I am a freshman at a CCC and I just got a C in Calculus I. I love math, and I have never received a grade lower than an A in any math class before in my life. I want to transfer to UC Berkeley for Computer Science, and Calculus I is one of my major prerequisites, and the only one I have done so far. This is my first semester, I have As in the rest of my classes, and I am definitely planning to get As in the future.Did I screw my chances of transferring to UCB?
Also, is there anyone a UCB L&S CS transfer that can answer tell me what grade they got in Calculus I?
No, you did not screw your chances up, one C is not going to kill you. Just keep moving forward and do better next time.
I am not a UCB student but I have friends who have gotten into that school with C’s in their calculus series and it was apart of their major prep. I’d say you should not worry, but then again, every applicant is different.
If you get As in the rest of your Calculus series, then you will have redeemed yourself. Try to take a more manageable course load to ensure that you are able to get As in all of your classes.
Also, use ratemyprofessor.org to avoid taking professors that are too harsh.
@RAHforHEE Thank you for your insight! I agree with you that every applicant is different, but mentioning your Cal friends did mollify me.
@goldencub There actually were reviews warning students about my calculus teacher on Ratemyprofessor,org, but I took him because the only other Calculus teacher had bad reviews too. However, I should have just listened and not taken it this semester. Thank you for your advice! Now that this has happened, I am more motivated then ever to make sure I have time to study hard for all my classes.
While the prof may indeed be bad, so be so quick to assign all the blame here to him. In the end, anything you learn is something you learn yourself. History or Calculus doesn’t slide from your teacher’s mind into yours, you need to process and study the material in order to learn it. A good teacher can be a guide, but if you don’t have a good teacher then there are tons of other resources out there such as Khan Academy, iTuneU, Coursera, and other websites where colleges have put classes online for free viewing.
Ask yourself a few questions. How much time do you spend each week studying for this class? Do you use review books such as the “Calculus Problem Solver”?
I’d add that " study hard" is not the answer if you aren’t using effective study principles and techniques. Do words such as “distributed practice” and “self-testing” apply to your study approach? If not, you aren’t using the best methods.
@mikemac I never said I was blaming this entirely on my professor. Nevertheless, thank you for your suggestions. He never actually taught anything in my night class, but instead told us to read sections before class, and just solved random section questions from the textbook by himself in front of the class. I can’t tell whether or not you were trying to be patronizing, but I should have used distributed practice, and I am currently looking for good review books for Calculus I to read during the winter break, and planning to buy some covering my Spring classes to help me study during the next semester.
As I usually sit very close to an instructor’s podium, I regularly ask my other instructors questions in person or via email. The professor had a condescending attitude, so students rarely asked him questions ever. I understand I may have other unwelcoming teachers in the future, and I will take your advice to heart.
^^ that’s a great attitude! That’s rare these days.
The book I mentioned is an excellent way to test yourself on the material; it is all most students need once the material has been properly explained.
In science & math classes, many good students find they need to spend 6-10 hours per week outside of class studying, doing homework, and doing practice problems. This is for each such class taken.
There is a recent book that you might want to read over the holidays to understand how to learn effectively, titled “Make it Stick”. Written by 2 of the leading researchers, it covers not just the theory but practical application. A pair of articles about studying for math classes are [On Becoming a Math Whiz: My Advice to a New MIT Student](On Becoming a Math Whiz: My Advice to a New MIT Student - Cal Newport) and [How to Ace Calculus: The Art of Doing Well in Technical Courses](How to Ace Calculus: The Art of Doing Well in Technical Courses - Cal Newport)
Wow, thank you so much for the links! I just looked up the book, and got it on Amazon. I appreciate that you took the time out of your day to give me great advice.