pre-pharm student horrible at math..

[gatorgirl1214]

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I'll be starting my 2nd BA in the fall at FAU (Florida Atlantic) - pre health professions. I have a BA from UF (well, I will in 3 weeks!) in Gender and Sexualities Studies, so it's not very sciency - at all. It's all theory, and fun stuff like that.

I was a pre-pharm major my first semester as a freshman, but I was still wet behind the ears and didn't think I needed to study. I was also working almost 30 hours per week. I've been able to work 20-30 hours per week with my first BA, but I will not be working during my second BA, just to make sure I can devote all of my time to schoolwork. I have decided that pharmacy is what I truly want to do, and am willing to get through it to do what I had originally planned on doing.

I have taken bio and Anatomy courses and done well. Chem, math, and physics? I'm scared. I took the easiest math courses for my first degree (Stats and liberal arts math) and got an A- and B-, respectively.

I am SO bad at algebra. I will be starting over completely with math courses, and starting with basic algebra at the local community college during the summer to brush up my skill (what my cousenlor suggested, as I need to take college algebra before even starting chem).

My problem with math is that I'll understand it as the professor explains it, but the second I leave the class, I lose it all. I'll do the homework fine, but when it comes to testing? I blank. It's only with math. I have never had test anxiety with any other subject in my life (besides a intro chem course I dropped my freshman year)

I know that the science/math gpa is what schools look at, along with the PCAT, but have any of you started out as horrible math people and overcome it, and are either almost done with pre-pharm, or are in pharm school already?

I'm basically just looking for reassurance that it can be done with 1000000% willpower, and that I'm not wasting my time.

Thanks in advance for any input!

 

[Neebs9]

How much time are you spending on the math homework problems and are you doing them repetitively? Math involves steps and procedures; and if you can get that down you should be able to understand it through the process.

When I was taking Calculus I and II, I always did problems that were not assigned just to get practice (I know it sounds dorkish, but I had to make sure I am doing it right and understand it). These two classes had so many steps in one problem that I was frustrated, but I ended up doing it and got it embedded in my head.

Theres some math in General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry (only lab), but its really basic algebra, and nothing really hard. Physics I think is non-calculus based which mine was or the math prerequisite is college algebra.

Everyone struggles and mostly they pull out of it. I took Statistics and I struggled a bit in class because of those dang hypothesis testing for certain population/sample events.

 

[nyc76]

I am SO bad at algebra. I will be starting over completely with math courses, and starting with basic algebra at the local community college during the summer to brush up my skill (what my cousenlor suggested, as I need to take college algebra before even starting chem).

My problem with math is that I'll understand it as the professor explains it, but the second I leave the class, I lose it all. I'll do the homework fine, but when it comes to testing? I blank. It's only with math. I have never had test anxiety with any other subject in my life (besides a intro chem course I dropped my freshman year)

I know that the science/math gpa is what schools look at, along with the PCAT, but have any of you started out as horrible math people and overcome it, and are either almost done with pre-pharm, or are in pharm school already?

I'm basically just looking for reassurance that it can be done with 1000000% willpower, and that I'm not wasting my time.

Thanks in advance for any input!

Don't let that scare you. I was just like you. I had a BA already in a non-science (political science) and had been working in that field before I decided to go for Pharm and of course had to take all the sciences and math. I was never great at math and was TERRIFIED to take algebra and the more intimidating calculus. I would listen in class and it made sense and once I got home I got lost.

So going into those classes I decided to arm myself with every possible help possible and what really helped me 1000% were these videos called "Mathematics Instructional DVD Series." Its basically like having your very own math professor because the guy takes his time to explain every little thing and the beautiful part is you can rewind it. So after I got home from class and had forgotten everything the professor told me these videos refreshed my memory and made college algebra, trig, calculus a breeze.

So I would recommend getting those instructional dvds (I included links below) and also get the solutions manual to whatever textbook you're getting. On top of that...DON'T FALL BEHIND! Do your homework on time because once you fall behind it gets extremely hard to cram and understand all those concepts in a short amount of time. This goes for all math and physics.

But don't be afraid you'll do fine. Math is just a set of rules and as long as you know the rules, and follow the rules you'll be fine.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-m...43184/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_1?ie=UTF8&index=1

http://www.wholesalecollegetextbooks.com/amazonSearch.php?searchSubmit=ASIN&txtIsbn=9780618643189

 

[R2pharmD2]

I'll be starting my 2nd BA in the fall at FAU (Florida Atlantic) - pre health professions. I have a BA from UF (well, I will in 3 weeks!) in Gender and Sexualities Studies, so it's not very sciency - at all. It's all theory, and fun stuff like that.

I was a pre-pharm major my first semester as a freshman, but I was still wet behind the ears and didn't think I needed to study. I was also working almost 30 hours per week. I've been able to work 20-30 hours per week with my first BA, but I will not be working during my second BA, just to make sure I can devote all of my time to schoolwork. I have decided that pharmacy is what I truly want to do, and am willing to get through it to do what I had originally planned on doing.

I have taken bio and Anatomy courses and done well. Chem, math, and physics? I'm scared. I took the easiest math courses for my first degree (Stats and liberal arts math) and got an A- and B-, respectively.

I am SO bad at algebra. I will be starting over completely with math courses, and starting with basic algebra at the local community college during the summer to brush up my skill (what my cousenlor suggested, as I need to take college algebra before even starting chem).

My problem with math is that I'll understand it as the professor explains it, but the second I leave the class, I lose it all. I'll do the homework fine, but when it comes to testing? I blank. It's only with math. I have never had test anxiety with any other subject in my life (besides a intro chem course I dropped my freshman year)

I know that the science/math gpa is what schools look at, along with the PCAT, but have any of you started out as horrible math people and overcome it, and are either almost done with pre-pharm, or are in pharm school already?

I'm basically just looking for reassurance that it can be done with 1000000% willpower, and that I'm not wasting my time.

Thanks in advance for any input!

It sounds like your problems are all in your head. If you're getting it in class and having no problem with the homework, there's no reason you can't execute at test time too. Study your ass off to the point were you can do the stuff in your sleep, and then come test time you won't have anything to be anxious about. Like others have suggested, even doing problems beyond assigned homework can be helpful. Good luck!

 

[dudecoolname]

Doing good in math means practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice.

Along with an understand of how to do the actual problems you are practicing...If you don't understand how to do the problems, find a tutor, go to your professors office hours, or find someone else to explain how to do it. Once you have an outline of how to do a problem, you can practice similar problems.

Hopefully you get a professor which gives study guides, if so DON'T JUST PRACTICE THE STUDY GUIDE. Find problems in your textbook which are similar to the study guide problems are be able to work them all.

I would also recommend looking online for video tutorials...There are alot of good ones out there

 

[Passion4Sci]

As someone who has not one, but two, degrees in Social Sciences, I identify with you, OP. In fact, I intentionally avoided math for a long, long time, taking the bare minimum I had to in order to get by.

Long story short, here I am now.

What you need to do is listen to "dudecoolname", because PRACTICE IS THE KEY with mathematics. You can't just memorize a certain way of doing something like you can in almost any other discipline that isn't related to math and expect to do well... because chances are, you'll be awful.

What you should do is go beyond the homework and do the "critical thinking" problems in the book. I found that those gave me the in-depth things I needed that appeared on the test. Another key difference between math and what you've done in the past is that everything builds on everything else.

You can't brain dump after Alg 1, and if you do poorly in Alg 1, you can't just say, "Well in Alg 2 I'll be better" because Alg 2 will build so much on Alg 1... and so on, and so forth. Unlike social science by and large.

Welcome to the ranks of folks with soc. sci degrees that realize you're now overqualified for a job as a Barista @ Sbux and can't get a job actually using your degree. 😉

 

[JJVmom]

I'll be starting my 2nd BA in the fall at FAU (Florida Atlantic) - pre health professions. I have a BA from UF (well, I will in 3 weeks!) in Gender and Sexualities Studies, so it's not very sciency - at all. It's all theory, and fun stuff like that.

I was a pre-pharm major my first semester as a freshman, but I was still wet behind the ears and didn't think I needed to study. I was also working almost 30 hours per week. I've been able to work 20-30 hours per week with my first BA, but I will not be working during my second BA, just to make sure I can devote all of my time to schoolwork. I have decided that pharmacy is what I truly want to do, and am willing to get through it to do what I had originally planned on doing.

I have taken bio and Anatomy courses and done well. Chem, math, and physics? I'm scared. I took the easiest math courses for my first degree (Stats and liberal arts math) and got an A- and B-, respectively.

I am SO bad at algebra. I will be starting over completely with math courses, and starting with basic algebra at the local community college during the summer to brush up my skill (what my cousenlor suggested, as I need to take college algebra before even starting chem).

My problem with math is that I'll understand it as the professor explains it, but the second I leave the class, I lose it all. I'll do the homework fine, but when it comes to testing? I blank. It's only with math. I have never had test anxiety with any other subject in my life (besides a intro chem course I dropped my freshman year)

I know that the science/math gpa is what schools look at, along with the PCAT, but have any of you started out as horrible math people and overcome it, and are either almost done with pre-pharm, or are in pharm school already?

I'm basically just looking for reassurance that it can be done with 1000000% willpower, and that I'm not wasting my time.

Thanks in advance for any input!

Are you just concerned about the math needed for prereqs? Have you worked in a pharmacy as a tech? What is your motivation to becoming a pharmacist? I'm asking b/c the math I needed for school was very different from math I used as a tech. I believe you do need to be good w/numbers to work in a pharmacy, but not the type used in prereqs. If you struggled w/basic algebra, you'll have a hard time getting through the other prereq courses and a high quant PCAT score, but if you were able to understand it during the lesson, then as the other posters stated, just practice more. I think your counselor had a great suggestion w/starting your maths over. If your motivation to be a pharmacist is strong, then you'll be able to get through it and understand the material. Good luck!

 

[Somatic]

 

[CP120]

I used to be like you. I could do the problems at school, but as soon as I got home I was like WTF is this. When I started college algebra I did bad, but I worked my way up my grade. The first test I failed it, and still got a B+ on the course (which I am happy since over 70% of the people failed). It's hard, but all I can say is study, study, study, study!

Some tips to testing in math that worked for me:
1. Flashcards! write formulas down, and then write them over and over and over and over again.

2. Do every problem you get assigned, even though it's not for credit. Also ask your professor if they have any practice test, most professors give out the test from the previous year. Go online and look for more problems to work on. (I don't recommend buying solution manual, if you go online you can find tons of problems with the answer and step by step on how to do it).

3. Tutors! My college has a tutor place for math, you can ask questions to super nerdy people, just make sure you learn how to do it and not just get the answer.

4. Before the test, study as much as you can, so it's fresh on your mind. I would skip a class sometimes and go study, and when I took trig I had a one hour break before that class so I could study before tests.

I used to be super bad at everything, after I decided I wanted to get into the pre-pharm I pretty much got motivated and got my game up, right now I am getting A's in most of my classes. I wasn't sure if I was going to struggle on Chem1 since I got a 59% on chem @ my HS. Well let's say I got an A on all my tests (felt good 🙂 )

Good luck!

 

[gatorgirl1214]

Are you just concerned about the math needed for prereqs? Have you worked in a pharmacy as a tech? What is your motivation to becoming a pharmacist? I'm asking b/c the math I needed for school was very different from math I used as a tech. I believe you do need to be good w/numbers to work in a pharmacy, but not the type used in prereqs. If you struggled w/basic algebra, you'll have a hard time getting through the other prereq courses and a high quant PCAT score, but if you were able to understand it during the lesson, then as the other posters stated, just practice more. I think your counselor had a great suggestion w/starting your maths over. If your motivation to be a pharmacist is strong, then you'll be able to get through it and understand the material. Good luck!

I am 22 now, but worked in a pharmacy as a cashier/tech when I was 16 for two years.(yeah, I know it's illegal...they didn't care).

My motivations for becoming a pharmacist are varied. I want to work in health care, but do not want to go to med school. I want to help people, and I am involved with a lot of activism surrounding specific medications at my undergrad institution (access to contraception/EC, HIV/AIDS funding being cut in my state, etc). I love sciences like AP and biology, and feel pretty confident that I can get through the others with tons of tutoring. I loved working in the pharmacy. I would still be working in one, but because the town I'm in now has a pharmacy school, pharmacies only hire pre-pharmacy and pharmacy students/interns.

 

[gatorgirl1214]

I used to be like you. I could do the problems at school, but as soon as I got home I was like WTF is this. When I started college algebra I did bad, but I worked my way up my grade. The first test I failed it, and still got a B+ on the course (which I am happy since over 70% of the people failed). It's hard, but all I can say is study, study, study, study!

Some tips to testing in math that worked for me:
1. Flashcards! write formulas down, and then write them over and over and over and over again.

2. Do every problem you get assigned, even though it's not for credit. Also ask your professor if they have any practice test, most professors give out the test from the previous year. Go online and look for more problems to work on. (I don't recommend buying solution manual, if you go online you can find tons of problems with the answer and step by step on how to do it).

3. Tutors! My college has a tutor place for math, you can ask questions to super nerdy people, just make sure you learn how to do it and not just get the answer.

4. Before the test, study as much as you can, so it's fresh on your mind. I would skip a class sometimes and go study, and when I took trig I had a one hour break before that class so I could study before tests.

I used to be super bad at everything, after I decided I wanted to get into the pre-pharm I pretty much got motivated and got my game up, right now I am getting A's in most of my classes. I wasn't sure if I was going to struggle on Chem1 since I got a 59% on chem @ my HS. Well let's say I got an A on all my tests (felt good 🙂 )

Good luck!

Flashcards are a wonderful idea! I used them for AP, but only because the professor said we'd fail without them 😕

I think in high school, I got used to never studying, and being pre-pharm as a freshman, I stuck with that idea. Now that I have a degree from a prestigious (albeit not Ivy League) school, I've learned the importance, and the methods to studying.

Are there any websites specifically that you recommend for getting math problems?

Thank you for your advice!

 

[nyc76]

Flashcards are a wonderful idea! I used them for AP, but only because the professor said we'd fail without them 😕

I think in high school, I got used to never studying, and being pre-pharm as a freshman, I stuck with that idea. Now that I have a degree from a prestigious (albeit not Ivy League) school, I've learned the importance, and the methods to studying.

Are there any websites specifically that you recommend for getting math problems?

Thank you for your advice!

I was exactly like you. I never had any great studying habits but you can get through it. Its just following rules. Use the videos I mentioned and if you need a website: khanacademy.org is excellent. But get the videos I mentioned they'll help you out a ton.

 

[CP120]

Flashcards are a wonderful idea! I used them for AP, but only because the professor said we'd fail without them 😕

I think in high school, I got used to never studying, and being pre-pharm as a freshman, I stuck with that idea. Now that I have a degree from a prestigious (albeit not Ivy League) school, I've learned the importance, and the methods to studying.

Are there any websites specifically that you recommend for getting math problems?

Thank you for your advice!

Like nyc76 said, check out khan academy. I just discovered this site couple of months ago and I am on there every time I have a test for science or math class. If you need practice problem just google some problems, type what kind of problems you need and you will get some worksheets and the answers.

If you get stuck you can google how to do certain thing and there are sites that show step by step.

 

[owlegrad]

I recall purple math being the best site ever, but it goes up to a certain level if I remember correctly.

 

[MsPharmacist2B]

Thanks OP for starting this thread. I am in the same boat with hopes of overcoming my fear of math.

Thanks to all who responded and provided advice. I will definitely take heed.

 

[pharmhustle]

i hope you can do basic arithmetic.

math is hard for some people, but like someone said.. practice.
go to class, take notes, do homework, ask for help, go to tutoring and you can get straight A's in math.

 

[MsPharmacist2B]

i hope you can do basic arithmetic.

math is hard for some people, but like someone said.. practice.
go to class, take notes, do homework, ask for help, go to tutoring and you can get straight A's in math.

Thanks for the advice 👍.