Doing poorly at community college, please HELP!

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>I got into University of Pitt but couldn't afford attending even after substantial aid was offered. At the last minute, I opted for a CC.</p>

<p>I'm currently taking:
Math 119 (Pre Calc)
Engl 101
Spch 101
Bio 102</p>

<p>The Math 119 class is killing me. It's really making me frustrated because I had not expected CC classes to be, you know, hard.
For math, I do all the hardest problems in my book, I have access to the solutions manual and can see all the work for questions step by step. I also cheat on my tests with calculators (ti 84) by putting notes from my textbook and programs specific for the topic. I still can't pass my teacher's tests. They're soo hard, so unimaginably hard, harder than the book's hardest problems.</p>

<p>I ask questions in class but the teacher teaches from powerpoints using diagrams and easy problems from the book. It's not like she's teaching something special that I'm not picking up. I even have a study group with 2 or 3 kids depending on the day it is and we get together and do the hardest problems and use the step by step solutions manual to compare and make sure we understood every step.</p>

<p>It doesn't help that we're learning analytic trigonmetry and doing identities and proofs. With problems like these you need time to do multiple approaches and the added anxiety of a test are conditions for failure. Her tests are set up to promote failure; a test be hundred points, 20 problems, 15 will be like 3-4 points, and the rest (5) will be like 50% of the test.</p>

<p>Also she pulls **** like this, we were doing trigonometry using sin/cos/tan to find angles and all of our class and book problems had angles written in this format (47<em>); on the test she gives us an angle noted (47</em>8') and no one in th eclass gets it right. Because no one was ever taught how to access that key on the calculator or even *** the 8' means.</p>

<p>There are around 2 or 3 kids who get really good grades on tests. One kid got 100s on all of our 3 tests we've had currently and I sit next to him now and ask him how he does studying and he just says that he practices out of the book doing the hardest problems. My test grades have gone from 92, 74 (I had a flu virus), to now idk yet because I didn't get my test back, but I'm thinking an F (even with two files of notes on all identities and tricks and programs for trigonometry with unit circle, an app that graphs trig functions for me and tells me all the points, an app that tells me the trig function values at any given point, and more)</p>

<p>What can I do?
This is really killing becuase I am a Bio major and I need to take Calc and Calc 2 as well.
I've heard they're much easier than Pre Calc because they're not so much algebra and they're more like learning a science and not a math.
I'm beginning to think that everytime I have a female math teacher I do poorly. Has anyone else experienced this? For my calc class (if I can pass) I'm gonna try to find a male professor.</p>

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<p>Community College isn’t supposed to be easy. It’s supposed to be somewhat cheaper with more flexible class schedule times. No where in that mission does that mean the classes will be easy. Granted, many CC classes are easier but that varies wildly by school and individual professors. You have found one that wants to be tough. She includes “minutes” (what the ’ is in 8’) on exams where she hasn’t taught them in class? Was it in the book, in the required reading? It was somewhere as you found an individual who manages to do quite well by reading the book. Good for you that you found this person, copy his methods. </p>

<p>You seem to only complain about the math class. You have Bish average so far (and you said the 74 was due to illness). That doesn’t mean failing to me. Unless something else is troubling you other than the idea that a CC class can actually be more difficult that you thought, I think you’re slightly exaggerating. </p>

<p>As for the female thing, maybe she’s overcompensating for being in male dominated field? </p>

<p>You found a hard teacher, you may actually learn more than if you found a easy one. Female has nothing to do with it. </p>

<p>And I can’t comment on the Calc v. Pre-calc debate except to say that calc is death at my school. </p>

<p>I realize this was a harsh post but I think you’re disappointed that you won’t be having a lazy two years because you’re at a CC and not Pitt. CCs can be great schools, give yours a chance.</p>

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<p>Community college is the bare minimum you can do and still be in college. If your intellectual capacity is too limited to handle it, there is NO chance that you will survive a 4-year college. My advice – save your money, get a job, or attend a trade school. Not everyone was cut out for the rarefied atmosphere of university life anyway and it’s better to learn this hard lesson at a cheap CC than at an expensive 4-year college. A lot of people are probably going to lie (or sugar-coat things, which is the same from our perspective) but I’m going to be brutally honest.</p>

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If you need to program in your calculator, you’re not trying hard enough. Save yourself some time with those lame usless shortcuts and learn the material. Dont be stupid.</p>

<p>oh yeah and expect calc 1 and 2 to be harder, because precal is merely a precursor of what you’re up against.</p>

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<p>You need to take a class below pre-calc, like an algebra class. You clearly don’t have the algebra or trig skills necessary to do well in pre-calc, which means you will fail spectacularly when you get to calc. Whoever told you there isn’t much algebra involved was just joking with you, or didn’t know what they were talking about. I’m in multivariable calc now and some problems are pages of nothing but algebra (the actual calc principles of what a derivative is and what an integral is are easy enough for a ten-year-old to understand). It’s the algebra and trig that makes calc hard for some people.</p>

<p>You got placed into a math class you weren’t ready for. You need to start lower, like with a ACT math study guide. Study ACT-level math and master it, THEN and only then take pre-calc.</p>

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<p>Oh yeah, and stop cheating. Doesn’t help you.</p>

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<p>I sense an air of elitism at this forum. I really like how you guys think everyone here is Harvey Mudd material and everyone gets A’s. This is not the norm, I’ve had problems in math classes forever, math is just one of my weak points. I do really well in science and english and all my other courses; it’s just the math classes that fudge me up.</p>

<p>Can you guys give me some advice on how to prepare myself mentally to do well and how to handle test anxiety. I feel that if she didn’t call her tests, “tests” and called them worksheets instead and did not tell us about them, I’d ace them.</p>

<p>We even have online homework and I ace all of that but her tests just kill me because they’re incredibly hard beyond belief.</p>

<p>I spoke to my new friend about that minute problem and he said the only reason why he knew it was because it was taught to him in high school >__<.</p>

<p>Oh and using your calculator is not cheating, it’s allowed and encouraged. They’re allowed on the SATs so why should I not use it in class?</p>

<p>Also, I still think there is some truth to the female teacher thing. Every math teacher I’ve had, young or old, if she was a female…then I did bad in her class.</p>

<p>Every male teacher I had, young or old, I did EXCEPTIONALLY well in his class. My science teachers were male, my english teachers were male and actually of the 4 classes I take, 3 are taught by male teachers and I am doing exceptionally well. My male teachers in english/speech/bio all speak highly of my work and I always ask them questions that show I have insight for the material. They’re always willing to give me HONEST criticisms and helpful advice; my female teacher just puts me down and says I need to study.</p>

<p>If you look at the Engineering field, a field that requires intense math skills; you can see it’s dominated by men. Why? Because men are better at maths and sciences. Next semester I’m going to get a male professor for Calc.</p>

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<p>Apparently not, since you’re failing elementary maths, Mr. Man… :rolleyes:</p>

<p>Listen, you can hate your teachers. You can hate them for being ball-busting man-hating women if you want. But you have to learn the material or else you will fail. This isn’t Harvard, or Yale; there is no grade inflation and no one is going to spoon-feed you success. If you’re too lazy or untalented to make it through your classes, you’re never going to become an engineer and you’re never going to be successful at any serious major. You might become successful at “English” or “History”, but even there you might run across some icky girls who’ll try to fail you. </p>

<p>My advice again: Grow up or drop out.</p>

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<p>This comment is so blatantly offensive it makes me think you are a ■■■■■. If not:</p>

<p>This is taking it too far. I’m sorry you’re not doing well in CC pre-cal, but blaming others for your problems is immature and ineffective. While calculators may be allowed, typing entire chunks of text into your TI84 is probably not allowed (nor is it helpful to you). It sounds like math is not your strength, so you’re going to have to put some effort into doing well in this class. If you need to type formulas and notes into your calculator, you haven’t learned and practiced the material well enough. </p>

<p>I sense “an air of elitism” on your part, confirmed by comments like this: </p>

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<p>Lastly, there are many females who excel in math and engineering far, far, far above the level of pre-calculus. You’re struggling in pre-calculus. Maybe you should think before you type.</p>

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<p>

Says Mr. “oh this person cheated on the AP Stats exam should I tell on them!”. If it bugged you enough that someone did this on your AP stats exam, and are now doing just that, it’s called hypocrisy.
You know exactly well that what you’re doing is cheating.</p>

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  1. Men are not “better” at math. Men are more likely to be better, but all men are not better than all women. There is also a huge bit of research showing that the math gap between men and women has a lot more to do with culture than previously thought, rather than 100% aptitude.
  2. I’ll go back to 9th grade math, up through now (junior, taken 5 semesters of math now). 6 profs were male, 3 were female. All three of the female were excellent teachers. Of the 6 male profs, only 1 was good (the rest were horrid). So it’s luck of the draw. Not that your prof bad simply because she’s a woman.</p>

<p>So, until you stop with your blatant elitism, don’t complain about others here being “elitist.”<br>
You’ve blatantly admitted to cheating. What did you expect?</p>

<p>Advice: either drop down a level since you clearly are not ready for pre-calc or get a tutor.
Also, calc is HEAVILY algebra based. Whoever told you it wasn’t has either never taken calc or was lying to you. (And my background in math is calc 1-3, diffeq, probstats, and engineering math (essentially linear algebra + some)).</p>

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<p>Like the above poster said, Calculus is heavily algebra based. Also…You’ve gotten your tests back, right? I’d like to see how difficult the material they’re giving you is.</p>

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<p>Contradiction thy name is ■■■■■.</p>

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<p>Inconsistency, sexism, AND dishonesty; what a brilliant combination. A community college is the perfect place for you, tubbie…</p>

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This is your problem.
When you get to Calc I and Calc II, you can use your cute little graphing calculator all you want so you don’t have to memorize derivatives, anti-derivatives, or their rules, but when you’re doing this, you’re slower than others while taking the test, and you’re not thinking for yourself. Most people who cheat on exams using info on their calculators fail because they have no idea what they’re doing. Their mentality is something like, “Oh! The derivative is of this is this!! That’s great! Now what does that mean and when do I use it…? I have no idea, so I’ll just write it here anyways.”</p>

<p>Don’t practice hard problems. Practice the basics (algebra skills). Study in a group. Go to your professor’s office hours. She’ll probably have extra textbooks you can borrow for more practice. I can assure you that there is a minute problem in your textbook. Just read the chapters if you’re that confused.</p>

<p>Oh, and college and university math courses =/= high school math courses. A lot of people who struggled in math courses in high school excel in the ones at their universities. You just have to put in the effort to learn and practice the material.</p>

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<p>@culater, I am not doing well because the teacher does not test on the lessons she has taught, she goes above and beyond what she has taught.</p>

<p>@Midnight Maurauder, as soon as I get the test back I will post some questions from it, but she just posted grades and I got a 65. So far my tests have been 92, 74, now a 65.</p>

<p>@Sprints, I think my algebra skills may be lacking. When we were learning identities on friday, I had some trouble rationalizing fractions and problems with complex fractions. I’m gonna try to find a review book on algebra.</p>

<p>@Everyone, I only used the calculator because memorizing things the like unit circle is a waste of time. It’s a tool, it’s not meant to be memorized. Memorizing the unit circle is like memorizing the periodical table of elements or memorizing exactly how long one foot is and measuring without a tape measure.</p>

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<p>@Bedouin
What do you mean grade inflation and spoon feeding? That occurs at Harvard? Lol, it sure as hell doesn’t occur at my $3000 tuition community college and will Harvard ever accept a CC transfer, NO!</p>

<p>Hahaha</p>

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I’m a male and I agree, so you know I’m not being biased.
I’m surprised you got through high school, even accepted with aid at Pitt, without knowing the 48*8’ means 48 degrees and 8 minutes, or 48 + (8/60). I’m surprised because at my school we learn this in 9th grade - from a very, very good female teacher.</p>

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<p>@Hahalolk
I know what 48*8’ means, I just did not know how to enter it into my calculator.
I was taught what it meant in previous pre calc class, but we never used it because our teacher did not allow calculators on tests.</p>

<p>I’ve only had TWO good female math teachers, she was good because her tests and quizzes were so easy, you had to be brain dead to not get atleast a 90. She was my AP stats teacher, however everyone did poorly on the stats test and out of 60 kids, only 7 or 8 took the test.</p>

<p>The other one was for geometry and she was really good becuase she was young and had a brother that she taught and I guess was a bit lenient and was able to break down hard concepts into simple layman’s terms to the point where anyone could understand even if they had not done previous chapters. She told us math in ENGLISH, not “if v=a1i + b1j and w=a2i + b2j are vectors, the dot product vw is defined as follows: vw=a1a2+b1b2.”</p>

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This is how college works. If you cannot handle something so basic as pre-calc, then you have no chance at upper level classes.
I’ve had dozens of teachers essentially say: I’m giving you the bricks, you have to build the house.
So it’s you that’s the problem, not the teacher.</p>

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If you knew what it meant, you would have entered 48.13333 into your calculator even if you couldn’t find the minute symbol.
You’re clearly not learning anything. You’re hoping your calculator will do everything for you.</p>

<p>FYI, I thank my lucky stars that I knew the (rough) unit circle by memorization. It comes into play in several classes on a daily basis, and it’s nice to know that I can visualize it.
Memorizing the unit circle should not be compared to memorizing the periodic table (well, it is useful to have a general idea of where elements are for tests with strict time limits).</p>

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<p>LOL. If you knew what it meant, you would be able to type 8/60 into your calculator.</p>