Being a math major...

<p>I've got some catching up to do and based on the assessment exam I was able to muscle my way into a Pre-Calculus course. It's just one step behind from being in Calculus, but I'm struggling. It's not with the homework. It's just with the tests. I bombed my first test and I went through tutoring (from the smartest kid in class), doing the homework three times over, and studying studying studying...but the exam I had last night I don't even feel like I did that great. I mean, all that effort. </p>

<p>It's just with these tests that throw me off. I never know what she's going to put on there and I work problems like nobody's business. I'm one of those guys who can just sit in a chair and stay there working on math for eight hours or so. I even bought four other Pre-Calculus books to help me get more problems done and understand things better. I'm not sure where I'm going wrong!</p>

<p>When I was studying for the assessment exam, I only let myself have about a month or so. I had never taken above Algebra II in high school. I scored into Calculus on the exam and decided to take a Pre-Calculus course before I went into Calculus without that much difficulty (COMPASS test). I'm not sure how I'm doing bad on the tests, I'm doing everything I can and I know it's just going to get harder, but I'm up for challenges. I'm going to see this through until I get a master's in math, however hard. I am seriously considering CLEPing College Algebra because I know I can pass that if I give myself some time and get into Calculus via that way (I'm also taking Trigonometry and Statistics, doing very very well in those and College Algebra + Trig gets you into Calc at my community college). I have a pretty horrendous teacher, but I'm not blaming her period. The only one to blame is myself and I'm not sure how I'm going wrong. 100% on Statistics test, 98% of Trig test, and 58% on Pre-Calc test. 50-60 maybe for the one I just took...I don't know. I should hope higher because I worked really hard.</p>

<p>What do you advise I do?</p>

<p>I’d advise you drop your math major as soon as possible or its going to drop you.</p>

<p>Could you tell us what you got on the quantitative part of your SAT?</p>

<p>You really haven’t told us your problem.</p>

<p>From what you said it could be one of three things; extremely poor time management, choking on tests, or Algebra problems. We can’t read your mind.</p>

<p>Math, like most majors, requires neither talent nor exceptional intelligence. What it does require, like most majors, is a passion in your subject, a good study system, and the ability to apply what you know to tests in an effective way.</p>

<p>One could argue that it does require a high level of intuition, which does show exceptional intelligence. As for the OP though, problems with a pre-calc course need to be resolved right away before taking more rigorous courses.</p>

<p>You do not have a strong enough understanding of the fundamentals to proceed. Drop this class and reteach yourself Algebra II, before enrolling back into Precalc. You have to understand many of the students here on CC took Precalc as sophomores in high school.</p>

<p>I know I broke the 700’s but barely I think. That was a few years ago. Also, the assessment exam is made by the people who administer the ACT and my scores range from a 30+ in math (at least when tested in July) when converted. I tested out of Algebra I, Algebra II, College Algebra, Geometry, and Trig, but I definitely after a year out of HS did not want to put a strain on myself. It was a good choice in the end seeing how I’m doing now. </p>

<p>Choking on these tests would have something to do with it, I guess. I don’t know. It’s just with this class it seems. Like today, I came into Trig and aced the exam I am very sure. I didn’t really study for it, but it just comes so much easier to me than Algebra. We’re now at the Trigonometry section in my Pre-Cal course, so of course there’s going to be an upward trend since I was yawning during the lecture when she regurgitated for over 2 and half hours of stuff I already knew tonight. </p>

<p>Poor time management could be a big part of it. I have bad procrastination problems but when I get in full swing, I can usually work up to 8 hours just staying in one place. The homework is worth nothing, but I do my best to get all of it completed regardless (the homework in all of my classes is worth 0 points). </p>

<p>It’s already too late to drop this class without getting a W, so I’m definitely going to stick it out now that I know I can handle the work. As for the problems I apparently had with the algebra (which weren’t really problems I was having to begin with…it was just the tests…), I’ll most likely go back over those sections myself and work all of the problems again and review my old tests.</p>

<p>everything up to the “first exposure to calculus” is not really what a math major would be doing. If you like it so far, great, but things get much more abstract and proof based. I’d advise not being set on the math major until you have taken one of the “hardcore” math classes (usually this is something like real analysis) and found that you like it.</p>