So I’m in my second year at UCF and i have been taking Pre Calc 3 times now. This semester is my third time taking it and I’m failing it once again. I looked at my grades and if i get an 80 on my final i will barely pass with a C. I want to go to med school but does this ruin my chance into getting into any at all? I am freaking out to what i should be doing as November 1st is the deadline to dropping the class. What should I do?
You have the cart before the horse. To get into med school you will have to master calculus. On your third try at pre-calc you are struggling. Your first job is to figure out why you are struggling, and find a solution.
Have you done all of:
*Read the lesson before class?
*Done your homework immediately after class, while it’s fresh?
*Used all of the resources available including meeting with the teacher(s) / TAs and using the Math lab?
*Worked in a study group of other students?
*Used a tutor?
quote] Your first job is to figure out why you are struggling, and find a solution.
[/quote]
Agree with this.
How did you do in your high school math classes?
Often people who have difficulty with abstract math lack of a firm grasp of math foundations in algebra and trigonometry.
You may need to go backwards before you can go forward. IOW, you may need to drop back level or two in math to fill in any gaps in your knowledge base before you can be successful in Pre-calc.
I would also suggest you make an appointment with the campus learning center to have some math placement testing done to see what you know and where your knowledge gaps are.
I am sorry to say that your prospect to be admitted into a med school is very grim. Your incapable to complete a course on third try put you into a low probability for med school adcomms to consider you as a candidate. Normally they expect you to get an A in your second try on ANY subject.
I strongly suggest you to consider Plan B. You really do not need Math to succeed in other fields, but it is required in physicians.
You’ve seriously compromised your chances, yes. You need a semester of Calc and stats for most Med schools and you are wrecking your transcript with Pre calc. You know all of those grades are considered when you apply to Med school including multiple attempts.
Why don’t you drop the course and spend a summer studying the material informally, off record? To the point you can ace it. Then do the same with Calc , if this is your Achilles heel. But, be aware that the necessary premed courses are not easy and good grades are crucial for Med school acceptances.
What math did you complete in high school…and how well did you understand that.
I am not so sure doctors use much math, especially calc level. They do need stats to understand how medical studies work.
Why Calc III though? Why not Calc I?
i do agree that a third try on a single required class will eliminate a student at most MD schools when they have so many other candidates to choose from.
@texaspg the OP wrote this:
Taking PRE-calculus for the third time…not Calc 3.
That’s why I asked what level of math this student took in high school…and how he or she did.
i was reading that wrong. It is hard to overcome two fail grades (3 is probably impossible) if applying in the next 3-4 years. History is kinder to students who come back a few years later based on reading the profiles on the other forum.
One needs CALC, at least 1 term for most Med schools. To get through Calc, one almost always needs a Very good foundation in PreCalc. Having failed it twice and looking for a third strike at this time is problematic.
I think the OP needs to go off grid in terms of grades and courses for math and get it under control and mastered before taking these courses again. Many jobs and opportunities hinge on college gpa and to sabotage those chances with failing grades in a subject area that needs some work is not a good move.
Right now, you need to change course. If you want to attend med school, you need to salvage they transcript.
Withdraw. A W is better than an F.
You’ll need to major in a subject that does not require precalculus and is not science related. Take many classes and get As. Whatever major where you can get As and internships. Get internships in relation to your major AND volunteer at a clinic. Try to complete a CNA at a CC over summer sessions and do that as a job. See if precalculus at a cc will offset your earlier F in precalculus.
Graduate once your GPA is back in 3.7 territory, not before (unless you run out of money - hopefully you are not taking loans to attend college. If you are, are we talking federal loans and what sort of College are you attending?)
Once you’ve graduated, work for 2-3 years and continue volunteering in a medical setting. Then only cnz you try a post graduate medical program.
IIRC, at some point this student will need to take calculus. I believe it is a prerequisite for some of the required courses one needs to apply to medical school (maybe physics?).
If this student is having difficulty with precalculus, I am wondering what calculus will be like…or other upper level courses…statistics, biochemistry, etc.
I think this student needs to get a tutor and figure out what they do and don’t understand in terms of math. A good math foundation is necessary to deal with the higher level math courses.
And again I ask…what was the highest level math course taken in High School…and how did this student do in that course. Maybe precalculus isn’t the right course now.
But then…
@Cang0710 seems to have left the room.