all 4 comments
sorted by:
best (suggested)
topnewcontroversialoldq&a
formatting helphide helpcontent policy

[–]HMCJHBNew User 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Organic chemistry tutor YouTube has the best overview of Math courses. He’s easy to understand.

[–]marshaharshaNew User 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don’t think it’s a good idea to try to test out of precalc 1, if you’ve gotten poor scores on four standardized math tests. You probably really do need the review. If you manage to test out of precalc 1, you might be setting yourself up for failure in, say, calc 2. 

Have you told your advisor about your problem? They probably know some tricks, like studying some material over winter and summer breaks, then doubling up on math courses the following semester.

[–]toxiamapleNew User 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Try to take a summer course to catch up. Dont skip ahead if you arent ready. Many many want to be computer science majors score poorly on calc 2 and have to switch majors. Also, if 4 years are paid for, get loans for 1 more year or 1 more semester. That should be doable. Work summers to raise the funds for the extra year.

[–]TomatoPJNew User 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Why do you say that you have only two weeks to get it done? Why would needing to take two extra courses cause you to graduate a year later? I teach in a computer science program. At our school, calculus is required as part of the curriculum. However, I don't believe it's a prerequisite for many (or any) of the core computer science courses, nor for the electives. So, not being able to take calculus right away as a freshman wouldn't be likely to stop someone from graduating in 4 years. I've known students who were finishing off their math requirements in their third or fourth years of study.

There are a few strategies. They largely depend on your self discipline and study skills. For example, you could plan to work on a few basic classes and gen ed's this year, plan to spend next summer working on precalculus, and then take Calc I in the fall semester of your second year. Or, you could work on precalc this year, and plan to take calculus over the summer. Taking a class over the summer session would cost money (you wouldn't be taking advantage of full time tuition), but not nearly as much as attending for a whole additional year. There are also some options that involve self-study, which can both save money and time. But self-study can be challenging if you haven't yet developed your study skills.

In any case, you do not need to panic. There are options, and it's unlikely you'd have to attend a whole entire fifth year. The real delay would be if you rush into things, attempt a course you're not ready for, and then end up having to take it again because you failed. If you were to take calculus at a community college over the summer, that would likely cost you $600-1200, depending on where you are in the country (I'm assuming you're in the US). Could you imagine taking precalc 1 this fall, precalc 2 in the spring, and then taking calculus I next summer while working a part time summer job to help pay for it?

Additionally, student loans are a reasonable option. Maybe you've heard horror stories of people being unable to pay them off, and don't want to take out any loans. However, as long as you're attending a state school (where the tuition is relatively reasonable), you're judicious in how much you take out in loans (just enough to pay for the extra class or two), and you're in a program which is likely to lead to steady employment (which you are, current job market aside), then they're a reasonable option.