Help my math is holding me back!!

[bottlecap1990]

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I am a high school senior who will be going to a community college this fall to complete prepharmacy. I just took a placement test and I was put into intermediate algebra (math 151) which is 3 semester behind calculus I. After math 151 I will have to take 152 (college trig), 153 (precal) and then calculus. I am just feeling really frustrated right now because I am in precalculus now but I do also have to admit that I didn't know a lot of the stuff that was on the placement test (college level math placement). So here is my schedule for the first semester
Chem101
Chem101LAB
Math151
English 101
History 105

I wanted to take bio but my counselor said that it isn't a good idea to take 2 lab classes in one semester.
I could actually retake the placement test and be placed into math 152 (college trig) if I score a 64 ( I scored a 56 on the placement test). I know i am so far away from calc I.
Do you guys think it is a good idea for me to just take math 151 and then maybe just take a few semester is the winter and summer?. I am also thinking if I am put into 152 or 153 I might not be able to do well and instead ruin my GPA.
what do you think?.

 

[aboveliquidice]

This is something they don't explain to you in grade school...

You really shouldn't move on to the next course until you understand all of the foundation knowledge. Its not about progression - It's about comprehension.

If you were placed in Math xxx - then that is where you belong. As to taking two labs in the same semester - that is highly individualized. For you - take one semester to get your feet wet in college - then go full speed.

 

[Kaxa2000]

Whoever your adviser is...she/he is good...listen to her/him. 2 labs is doable, but it's smart to work your way up to 2 labs per semester. Try studying for the placement test a little more...for my placement test there was a review you could work from. I took it the first time and missed the class I was shooting for by 1 point. Studied a little more and worked a little faster and made it. Make sure you know how the placement test works. You lose points for spending too much time answering problems. I forgot how it works exactly, but look it up.

Kaxa 😎

 

[tommyVoltage]

Whoever your adviser is...she/he is good...listen to her/him. 2 labs is doable, but it's smart to work your way up to 2 labs per semester. Try studying for the placement test a little more...for my placement test there was a review you could work from. I took it the first time and missed the class I was shooting for by 1 point. Studied a little more and worked a little faster and made it. Make sure you know how the placement test works. You lose points for spending too much time answering problems. I forgot how it works exactly, but look it up.

Kaxa 😎

If he only takes 1 lab a semester, he won't finish his prerequisites in 2 years, or even 4-5 years. I took a total of 6 labs over the Fall and Spring semester. I am also taking 3 labs now during Summer.

 

[Passion4Sci]

If he only takes 1 lab a semester, he won't finish his prerequisites in 2 years, or even 4-5 years. I took a total of 6 labs over the Fall and Spring semester. I am also taking 3 labs now during Summer.

Tommy, s/he was saying to work UP to taking 2 labs a semester, that's all... Not that OP should only take 1 lab until s/he finishes his/her PRs... Silly!

 

[tommyVoltage]

Tommy, s/he was saying to work UP to taking 2 labs a semester, that's all... Not that OP should only take 1 lab until s/he finishes his/her PRs... Silly!

I was confused by the OP post because her/his advisor said it wouldn't be good to take 2 or more labs in a semester. Nothing about working up to 2 labs. They need to know that the prerequisites are a lot of work because it will be pretty stacked on you at the beginning.

 

[Passion4Sci]

I was confused by the OP post because her/his advisor said it wouldn't be good to take 2 or more labs in a semester. Nothing about working up to 2 labs. They need to know that the prerequisites are a lot of work because it will be pretty stacked on you at the beginning.

Fair enough, although I thought Kaxa did a good job stating that 2+ labs a semester is an attainable goal.

 

[xtsukiyox]

I originally took a placement test out of high school and got the same as you. So, I took College Algebra and pretty much picked my nose through it. (I had a strange high school experience, which I won't bore you with here, so I really hadn't taken math for over a year when I took the placement test.)

I studied and retook the placement test and placed in Calc I.

I really wish I would have taken the Trig before Calc I. Have you heard "SOH CAH TOA?" Well, you're ahead of where I was. I studied ridiculously hard in my Calc I class and scraped a B, by extra credit.

My point: If you don't think you have the foundation, spend the extra time doing the math. Take a math course or two over summer, if you can. If you're in precalc at high school, try taking your Math 151 over Summer II session if you have the ability to do so. (Ours starts in July.)

Yes, it would be a very good idea to take only one lab the first semester you're at college - it can be a big adjustment. But you will need to take more than one eventually. I found that O Chem and Biology complemented each other nicely, which you are on track for in your second year.

Consider this when you're looking at your schedule (and I wish someone would have told me!): How many credits (total) will you need to squeeze in to get to your pharm school of choice? Are you willing / able to take classes over summer break? How many years do you have to spend on pharm prereqs? This will tell you how many credits at a time you have to take each semester.

How many are humanities / gen ed unique to your current school, if applicable, and can you cut them out? (My advisor had me take almost a years' worth of classes that weren't applicable to ANYTHING. Look at the prereq list for the schools you intend on applying for and do what they're asking for.)

Do you struggle in any particular subject? Try to take easy classes that semester, if you can - don't load yourself up with two classes in subjects you struggle in. PS - Everyone struggles in O Chem. 😱 Take a "soft" class as a sanity class every semester, if necessary / possible. (By "soft" I mean the non-science / math prereqs... Economics, Humanities, English.) That is, if you like 'em, like I do.

My number one advice is to find a list of prereqs for your pharmacy school of choice - especially if it's private or out of state - and take it in with you to your advisor. Explain that you need a plan to get this done in 2 (or 3) years, and you're willing / unwilling to take summer classes. S/he should be able to help you.

If you have your heart set on pharmacy... Have you considered applying to a 0-6 school? That is, you apply to a university that either has a partnership with a pharmacy school or has a pharmacy school on campus. You would do the prereqs with them, then move straight into pharmacy school (usually minimum GPA / sometimes PCAT score required to move on to pharmacy school, and they save you a spot there). Maybe that type of program would be a good fit for you! 😀