<p>So I am terrible at math. I am a high school senior by the way but I dream of becoming a doctor someday because that is all I have ever wanted to do with my life. However my freshman year of high school I passed Algebra 1 with a C+;sophomore year I passed Geometry with a C; and junior year I failed Algebra 2 with a a paid tutor and was so wound up in concentrating on passing that class I almost failed two others, AP US History (D+) and French 4(D). I retook it as a senior(yes I know its embarrassing but hey I had to) and I nearly failed again but I passed with a D+ and 77% on the Exam. How will I ever get through my pre-med courses in college these next four years If I am terrible at math? Calculus and Statistics are requirements at a lot of schools. My entire HS GPA is low because of my Math courses and my almost failing those two classes. My major in college will be Spanish or French with a Pre-med track. I am very good a foreign languages and it is something I enjoy. I have been accepted to 3 colleges, waitlisted at 1, and denied by 1 so far out of the 8 I applied for. I will be going to a 4 year private college but I am just so terrible at math I do not know how I will survive math in college and keep my GPA up?</p>
<p>Hi paintgirl417. There are ways around this, not to worry. Most of the med schools don’t require calculus, although some are now requiring statistics and this is good to have. The issue is whether your college major will require calculus and how many courses of it. For example, some colleges require two calculus courses for a biology degree and some only one class. If you major in a non-science like psychology, you may not have to take any calculus but probably statistics. Because you know Math is a weakness, review the degree requirements carefully as you examine colleges. There are a few online sources that tell you what med schools require calculus, but from what I’ve seen it’s only the elite schools. When you’re in college and register for classes, choose classes with the best teachers if possible and seek out tutors and academic support. I wish we knew some of this when my freshman son was looking into colleges, so I’m happy to share what we’ve learned. Good luck!</p>
<p>Here is more or less current list of medical schools and their math requirements.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/sites/dsa/files/handbooks/Medical%20Schools%20with%20Additional%20Math%20Requirements%2010_11.pdf[/url]”>http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/sites/dsa/files/handbooks/Medical%20Schools%20with%20Additional%20Math%20Requirements%2010_11.pdf</a></p>
<p>You should look closely at the requirements for all your state medical schools since these schools usually represent your best chance for admission.</p>
<p>While not all schools specifically require Calc, a goodly number require 1-2 semesters of “college level” math. Consider that pre-calc and any math classes below that level will not be considered “college level”.</p>
<p>With your difficulties in math, two courses will present a great challenge to you: physics and general chemistry. Both require strong advanced algebra skills at a minimum. Even if you don’t major in field that has a math requirement–you must take this classes to fulfill med school admission requirements. Math and gen chem are also major components of the MCAT.</p>
<p>Also be aware that while medical schools do not require a calculus-based physics, some undergrads require their pre-med to take a calculus-based physics course. (D2’s college did. If you don’t take calc-based pre-med physics, the school will refuse to endorse you and will withhold its committee letter–which basically means you cannot apply to medical school.) Please review the pre-med coursework at your intended schools and see if any of them do this.</p>
<p>If you really want to pursue medical school, you will need to improve your math skills. You might want to consider taking a pre-calc class during the summer before college. </p>
<p>When you do get to college, please, please go to academic support center and find yourself a math tutor from Day 1.</p>
<p>Gen. Chem. ? It is not very possible without solid math background. The same goes fo physics. However, you also seems to be not a type of student who would put extra effort into “hard” classes. I agree that AP US Hist. is very hard, because it was hard for my D. (math was always her “break” time). However, she put so much effort into Hist. at HS that she earned not taking it at college. Yes, if you do not like it, then work harder at it. Otherwise, I am not sure about your goal. Med. School is NOT for smarty pants, it is for the very very hard workers, the hard work that is not even imaginable in UG. There is some math in Med. School in blocks that use more physics and chem. for sure. But is is not so much “knowledge” of math as to ability to apply it.</p>
<p>Let me clarify for you. Im am pretty good with science. AP Biology I have a solid A right now and my last semester I received a B. General Chemistry I took and received a B-, regular Biology A, and Earth Science I received a C+(I didn’t like it as a freshman, rocks bore me). My school runs on a block schedule and I received a D+ in APUSH my last semester. My first semester I received a C+/B-, however, I did get a 3 on the national exam. I have taken all honors English since my freshman year and I have a B in AP English Literature right now and received a B+ on my midterm exam. As I stated before math is my weakness and has brought my entire cumulative GPA down. So far in fact that it is below a 3.0. My question was how to go about taking math courses in college for my pre-reqs in medical school. I am a hard worker but if I was concentrating on Algebra 2 and STILL failed with a PAID TUTOR the first time, it makes me wonder about how I will do in math in the future. I would like to pass all my math pre-reqs in college with an A to make a better trend during UG, but like I said my concern is how to pass those with the consideration of my history in mathematics.</p>
<p>I am starting college this fall, 2013, and I would like to hope to take my first year with general Biology 101 and 102 to fulfill the requirements for Biology as well as possibly taking a math course like college geometry or trigonometry to make sure I do not forget anything.</p>
<p>You didn’t take physics in high school? That may disadvantage you when you go to take physics in college. It helps to have seen the material before.</p>
<p>AP Lit and APUSH have no bearing on your problem. Ignore those for now. They’re irrelevant.</p>
<p>Please consult with your college’s health advising office to see if medical schools will consider geometry and trig as “college level” math. I suspect the answer is no.</p>
<p>As for how to do well in math…I can’t tell you because I don’t know. Everyone learns differently. </p>
<p>In general, the only way to learn math is to do lots and lots and lots and lots of problems–hundred of them, maybe thousands-- until you get good at doing them. You have to power through it and shed much blood, sweat and tears over it until you either figure it out or give up.</p>
<p>You can try a few things to help you get to a breakthrough point.</p>
<p>Tutoring–which is free or low cost through your college’s academic support center. Go as soon as classes start and start working with a tutor immediately. Don’t let yourself get behind. </p>
<p>You can try working in a study group. A study group is several students who work together to help each other with homework. (But, please, just don’t copy someone else’s solutions because–1. you don’t learn by copying; and 2. it’s technically plagarism which an academic dishonesty offense. An academic dishonesty offense, along with felony convictions, sex offender status and DWIs, are the 4 things that are guaranteed to keep you out of medical school.)</p>
<p>Also make sure you go to recitation/workshop/review or whatever you college calls it. This is an extra weekly class taught by a older undergrad or grad student that is in addition to your regular class lectures. The TA will review the material from the lecture and go over the homework problems.</p>
<p>You also need to learn to use your time more effectively. In college you simply cannot put all your time and effort into ONE class and let the others slide. As you’ve already learned, it will destroy your GPA. Many colleges offer a freshman seminar or class on study skills. You may find such a class useful to help you plan your study schedule and to improve your time management skills.</p>
<p>And in the end, you may never do well in math and may have to change your career plans. You need to be prepared for that as well.</p>
<p>~~~~~</p>
<p>Because of the new changes to the MCAT that happen in 2015, if you plan to apply to medical school during your senior year of college, you are going to have to take general chemistry your freshman year. This is because there are 5 chem classes you will need to have completed by the time you sit for your MCAT at the end of your junior year: general chem (2 semesters), OChem (2 semesters), biochem (1 semester). These 5 classes are taught as a sequence and need to taken in that order.</p>
<p>You will need to add in biology, physics and math around those classes in any order you can manage. Most students find OChem very time-intensive (lots of material, lots of new concepts, lots of memorization) so consider that when planning your schedule.</p>
<p>My school offers a calc series for people that are fine with math (or engineers), and a set of two courses (for calc 1 and 2) that are easier. These are set up for people that need to take math classes but struggle with them. Look into schools that do the same; medical schools likely won’t think bad of your choice to do that since you struggle with math so much.</p>
<p>And like WayOutWestMom said, you just have to do TONS of practice problems. Re-do all the homeworks come exam time, maybe re-do them twice.</p>
<p>Hi paintgirl417. Don’t let anyone squash your goals to attend med school. You know you have a weakness in Math and you have received alot of good advice on this forum. Based on what you’ve told us about your high school grades and math, it will not be easy. You will really need to strategize your classes and work hard. Consult with your advisors and pick your college/major carefully. That being said, I am a firm believer that anything is possible in life if you really want it. Good luck!</p>
<p>Get another tutor. Math is easy to be exploained by the person who can do it.<br>
My advice is to fully understand math. It is important in all sciences except maybe Bio and Orgo. Kids who are trying to go around and memorize material in Gen. Chem. and Physics are not successful at it. Knowing math and getting good grades for it is NOT your first concern, it is secondary. Fully understanding the math concepts and being able to use them in science classes is what you are looking for. B- is NOT your goal in any class at college either.</p>
<p>At my school, you must take trigonometry before you are allowed to take physics. I know I may have some problems because I took science in the 8th grade which was a mix of chemistry and physics but at the middle school level. This summer I may have to take some type of science (possibly chemistry or physics) and math to ready myself for the UG level of math and advanced science. That said, I appreciate what you all are saying and yes I do have back up plans but they are all related to me making it to medical school regardless. If I need extensive training by getting a masters in Biology so be it but my dream is to become an Orthopedic Surgeon regardless. I will be taking summer courses as well if I have to in order to graduate on time and also to get a lot of the pre-reqs out of the way. But the schools so far that I have been accepted to are Converse College (SC), Cedar Crest College ¶, and Wesleyan College (GA). I was waitlisted at Meredith College. I am hoping to attend Wesleyan this fall. But during undergrad another issue is whether or not I will be able to participate in Extracurriculars. I was recruited for Soccer at Wesleyan and I would like to have shadowing opportunities as well as volunteer opportunities at a hospital or medical school (Mercer University School of Medicine is near by). So thank you all for the advise I just hope to graduate with my B.A. in Spanish and get into a good medical school.</p>
<p>Trig is the easiest of them all and it is correct, studying physics is not very possible without trig.<br>
C’mon, use summer to spend with your friends, do not take classes, it is way too intense for HS’er, my D. did not even take single summer class during college. I am very happy that she did not. Guess, she does not have summers off any more at her Med. School. She spent every single of her summers off being with her friends.</p>
<p>…and taking Med. School pre-reqs in a summer is NOT a good idea at all. And, yes most pre-meds are into whole lot of ECs and having job at UG, you are correct. You will have to see about your sport. D. had to drop hers because of time limitations and she was not even in Varsity, she did not care for Varsity, she knew that it would be way too much.</p>
<p>My D did not like math in high school and before. She had a tutor in 7th-8th grades and 10th grade (because I thought she needed it, not because her grades were bad). She was a B math student through high school algebra. She didn’t take math as a senior and she didn’t take physics because she was majoring in theater in college. </p>
<p>In college she loved biology and decided to change her major (and become a dr.). She started college math with algebra, then trig, then calculus. She got As in all three classes. She had excellent professors and thought the quality of math teaching at her college was much better than in high school. She also did well in physics. So don’t give up hope, but you will have to be a very serious student in college.</p>
<p>^Completely agree, it all depends on who is teaching.</p>
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<p>Don’t just do assigned homework, you need to to do ALL the end-of-chapter problems in textbook. You could even go to the library or onto the internet and get EXTRA problems from other textbooks.</p>
<p>(Both my Ds were math majors. They both used to do this. Do extra problems from other textbooks because it gives a different look at the way of stating problems. And, contrary to popular belief, math didn’t come “easy” for them. Thye got good at math by doing tons of problems.)</p>
<p>A couple of things, paintgirl—</p>
<p>ALL US medical schools are “good” medical schools. They all teach the same curriculum and the students all take the same licensing exam (USMLE) at the end of their second year. Getting accepted into ANY medical school is an achievement.</p>
<p>It’s way too soon to even think about a specialty. Most students start medical school saying I’m going to be a surgeon/dermatologist/ocologist/pediatrician/radiologist/etc and change their minds 3 or 4 times before they finish their 3rd year clerkship rotations.</p>
<p>And not to be too discouraging, but students who apply to medical school with a MS, don’t fare any better (and some people say fare much worse) than students straight out of their BA/BS during the application process. Because their weak undergrad grades are considered right along with their newer Master’s grades. (For med school, undergrad grades are ALWAYS looked at–even if they are from years ago.) Unless your MS in Bio is from a well recognized program and you have 4.0 GPA, it really won’t help you get into medical school. (Grad programs have reputations for tons of grade inflation.)</p>
<p>Think about it this way - if you have a doctor, will you want him to have failed calculus? Don’t give yourself the idea that you are bad at math. Maybe you are approaching it from the wrong perspective?</p>
<p>Hoyahoya55 - I don’t know if I’m misunderstanding what you’re saying, but I could care less if my doctor was good in calculcus or not. My son didn’t do well in Calc 2 this semester, but aced all of his science courses and I expect he will continue to do well in them. Calculus isn’t even a requirement for med school. Let’s give some points to this student who is determined to be a doctor, knows her weaknesses and is researching how to best achieve her goals.</p>
<ul>
<li>Let me correct one of my statements - calculus is a requirement for some med schools, but not many (most say recommended or require just one semester). Several people have posted the link to the complete list on this forum.</li>
</ul>
<p>Before going to medical school I majored in Astronomy as an undergraduate and took six semesters of Calculus and advanced Math classes for which Calculus was a prerequisite. In my four years at a respected U.S. medical school I never had a need to use Calculus and the same was true for residency. If you can get through high school Algebra you will know all the math you need for medical school, residency and medical practice.</p>