<p>Alright so I'm a senior and I plan on going to community college for my associates (engineering science). I got a B in Alg-2 and I was allowed to take AP Calc, but I'm having trouble understanding it...</p>
<p>I understand that Engineering majors can be incredibly overwhelming with the plethora of math based classes. But can you thrive in college if you aren't doing too well in H.S. Calc? Also I've been in the AP Calc class for two weeks and I'm already having trouble... I think I barely passed the first test and I'm reconsidering what I want to do (just because of my trouble with calculus, because I really, really, want to be a chemical engineer).</p>
<p>So should my dream of majoring in chemical engineering and then minoring in biomed eng be deterred by my trouble in calc?</p>
<p>I'm going to stay in the class, but should this be a decisive factor?</p>
<p>P.S. anyone have any study tips for succeeding in calculus, or any really good books they can recommend?</p>
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<p>Oh and I was going to make another topic about this, but is Drexel a decent Engineering school? I know they are ABET accredited for chemE and BME but is it a good college? I can transfer from Community College of Philadelphia to Drexel seamlessly with all my credits being accepted and the possibilty of reduced tuition, and I'm considering it.</p>
<p>Don't do away with your dream just because you're having trouble in one stupid class. That's goofy.</p>
<p>All you need to do is figure out all the resources available to you in order to get you through that class. We all have strengths and weaknesses, and your weakness may be getting through this calculus class. It also might be attributable to a bad teacher, or just a mismatch of teaching styles to your style of learning, or a lousy textbook, or any number of things.</p>
<p>Do you have access to a tutor? Can you go and talk to the teacher? Go back and correct your exams, and try to thoroughly learn what you did wrong. Read other books. Look at <a href="http://www.sosmath.com%5B/url%5D">www.sosmath.com</a>. Work in groups, and see if you can find a couple of study buddies. Check out calculus books at the library. Think outside the box in trying to figure out what resources are available to you to help you get through this class.</p>
<p>Everyone has hurdles. Just because they're there doesn't mean you should walk away from the race.</p>
<p>I agree with the above response. Don't fret because of a single calculus course.</p>
<p>Also when you get to community college, see if there is a Precalculus course that you can take. Keep in mind that a typical Calculus sequence is 3 courses: Calc I (Limits), Calc 2 (Integrals) and Calc 3 (Double/Triple Integrals & Vectors). That means that you can start Calc 1 in the Spring Semester (or even the summer after your freshman year) and still be right on time for junior entry into a Chem-E program.</p>
<p>One more thing, check if you even HAVE to do Calc 3 before applying to a Chem-E program as a junior. If the 4-year school only requires Calc 2 and you cannot crack a 'C+' in Calculus, don't take that Calc 3 until you are already admitted into the program.</p>
<p>I had trouble in AP Calc in H.S.--I was in for tutoring every day, and literally spent half my homework time on that class--thought for sure I passed the AP test, but no. Ended up taking an accelerated Calc course at my college because so many of us didn't pass the AP test but had taken the AP class, and took an equivalency test--the school gave me credit and moved me into Calc 2 first semester!</p>
<p>I wouldn't give up--get the help you need. Some of the Schaum's outlines books for Calc are helpful with extra problems worked out and answers. And, don't be discouraged if you have to retake Calc again too. It is a very common class to re-do along with physics in high school.</p>
<p>I wouldn't reconsider what you want to do. Talk to your teacher and let them know how interested you are in becoming an engineer and how important the class is--maybe they will give you some extra help and attention once they realize that you are not slacking, just falling behind. (Calc moves really fast at first, especially because the amount of material needed to be covered before the AP)</p>
<p>P.S. I thought Calc 1 was the hardest--it's just stuff you have to comprehend and have NEVER seen before. After that, much easier. I thought college Calc 2 (actually different than stuff in AP) and Calc 3 are quite fun, especially with a knowledgable teacher and small class size. Maybe take at a community college?</p>
<p>to OP: lol r u kidding me? i never even took calculus in high school and im going into the college of engineering. just go for it. have some confidence in urself.</p>
<p>Yup, there's a lot of kids at my engineering school who never took calc, physics, etc, and while they may have struggled at first, now they're doing better than I am!</p>
<p>You will be fine. I actually hate math... and I'm an engineering major and math minor. I don't understand why I have to take half the math I am required to take and because of that, I don't have much motivation. This is my last semester of math I will have to take.... I am so HAPPY about that. I like courses that use math but from what I've seen, the math in those courses are the simplier maths like calc 1,2,3 and some diff eq.</p>