I'm ready to give in but haven't quite started yet.

[InchoSnail]

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Hello all. Kind of new here,

I'm in an embarrassing situation right now. I did placement testing yesterday and received less than awesome scores in mathematics. If I don't retest, I will be placed in a remedial math class. I'm usually pretty good at math, but I choked and couldn't remember a thing I'd studied. It was horrible.

If I don't retest, I'm worried about how remedial math may affect my pursuit of pharmacy school and my studies as an undergraduate. Retest or take the remedial course to be sure I get what I need? I don't know what to do. I don't want to be behind the pack so to speak. I've read that most students who take remedial math classes never move on to college-level courses and degrees. This really, really scares me.

I guess I'm asking for advice and some gentle guidance. Maybe a few kind words of encouragement. I feel so very crappy right now.

Thank you.
~Incho

 

[owlegrad]

Take the remedial classes. Even if you can score out of them, what will you do when you are in over your head?

 

[Krnluve24]

I would take the test again if I think I choked and not because I didn't know the material.

 

[UNMorBUST]

Retake the test. If you score into a higher math take it. If you score into the same class, oh well. Take the remedial class. It will better prepare you for the math classes that matter.

 

[Rx MPLS]

If I don't retest, I'm worried about how remedial math may affect my pursuit of pharmacy school and my studies as an undergraduate. Retest or take the remedial course to be sure I get what I need?

The only affect I can imagine is a slightly lengthened time to enter pharmacy school. From what I understand, schools don't worry about the level you begin with, only the level you are at when you apply to school.

Take the remedial math if you genuinely need it (and, obviously, do well in the courses), because the more difficult math will be much harder if you don't have a solid basis in the prerequisite knowledge.

 

[InchoSnail]

Thank you everyone for your replies. They were helpful in choosing what I feel is the appropriate decision for me.

Thanks again.

 

[xtsukiyox]

I realize the OP has already made a decision, but in case it's helpful to future SDN'ers... I originally tested into College Algebra (2-3 classes below Calc). I took College Algebra on the suggestion of an advisor 🙄, then realized the material was way too easy for me. The issue with the test was that I had been without real math instruction for over a year. A couple weeks in, but too late to drop, I retested & scored into Calculus I. I got a respectable B in Calc I a couple semesters later.

 

[lilsweetpea01]

Hello all. Kind of new here,

I'm in an embarrassing situation right now. I did placement testing yesterday and received less than awesome scores in mathematics. If I don't retest, I will be placed in a remedial math class. I'm usually pretty good at math, but I choked and couldn't remember a thing I'd studied. It was horrible.

If I don't retest, I'm worried about how remedial math may affect my pursuit of pharmacy school and my studies as an undergraduate.

I don't understand why you were embarrassed to begin with. Wouldn't you rather do well and take a little longer to get into pharmacy school than just slide by and get in when "everyone else does it"? To tell you the truth, time doesn't matter at all when you want to pursue a professional career. Unless you are one of those who needs to start making massive amounts of money the second you get out of pharm school. You can be 40 and decide to go to pharmacy school if that's really what your heart is set on.

Anyways, I'd take the remedial class.

 

[wanttobepharm]

Hello all. Kind of new here,

I'm in an embarrassing situation right now. I did placement testing yesterday and received less than awesome scores in mathematics. If I don't retest, I will be placed in a remedial math class. I'm usually pretty good at math, but I choked and couldn't remember a thing I'd studied. It was horrible.

If I don't retest, I'm worried about how remedial math may affect my pursuit of pharmacy school and my studies as an undergraduate. Retest or take the remedial course to be sure I get what I need? I don't know what to do. I don't want to be behind the pack so to speak. I've read that most students who take remedial math classes never move on to college-level courses and degrees. This really, really scares me.

I guess I'm asking for advice and some gentle guidance. Maybe a few kind words of encouragement. I feel so very crappy right now.

Thank you.
~Incho

Hello OP, I find that statement really hard to believe. Just because you do not excel in math doesn't mean you cannot obtain a college degree. Keep your chin up! I assume you're in high school if you are inquiring about college-level courses and degrees, whether you take calculus in high school or in college, it won't matter as long as it's done before you matriculate. You can do it!

 

[xtsukiyox]

Hello OP, I find that statement really hard to believe. Just because you do not excel in math doesn't mean you cannot obtain a college degree.

I took the quote a different way - I think many people begin with remedial classes at college, and when they sign up, they're supposed to check that box that says they're "degree seeking." Then when they decide to drop out (first year drop out rate is high), it sure looks like most people taking remedial classes don't go on to finish college.

To follow up on wanttobepharm's statement - Math is the theory behind it, and pure math is abstract. The math you actually use in the rest of your prereqs and, probably, the rest of life is going to be concrete. Many people (myself included) perform much better with the concrete math than the abstract theory.