The worst case scenario is you choke on your placement test and end up not testing into college level math at all. The second worst scenario is you have to do the college level math course that precedes precalc in which case you would have to cram in an extra class somewhere, maybe in the summer. If you continue to not pass classes either in math or chem/physics, that could delay graduation but I’m not sure why people are making a fuss over having to make up one or two classes. Like @ucbalumnus says, it makes it more of a risk. But it’s not that much more of a risk. Your anxiety is the larger problem here, honestly, and the possibility that your math classes will just be too much in the end.
@MYOS1634 I will, thank you, I’m not really stuck on one college yet- still considering everything, obviously, I’m only in 11th haha.
@CCtoAlaska Yeah, I guess my main concern isn’t having to make up classes, it’s the fact that people are saying I won’t be prepared at all for college based on my schedule through high school. For the last thing you said, are you saying math would be too much based on my ability, or anxiety?
@edgeoftheworld I think it’s really hard to say without having a sense of your standardized test scores in math. Schools all have very different standards and it’s very hard to compare achievement between them. You passed the Keystones and you did well in Algebra last year so those are all good points in your favor. At some point you will have to learn the math you need in college. I just don’t agree that you have to do it all while in HS (only to do it again in college). The brain takes time to mature in different subjects and you may not be quite ready to “click” in math right now but that does not mean it won’t happen while in college. Math is not necessarily a subject you can cram, KWIM?
I do think getting help for your anxiety will help a lot. My daughter had severe school anxiety and was placed a year behind in math and was also in Special Ed math (she had double remediation, in other words). After she was treated for anxiety, she moved ahead to being one of a couple kids accelerated in math in her grade and her math standardized test scores jumped to 97th %ile. The key was going at a slower pace for awhile.
@CCtoAlaska and that’s part of why I have trouble, I feel like I need to understand everything in my current algebra class, chemistry etc or I will never be good enough to major in chem or make it my career.
In elementary, I didn’t understand certain things in math, and kids always ridiculed me for not doing well, and I hated when I had to get help past when everyone had finished their problem, it was humiliating. Not to mention my dad was rude to me about it as well. I don’t really know how somebody could help that, honestly, as I never pushed past that.
ETA forgot to mention my PSAT math score (haven’t taken the SATs yet), I got a really bad score-360- I hadn’t learned half the stuff on that test (such as various functions), I had no idea how to do it. This year when I went into algebra 2, we reviewed that section- my last year algebra must not have been as advanced as algebra 1 (different teachers). So I’m pretty concerned since I don’t really know exactly how behind I am.
Ouch. IMHO you are either very far behind, or have some other issue causing you to perform poorly on standardized tests, or both. The College Board provides benchmark scores to show you whether you’re on track to be successful in college level math classes (“Students with an SAT Math section score that meets or exceeds the benchmark have a 75 percent chance of earning at least a C in first-semester, credit-bearing college courses in algebra, statistics, pre-calculus, or calculus.”) The PSAT / SAT scaling is such that you’d be expected to get about the same score regardless of which test you took.
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/about/scores/benchmarks shows the benchmarks. Your math score falls in the red range (“The section score is below the benchmark by more than one year’s academic growth.”) for 8th graders, meaning your score would be on track to pass a non-remedial college class - if you were currently a 6th grader.
@edgeoftheworld yes, that is an ouch score. I agree that either you are terrible at test taking or your school has done a wild disservice to you in what they’ve taught. Although you did pass the keystones on the first try. What was your critical reading score, If I might ask?
@CCtoAlaska are you referring to the reading/writing section of the test or a certain aspect of my math score? I don’t remember the details of my math score (and I am fairly tired right now), only that it was my overall.
The thing is, I’m not a bad test taker- depending on what it is I can actually do better on tests than on homework because I know I need to get a good score.
If you were referring to the english/reading/writing- I got a 580.
@allyphoe yeah ouch. Now I have no living clue on what to do. I figured I was bad at math but…not THAT bad. I mean, how do I fix this? Take SAT prep like a wildwoman? Apparently I should’ve done a more detailed evaluation of my math skills a while ago…oh boy
@edgeoftheworld so if you got a 580 on critical reading and 360 on math, it means you are likely not bad at test-taking, but rather just very deficient in your math knowledge at this point, unless your anxiety solely manifests itself with math. I suspect it’s that your HS is going very slow (maybe the reason they offer Algebra III?) which is why you did not recognize a lot of the test. The good news is your CR score is good and will get you into many colleges but your math score will tell the college that you demand intensive remediation. I can’t fathom a school that would be handling the math this way.
And, yes, do SAT prep like a Wildwoman. Khan Academy will structure a program for you.
If you have an unlimited amount of time, I might suggest working through more than just the SAT prep portion of Khan Academy. Ignore the stuff with a grade level, but do the Course Challenges / Mastery Challenges starting with arithmetic. If you can’t pass the challenges, it’ll tell you what gaps need to be filled.
@CCtoAlaska I have bad anxiety with math, last night my grandma suggested I just work through various grade levels through khan academy, well I went through some KINDERGARTEN stuff and i was pretty much freaking out inside, all I was doing was distinguishing shapes.
@allyphoe yeah I have a fairly good amount of free time, I will do that, thank you 
Can you see someone who can help?
@CCtoAlaska I have my algebra and chemistry teachers (as well as friends actually), but when I ask for help my attitude varies. Sometimes-this can even be in the same day-the first time I ask (such as study hall), I’ll be very receptive and will actively participate (like tell them what I think the answer is/where I am having trouble). The second time (maybe activity period) I’ll freeze up and can barely say anything. This happens with everyone, and the thing is, I can never know how I will feel any time I ask. I am not trying to make excuses, rather, it’s incredibly hard to work past. I just feel like I’m being ridiculed for not understanding, even if they don’t say anything.
@edgeoftheworld that’s why you need something beyond that, treatment for anxiety not more studying. If you undergo successful therapy, things will turn around.
I do see a therapist but not as often as I’d like. I take medication but only see my psychiatrist every other…month? Or so. Fairly infrequently, so if I want a change in medication, it’ll take a while.
I was just practicing regular arithmetic challenges (khan academy), and there was one question where I started to freak out on, but I calmed myself down and was able to do it just fine. I over complicate the problems so much, no wonder it’s hell on earth to learn all this stuff.
Have you tried cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)? That is what worked for my daughter’s school anxiety. It was once a week for 9 months but she made a complete recovery. It can be hard to find therapists who do it but it works. Do you have a formal anxiety diagnosis?
A psychiatrist doing med management is not the same as therapy. I second the recommendation for CBT.
@CCtoAlaska I haven’t yet tried that, I am also fairly closed off and it’s hard to talk in detail (I only am doing so here so I could give an accurate description academically, although I guess I can’t really get good results in therapy if I’m scare to talk). I was diagnosed with OCD and general anxiety disorder. If I were able to go once a week I would but we haven’t really talked about that yet.
Right, med management isn’t the same, I will have to see about trying CBT and maybe getting more frequent appointments.
@edgeoftheworld I really think it would help you as you are obviously an engaged and bright student who just has some obstacles to achieving. Like I said, my daughter went from being put back a year and in Special Ed to being at the top of her class in math after just 9 months of therapy. The older you get the harder it is to tackle.
@CCtoAlaska I agree with it being harder as you get older. I have had so many insecurities in math from a very young age and it’s near impossible to change on my own because I just keep having bad experiences over and over again trying to learn, getting too scared and failing.
What exactly does CBT entail, like how does it help?
@edgeoftheworld CBT is known as cognitive behavioral therapy. In my understanding, instead of focusing on analyzing your family dynamics and your subconscious as they do in some other forms of therapy, it seeks to offer very concrete tools for identifying triggers for your anxiety and effectively managing the condition. It can be mixed with other forms of talk therapy, but the goal is to make concrete behavioral changes. It’s very practical. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cognitive-behavioral-therapy/about/pac-20384610