<p>My DD will be taking the dreaded Finance 302 class next semester. Any one have advice on how to survive the class? She is not a Finance major, so she is just looking to survive and move on with her Management degree.</p>
<p>Ah, Finance 302. My son began the Fall Semester with an insane 19 credit load that included this course. He eventually realized the error of his ways, dropped it, and rescheduled it for this semester.</p>
<p>In the process he found a yoda-like student who’s already nailed this course and who’s agreed to shepherd him through the thicket to the promised land. Perhaps your daughter could join this little study group. PM me, if you like, so we can put our kids in touch with one another.</p>
<p>Why is this course dreaded, what makes it so difficult, and what is it? My son won’t be taking it as a CS major, I am just curious.</p>
<p>From what I recall my son saying, the course is very heavy on arcane jargon, the students needed to master the jargon pretty much on their own from complex written materials that weren’t always clear, and the professor lectured in this jargon without translation. The course is also very self-paced from the standpoint of when students take quizzes (if I’m recalling this right), meaning that it requires considerable self-discipline to avoid the trap of getting irretrievably behind.</p>
<p>My son is very strong in math and has a 4.0+ gpa, yet felt dazed and confused much of the time while taking this course, some of which had to do with his overwhelming load, which included being a T.A. for Moral Forum. In any case, his newfound mentor told him he was approaching the course all wrong and will show him the ju-jitsu that enabled him to pin this whale. :)</p>
<p>Malanai…as always you provide me with hope! I will definitely PM you so my daughter can connect with your son and his study group. She has connected with a girl who dropped it as well last semester and HAS to complete it to graduate in May! She knows the other girl will be motivated! </p>
<p>Your description of the course is perfect from what I have heard. Basically a teach yourself class where the TA 's can’t explain what the professor is trying to teach! My D may not be the smartest of the bunch, but has an incredible work ethic! I know she is going to be beyond frustrated in this class, so a support group will be a necessity! Maybe it will keep me from having to “talk her off the ledge”!</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Is there a list of this jargon somewhere that a student can pre-study before the class begins?</p>
<p>I remember seeing the list of symbols before my son took Deductive Logic and he went over them so that he felt comfortable with them from the get-go.</p>
<p>Ha! I googled “finance and arcane language” and got some hits. Guess this isn’t a unique issue. </p>
<p>Observing finance and accounting professionals— or the way academics at most business schools train them — might lead you to believe that finance and accounting is a complex and arcane language understood only by an initiated few.</p>
<p>One google hit even mentions a dictionary that clarifies arcane finance words.</p>
<p>Vlines, your son won’t need this as a CS major. Go to Rate My Professors and look for Tom Downs (the only prof who teaches this course) and you’ll get the picture pretty quickly. If it wasn’t for OOS tuition, I’d advise my D to take it online over the summer.</p>
<p>^ My daughter has an amazing summer job, with strong potential for after graduation so taking it in the summer is not an option for her! She strongly considered it, but felt like it would be crazy to jeopardize her future job opportunities for this one class. She is determined to survive it!</p>
<p>[TomDowns</a> - University of Alabama - RateMyProfessors.com](<a href=“Tom Downs at University of Alabama | Rate My Professors”>Tom Downs at University of Alabama | Rate My Professors)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I totally agree with her decision. The reason to take it during the summer would be to NOT jeopardize other things with all the work for this course. Obviously if you have things that would be at risk during the summer that’s not an option. Unfortunately, my D has NO job for this summer so far, so I’d be willing to swallow in-state tuition in lieu of having it covered by scholarship during the year, but OOS tuition is another story.</p>
<p>Geez. Just checked D1’s list of classes that she has left to take & that’s at the top of the list. I’ll be giving her a heads up. Thanks guys :)</p>
<p>I’ve had a lot of people at UA ask me about FI 302 over the past few months, so I’ll give my viewpoint on it.</p>
<ol>
<li>The textbook is online, so no need to buy a paper copy.</li>
<li>There is only a 1-2% bonus for having a Monday lab and an additional 1-2% bonus for attending the on-campus lectures. the hybrid section does not meet at the 8:30-9:45 pm time listed; that time is listed in case students want to take the tests on paper and because UA provides departments with a financial incentive to teach courses after 5:00 PM.<br></li>
<li>I recommend taking the online section (no lab) as it frees up room in ones schedule and doesn’t change any aspect of the course.</li>
<li>You rarely see Dr. Downs as most of the course is self-paced.</li>
</ol>
<p>While I am a finance major, the course is not that finance-heavy. It is more a basic math and how to use a financial calculator class.</p>
<p>How to get an A+ in FI 302:
- Glance over the chapter and take the chapter quiz. There is no real need to listen to the lectures.
- Dr. Downs lists the exact problems that will be on the test and the order in which they’ll be asked. Go over the problems twice and know what you have to do to find the correct answers.
- Stay on track. Dr. Downs gives extra points to those who first take the tests by certain dates. You can retake the tests later if you don’t score high enough after the preset curve.</p>
<p>In short, with a little time and effort, FI 302 is not a very difficult class.</p>
<p>Here’ a little more info. I just got off the phone with my son. According to “Yoda,” who got an A+ in the course, this is the most poorly designed class he’s ever taken because a student’s grade is as dependent on “gaming the system” as it is on learning the material. One example (among others) is accruing bonus points by logging onto the Internet to take an exam at an early date, intentionally scoring zero (because you haven’t studied), then taking the exam later (without penalty) when you’re prepped.</p>
<p>Just saw SEA_tide’s post:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Ay, caramba!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Just trying to understand the game here. Is the idea simply to take the test at an early date for bonus points (and the zero is simply because the student hasn’t prepped at all yet), or is there some benefit to intentionally getting a zero (such as bonus points for raising the score or something)? I’m guessing it’s the former, but wanted to make sure.</p>
<p>The former, from what I understand (SEA_tide can correct me if I’m wrong). The “game” is to grab as many bonus points as you can without having to exert any more effort than logging on. Then “retake” the test later when you’re ready.</p>
<p>Based on SEA_tide’s info, another strategy could be to show up for lectures, play video games on your computer or do homework for other classes, and accrue bonus points for being present. :)</p>
<p>HUMMMM, a finance class teaching students how to “game the system”.</p>
<p>lol…“gaming the system” isn’t just for Finance.</p>
<p>My son is pre-med. He has to “game the system” to make sure he has a high GPA. That means not taking any extra classes that he might have an interest in, but not get an A in…not doing a double major, because that might hurt his GPA, etc. </p>
<p>Pre-nursing students sometimes have to do that, too. Getting accepted to the program requires a near-perfect GPA…so that may mean not taking a French class that interests you because you might get a B in it or not taking an extra Bio class because your science GPA might slip.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the info! It really helps!</p>
<p>Sounds like a lot of good advice has been given. I’m gonna brag a little bit. DS took the on-line version of the class so no lecture or lab, yet he finished ranked 1st in all the sections!! (He tied for 1st with another student who took the lecture/lab) That was out of nearly 500 students in FI302 this semester. He IS a Finance major and is doing the University Scholars program to get his master’s in 4 years. I am so very proud of him. He said when he realized he could get 1st in the class it was like having a new video game. He couldn’t wait to get home everyday and study FINANCE!! He’s a “little” competitive!LOL Anyway, he would be HAPPY to give tips to anyone who needs it! Please PM me if you have any questions for him.</p>
<p>^^Congratulations to your son!</p>
<p>The bonus points for taking a test by a certain date were designed so that students would have an incentive to take the tests by a certain date. I made it my goal to study and take the tests by those dates and didn’t have to retake any of the tests.</p>
<p>Successful students of finance will understand the concept of riskless arbitrage. FI 302 bonus points are an example of exactly that.</p>
<p>I think an issue that many students have with FI 302 is that they are not used to taking online classes. I liked FI 302 in that students know exactly what grade they’re getting and what they have to do to get a higher grade.</p>