer to graduation.

University is expensive. I'd have gagged myself with a spoon before I let my university put me back into algebra, and I went to a very crappy highschool where honestly I did get a bad background in trig and precalc. I took calculus right away in college anyway.

 

[BlitzSleep]

I had to start out at the very bottom math course. Elementary Algebra. The only problem I've encountered is that finishing up all the maths in time to take my upper level chemistry classes. I'm having to take calc 2 over the summer just so I can meet the Pchem prereq. Other than that, it's just a gpa booster

 

[RevDM]

I did so poorly in highschool that I had to go to a community college.

I placed into the lowest possible math, Math 15 (pre algebra).

I had to take:

Pre algebra
algebra I
algebra II
trigonometry
pre-calculus
calculus I
calculus II
calculus III (multi-variable, was the only bio major in that class lol).

Transferred to UCSD, graduated magna cum laude with a BS in biochemistry & cell biology

Went back to community college to take a statistics class because University of Wisconsin is the only med school that requires it!

Mind you, this was on the semester system. I took a year and a half of calculus

 

[MichaelRW]

Okay so I begin undergrad this fall 2010 at my state university. It will have been 2 years since I had graduated from high school so I had to take a math placement test. I must say that I was rather dishearthened to find out how terribly I had scored. For that reason I will be placed into a low math course. We are talking sub-precalc. For me it has been a bit discouraging but my question is if anyone else here has had a similar experience and can relate? Also, were you able to successfully graduate to upper level math courses and did starting out in a low math course affect your success in other medical school pre-reqs. I want to thank those who reply in advance🙂

Yes, I had to do the same after taking more than 4 years off after highschool. I wold just stick with where they placed you, unless they put you into some super-low class like pre-algebra.

 

[smarttee88]

I did so poorly in highschool that I had to go to a community college.

I placed into the lowest possible math, Math 15 (pre algebra).

I had to take:

Pre algebra
algebra I
algebra II
trigonometry
pre-calculus
calculus I
calculus II
calculus III (multi-variable, was the only bio major in that class lol).

Transferred to UCSD, graduated magna cum laude with a BS in biochemistry & cell biology

Went back to community college to take a statistics class because University of Wisconsin is the only med school that requires it!

Mind you, this was on the semester system. I took a year and a half of calculus

+1 Wow!..Shows how doable it is!..