Do I suck at math or have I taken on too much?

[altamont850]

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Hi guys!

Here's my situation: I've taken both precalculus and trigonometry this summer semester and my finals are next Wednesday. Currently, I need to make an "A" on both finals to pull a "B" in both courses. By no means does this upset me because my GPA will still be around a 3.9 but I have other concerns.

My major is biochemistry and I know I need to take up to Calculus 3 and I don't know how my performance will translate to Calculus. I cannot keep making "B"'s in all my math courses. I believe that my performance is due to the fact that I never attended high school (got a GED at 17 and started college early). Do you guys think my math skills will improve as I progress? By taking these courses in the summer do you think I've built a base for studying Calculus?

I've studied for all my tests and my most recent mark was a high "C". Are these summer mathematics courses truly hard or am I just not acquainted with math and the meticulousness it requires?

Any advice/comments are appreciated.

 

[thestrokes14]

Hi guys!

Here's my situation: I've taken both precalculus and trigonometry this summer semester and my finals are next Wednesday. Currently, I need to make an "A" on both finals to pull a "B" in both courses. By no means does this upset me because my GPA will still be around a 3.9 but I have other concerns.

My major is biochemistry and I know I need to take up to Calculus 3 and I don't know how my performance will translate to Calculus. I cannot keep making "B"'s in all my math courses. I believe that my performance is due to the fact that I never attended high school (got a GED at 17 and started college early). Do you guys think my math skills will improve as I progress? By taking these courses in the summer do you think I've built a base for studying Calculus?

I've studied for all my tests and my most recent mark was a high "C". Are these summer mathematics courses truly hard or am I just not acquainted with math and the meticulousness it requires?

Any advice/comments are appreciated.

Usually summer courses are much faster paced, so that might be getting to you. But still, precalc and trig are typically high school level math, so it does worry me that you haven't taken much math at an early age. In all honesty, math is probably the most difficult subject to tackle as you get older. Still, consider getting a tutor and seeing your professors in office hours. You'll be surprised at how often professors give your the benefit of the doubt if you show some commitment. It seems like your GPA is fine, but you're still going to want to get high grades in your math classes because they count towards your science GPA.

 

[ItzYaYa]

Math is one of those classes that consist of mostly memorization. Taking trig/pre-calc will definitely give you a solid foundation. If you feel as if you're not doing well in them, use this site: http://justmathtutoring.com/ and/or go see a professor and ask him/her what you could do to improve your performance. Reviewing wrong answers always helped me in Pre-Calc...G'luck.

 

[steel88]

Most people would have a tough time pulling A's in those two courses over the summer. If you're worried about your math skills, pick up a job as a tutor. You'd be surprised how fast you relearn things you'd forgotten, and keep algebra rules fresh for calculus.

Plus, you'd have other tutors to ask for your problems. Assuming your school has a decent tutor center.

 

[FattySlug]

Math at undergrad level does not take any "skills." There is a pattern for every type of problem; memorize those through doing homework and you get As very easily.

 

[demh23]

Greetz ! 🙂

Definitely take your old tests to office hours and go over what you did wrong and how to do it correctly.

Regards

 

[Starlightembers]

I don't have any advice and I apologize for the hijack of sorts; but, I am soon going to be in a very similar situation as you. I'm leaving high school early and am going to be missing the majority of algebra and trigonometry and, due to the rules of my college, am going to have to take up to Calculus 2 (they only have calculus-based physics). I'm absolutely terrified and am likely going to have to spend a year, at the least, doing basic course work that most non-science/math majors use to fulfill the general education requirement.

Good luck, OP. I hope it works out.

 

[911 Turbo]

I don't have any advice and I apologize for the hijack of sorts; but, I am soon going to be in a very similar situation as you. I'm leaving high school early and am going to be missing the majority of algebra and trigonometry and, due to the rules of my college, am going to have to take up to Calculus 2 (they only have calculus-based physics). I'm absolutely terrified and am likely going to have to spend a year, at the least, doing basic course work that most non-science/math majors use to fulfill the general education requirement.

Good luck, OP. I hope it works out.

LOL... there's a chance that this combo will make your college life suck

 

[Starlightembers]

LOL... there's a chance that this combo will make your college life suck

Figured as much.

I do not, however, know which would suck worse: physics in the Summer at local state school (accelerated classes) or calculus-based physics (with calculus taken concurrently) during the year after a year of remedial coursework. Meh. I'm not looking forward to it, either way.

 

[Pseudolithos]

Hi there,

I'm about to be a freshman in college this fall, but hopefully Calculus II is roughly equal to BC and Calculus III in college is roughly equal to Calculus III in high school. I know they are not nearly as rigorous but I think the curriculum is roughly the same. If not, my apologies 😳

I think taking these courses in the summertime was the right choice (but obviously the harder way out). Not taking precalc/trig until this summer puts you a bit behind your peers I believe (especially if you need to take up to calc 3), but in taking it this summer you will probably be able to catch back up.

As for the other question about just naturally "sucking" at math, if you have a 3.9 GPA cumulatively, you are at least smart enough to take up to calc 3 (probably beyond) in my opinion. The math that might require some amount of natural talent to excel in is probably the theoretical stuff which you won't have to worry much about.

For precalculus and trigonometry I find that most of it is just repetition. If you're falling behind, don't just do the homework. Do practice problems. I know this may seem nerdy but solving the hard "application" type questions after you feel comfortable with the normal questions will really solidify your understanding of the concept, at least in my experience.

Probably most of all, don't just sit there and read the book. Do problems alongside the book. Math is a very active subject, you need to be fully engrossed in it. I don't want to sound like your mom but math is definitely something you don't want to be distracted while doing.

Good luck on your finals!

P.S. I found calc 2 and 3 to be easier than precalculus, so don't fret too much!

 

[soambitious]

Memorize...memorize...memorize...BLAH

Learn to UNDERSTAND what and why you are doing something and math will become your best subject 🙂.

I personally never took a math course in the summer because cramming is not good for learning, imo. I like to take it slow, absorb, reflect, do lots of practice, etc.

 

[Lil Mick]

The mathematician in my is cringing. Memorization will not help you understand mathematics, even for pre-calc or calc. Play around with the formulas, testing out different numbers or functions, until you understand the behavior of the given formulas or concepts. This will help you understand the concepts applied to physics, as well.

By the way, if you learn the concepts in precalc and Calc I, you will be in good shape for the rest of the calculus series, as later classes expand the concepts presented in earlier courses (derivatives in one variable to derivation with more than one variable...).

 

[Jarudy]

I'm very surprised that calc 3 is required for biochem as I am a biochem major and had to take through calc 2. Biggest hint for calc: do more problems than assigned even if they aren't assigned. Seriously, if you do a bunch of problems and actually practice what you learn in class, you'll be golden. Also, try to understand material and don't stop studying until you literally understand each section. Good luck!

 

[typicalindian]

Www.khanacademy.org

 

[rgrell]

I'm a math major.
I tutor in math and have seen the following trend: people find pre-calculus and calculus much harder than calculus 2. The latter are more theory based, while Calculus 2 is a largely "plug-and-chug" style of math that just involves problem set solutions. If you spend time practicing problems in Calculus 2 and doing HW, it is much easier to grasp.
That is just my opinion (and I am a math major so it is biased since I have always found math easy).

---------------
We know what we know but we don't know what we don't know because we don't know that we don't know it.

 

[Drogo]

Hi guys!

Here's my situation: I've taken both precalculus and trigonometry this summer semester and my finals are next Wednesday. Currently, I need to make an "A" on both finals to pull a "B" in both courses. By no means does this upset me because my GPA will still be around a 3.9 but I have other concerns.

My major is biochemistry and I know I need to take up to Calculus 3 and I don't know how my performance will translate to Calculus. I cannot keep making "B"'s in all my math courses. I believe that my performance is due to the fact that I never attended high school (got a GED at 17 and started college early). Do you guys think my math skills will improve as I progress? By taking these courses in the summer do you think I've built a base for studying Calculus?

I've studied for all my tests and my most recent mark was a high "C". Are these summer mathematics courses truly hard or am I just not acquainted with math and the meticulousness it requires?

Any advice/comments are appreciated.

Precalculus is trigonometry and college algebra combined, why would you take trig with it also? I enjoy talking to some of these kids who are taking precal in the summer, they're just miserable lol.

You should have just taken college algebra and trig in the summer, because those together = precal. My friend who is a math major suggested I do it this way if I never took trig in high school (I'm similar to you in that I have a GED also) just incase I have to take Calc 2 later on at my uni.

I'm all about taking my time with math right now and absorbing it well over 16 weeks versus just cramming it in over the summer and not pulling real high grades and possibly not retaining it as well.

 

[altamont850]

Thanks for all the encouragement and advice you guys!

I guess I really just wanted to vent my frustrations. I just took my Trig test and Precalculus test and did better than expected in both. In reality, lack of a math background isn't really an excuse as long as you're tenacious. In actuality, I don't believe I'm bad at math I just have a lot of work to do in the summer (and this makes me somewhat jealous of my friends who get to goof off).

I was talking to my mom the ofter day and she remembered that I understood fractions at age 4, so it isn't likely that I have no math intuition.

This is advice for anyway in a similar situation to mine: Be tenacious, practice and understand concepts, and stick it out. It may sound simple but it works. In addition, if there are any younger posters watching this thread know that it is best to not drop out of high school. High school can afford so many opportunities. For example, I was in an IB program but I decided to drop out due to personal reasons. I regret this everyday. In hindsight, I would have been set for college if I remained in the program (I would have completed a lot of college work in high school, and Duke, who'd recruited me from 7th grade (TIP program), would have accepted me to their school. Keep in mind that this is the top 9th school in the country. In short, when you look back at life try to have as little regret as possible.

Sorry for the long post, I just thought is was necessary.

 

[kpcrew]

Also try doing as many practice problems as you can, especially where you are having trouble. I've found that these help me identify my mistakes and give me a sense of where my weaknesses lie. If you're having trouble, you can always ask a smart friend or someone like that to help you out. I've found that practice makes perfect for math, like remembering to do chain rule in calculus.

 

[Iso4ane]

I suggest that you get working on that precalc and trig a little more.

My school required me to take up to Calc III for biochem too, and I took Calc I & II in HS, and the hard hard of calculus and calculus based physics is the algebra and problem setup more so than the actually "calculus" so if you want to do well later on you will need a stronger foundation.

 

[911 Turbo]

I suggest that you get working on that precalc and trig a little more.

My school required me to take up to Calc III for biochem too, and I took Calc I & II in HS, and the hard hard of calculus and calculus based physics is the algebra and problem setup more so than the actually "calculus" so if you want to do well later on you will need a stronger foundation.

Cal III is multivariable right? Why do you need cal III for a biochem major? I mean...like what classes is it used in or on what concepts is it applied?

 

[Drogo]

Cal III is multivariable right? Why do you need cal III for a biochem major? I mean...like what classes is it used in or on what concepts is it applied?

Yeah at my uni they require upto Calc III for the chemistry major...ughhh This is why I'm majoring in Dietetics, Going up past Calc I, would put me in a real iffy situation, < than stellar sGPA most likely...

 

[snorlax]

Cal III is multivariable right? Why do you need cal III for a biochem major? I mean...like what classes is it used in or on what concepts is it applied?

at my school we needed multivariable calc for physical chemistry classes (required for biochem major)

 

[Eric01]

Calculus I is relatively straight forward, except for optimization problems

Calculus II just takes time going over integral problems. Solving integrals is like solving synthesis problems in organic chemistry, you have a finite number of techniques and you just need to find the right iteration.

Calculus III really shouldn't even be a class, it's basically the same stuff just now do more of it.

To do well in math you have to know the basic concepts. Are you struggling with algebra? Do you know algebraic terms? 3x - y = -y + 3x

What I did when I took these classes was go over every book problem in the relevant chapter. Then my teacher also posted written homework assignments, and I would go over those as well. The problems you can't solve you then go to office hours and ask.

You should study 1 week in advance of a test minimum. You should get an A if you follow this method.

 

[altamont850]

After taking both of my finals, I can honestly say that I've most likely passed one class but failed another. I know this situation is horrible but I'd like to know how hard it is to recover from my situation. Before taking these two classes I had a 4.0 GPA. If I retake the class and continue the rest of undergrad with mostly A's and B's will Adcoms know that my horrible grade was a fluke? I know I still have a chance but I'd like to know how much damage I've brought upon myself.

I don't believe my grade was due to lack of effort, it's just that I'm not naturally talented at mathematics. In addition, the concepts were presented in rapid succession and this left little time to master them before being tested. My take away from this situation is that I shouldn't plan on taking any mathematics during the summer.

Do you guys believe that professors ever bump up a grade because of student effort? My grades only began to slip when I had to miss class due to illness and I missed some concepts (and had to self teach). During the semester, I was constantly in the professor office getting assistance. In actuality, my test and quiz grades were excellent prior to my absences. I know it's unlikely, but do you think the professor will bump me up just to let me pass (I really hope so because this would be a lot easier to recover form)?

I did some calculations and even if I got an F and a C my G.P.A would be around 3.5. If I did well the rest of my undergraduate career how high could my G.P.A. possibly rise? I know it sucks but my BCPM would only be around 2.94. How high could this rise? I feel so crappy right now!

 

[JESSFALLING]

After taking both of my finals, I can honestly say that I've most likely passed one class but failed another. I know this situation is horrible but I'd like to know how hard it is to recover from my situation. Before taking these two classes I had a 4.0 GPA. If I retake the class and continue the rest of undergrad with mostly A's and B's will Adcoms know that my horrible grade was a fluke? I know I still have a chance but I'd like to know how much damage I've brought upon myself.

I don't believe my grade was due to lack of effort, it's just that I'm not naturally talented at mathematics. In addition, the concepts were presented in rapid succession and this left little time to master them before being tested. My take away from this situation is that I shouldn't plan on taking any mathematics during the summer.

Do you guys believe that professors ever bump up a grade because of student effort? My grades only began to slip when I had to miss class due to illness and I missed some concepts (and had to self teach). During the semester, I was constantly in the professor office getting assistance. In actuality, my test and quiz grades were excellent prior to my absences. I know it's unlikely, but do you think the professor will bump me up just to let me pass (I really hope so because this would be a lot easier to recover form)?

Since Pre-calc is simply College Algebra + Trigonometry, I don't understand why you took it before taking Trig? I'm guessing that your problems are mostly due to a poor understanding of Trig, but I could be wrong?? Regardless, don't worry about your GPA right now. Just worry about learning the math. Also, don't take calculus unless you have Algebra & Trig down pat.

 

[JESSFALLING]

After taking both of my finals, I can honestly say that I've most likely passed one class but failed another. I know this situation is horrible but I'd like to know how hard it is to recover from my situation. Before taking these two classes I had a 4.0 GPA. If I retake the class and continue the rest of undergrad with mostly A's and B's will Adcoms know that my horrible grade was a fluke? I know I still have a chance but I'd like to know how much damage I've brought upon myself.

I don't believe my grade was due to lack of effort, it's just that I'm not naturally talented at mathematics. In addition, the concepts were presented in rapid succession and this left little time to master them before being tested. My take away from this situation is that I shouldn't plan on taking any mathematics during the summer.

Do you guys believe that professors ever bump up a grade because of student effort? My grades only began to slip when I had to miss class due to illness and I missed some concepts (and had to self teach). During the semester, I was constantly in the professor office getting assistance. In actuality, my test and quiz grades were excellent prior to my absences. I know it's unlikely, but do you think the professor will bump me up just to let me pass (I really hope so because this would be a lot easier to recover form)?

I did some calculations and even if I got an F and a C my G.P.A would be around 3.5. If I did well the rest of my undergraduate career how high could my G.P.A. possibly rise? I know it sucks but my BCPM would only be around 2.94. How high could this rise? I feel so crappy right now!

Like the other poster mentioned: Khanacademy.org

 

[JESSFALLING]

Math at undergrad level does not take any "skills." There is a pattern for every type of problem; memorize those through doing homework and you get As very easily.

Courses like Real Analysis and Modern Algebra require a 'bit' more than route memorization.

 

[altamont850]

Since Pre-calc is simply College Algebra + Trigonometry, I don't understand why you took it before taking Trig? I'm guessing that your problems are mostly due to a poor understanding of Trig, but I could be wrong?? Regardless, don't worry about your GPA right now. Just worry about learning the math. Also, don't take calculus unless you have Algebra & Trig down pat.

In my precalculus class, there was no trig involved. It was mostly a review of college algebra and learning tools (concepts) which would be used routinely in calculus. We learned things that would need to be second nature in calculus. The caveat is that I only need trigonometry to proceed to calculus. I just felt like taking both would help me in the future but it turns out it has only (most likely) slowed me down.

 

[JESSFALLING]

In my precalculus class, there was no trig involved. It was mostly a review of college algebra and learning tools (concepts) which would be used routinely in calculus. We learned things that would need to be second nature in calculus. The caveat is that I only need trigonometry to proceed to calculus. I just felt like taking both would help me in the future but it turns out it has only (most likely) slowed me down.

I am sorry that you hit a bump in the road. I would really check out the khanacademy website and try to work through a ton of problems. I'm confident that you can do great! What other classes are you taking in the fall?

 

[altamont850]

I am sorry that you hit a bump in the road. I would really check out the khanacademy website and try to work through a ton of problems. I'm confident that you can do great! What other classes are you taking in the fall?

Chem 1 and Lab(Honors)
Calculus 1 (Honors)-probably going to be replaced with Bio 1 and Lab
Chemistry Seminar

I'm taking a somewhat light load because I'm transferring school and I want to acclimate before piling on classes.

Edit: I know for AMCAS you must submit all grades but my college has this policy:
"Would my GPA and letter grade from a class taken at another college/university transfer to my FAMU transcript?
No, your GPA and letter grade would not transfer to your FAMU transcript. Only earned credits transfer to the student's FAMU transcript. However, a co-op course taken at Florida State University System Institution may show the earned grades and credits on the student's FAMU transcript."

What would this do to my cumulative GPA? I know I'm still screwed for BCPM but would my cumulative be screwed as well?

 

[altamont850]

I just found out my grades: "C" and "D". This makes my overall GPA around a 3.6. My BCPM is around 3.1. I know these GPA's are sub-par but with 3 more years of school around how much could they improve? FML

Edit:
Turns out I can move on to Calculus 1 with a "D" in trigonometry. It's not the I didn't know the material, it's just that the teacher was a very hard grader. This summer break I'll bone up on trigonometry to ensure I excel in Calculus. Later on, I'll have to retake Trig (but that's life, you roll with the punches).