I am currently a senior in high school in NY. I have gotten into 5 schools and still waiting on 4. Last year, I was doing very poorly in Algebra 2/Trig so my counselor recommended I switch into a slowed down class called Intermediate Algebra, that would prepare me to take the class and the Regents this year.
I have passed the first two quarters of this class but have been struggling. Lately my anxiety has been really bad so I’ve been missing a lot of school, particularly this class. I have been falling behind and it has been difficult to catch up. I failed my midterm by 1 point and I am very nervous about taking the regents exam. At my school, this class is not a graduation requirement, and I already have all of my math credits fulfilled to graduate. Will this effect my acceptances? Will colleges revoke their acceptances? Dropping this class would make my schedule a lot easier and save me from a lot of anxiety and panic attacks.
Thanks
PS The schools I have applied to are not super difficult/competitive… My top choice is CU Boulder, I have not heard back from yet, but I’ve gotten into Colorado State, Ithaca, Iona, University of Rhode Island, and Plymouth State University. Deferred from U of Vermont and U of Denver, and rejected from Ohio State.
I don’t have any advice to you about dropping the course—however if you do, can I make a suggestion? Even if you go into a field where analysis/quantitative/mathematics isn’t a prime focus, I think you need to master Alg2/Trig before you get to your college campus. Minimally, you may have a statistics requirement. Regardless, today’s workforce requires everyone to be able to do some basic level of mathematics and have some quantitative ability. My strong suggestion would be for you to take a community college class in Alg2/Trig – for no credit. But to really get it under your belt for both the knowledge and the confidence. I know it’ll be super difficult to do the summer after you graduate but I think it’s essential. Maybe talk to your math instructor for tips/hints/tutoring suggestions. Tell him/her your commitment to master the subject regardless of your grades but rather b/c you want to be able to get to college having succeeded in this course. I think you’ll impress him/her as well. Good luck to you
If your major requires calculus or calculus-based statistics, you will need trigonometry and precalculus math before taking calculus. If you do not have it going into college, you will have to take it as a remedial course during college.
If your major requires statistics but not calculus, you need at least a good working knowledge of algebra 2.
Of course, if the college has a math or quantitative reasoning general education requirement, you may need to take course(s) to fulfill that.
It’s been over 30 years since I was in high school, but I was in the same situation. I ended up with a D- in Algebra 2. I wanted to drop the class, but the school administration wouldn’t allow it. Did not mastering the material hurt me in college? Not really, but I was a Political Science and History major. I took a statistics class in grad school and didn’t have a problem with it. I’m sure my problems with algebra affected my GRE quantitative score, but my verbal and analytical scores were enough to get me accepted at UNC-Chapel Hill. If it doesn’t keep you from being admitted, it may not be much of a problem depending on your major. If you’re required to take precalculus, then you probably should check into taking something at a community college or you’ll be looking at remedial math freshman year. Good luck!
Some schools require math through Algebra 2 to be accepted. If you drop the class you may find you no longer meet there qualifications for admission. Check the requirements for admission into the schools you have been accepted into. They may be assuming since you started the class you will be completing it.
Is getting a tutor a possibility? Way back in 1980 that’s the only way I scraped by. Did you also have trouble with Geometry? There are some folks who have problems with algebra but not necessarily with the math needed for stats and lower level Econ courses. It really depends on what’s required by the individual school.
I doubt economics would be too bad. Also, have you been tested for dyscalculia? If you are diagnosed, having an IEP or similar plan could help you in your current classes and carry through college depending on the school. I know one of my friends needs extra time on tests thanks to her anxiety, so perhaps you could talk to a counselor or school official about it. Panic attacks and anxiety are to be avoided at all costs.
Get a tutor. Many colleges may rescind you if you don’t have Algebra 2.
I agree that getting tested to see if you have dyscalculia would help you - if you do have it, you’ll get some accomodations in college and perhaps even in HS. If you don’t have it, you may still get some help outlining your areas of weakness and ways to remedy them.