<p>Dear CCers,</p>
<p>I am a senior from Tbilisi, Georgia and I have been admitted to Hamilton College (ED II) with a full $54,000+ financial aid package (per year). However, I am facing a dilemma. Ever since the beginning of the year, I have been struggling in AP Calculus. I wanted to drop out in September and talked to my counselor about it, but she talked me out of it. In February, after I had already found out about Hamilton, it was suggested that I drop out of Calculus. I wrote to Hamilton and they told me they would re-evaluate my decision if I were to drop out. So, I didn't.</p>
<p>I've been working extremely hard ever since, but my teacher is still in doubt on whether I will pass or not. I don't want to write to Hamilton again, but what do you guys think would happen if, for instance, I didn't manage to pass the class (assuming I complete all of my other seven courses)?</p>
<p>Many thanks,</p>
<p>David</p>
<p>Have your counselor write to Hamilton about this. It may not be a problem after all.</p>
<p>Thanks, I will ask her. I am not really sure, though - especially considering how much money they’re giving me, not passing may become a huge problem.</p>
<p>Does anyone else have any ideas?</p>
<p>Is there any way you could get a tutor? I know your teacher is attempting to help you, but often teachers just can’t devote the amount of time needed to get a struggling student over the hump. Sometimes too, it takes someone with a different instructional style to make the subject matter clear, someone whose teaching style better meshes with your learning style. You current struggles don’t mean you are incapable of learning the math. You probably only need the right help from the right person. But, you need that help right now. Sometimes local college students are available to help tutor. Might you ask your Calc. teacher or guidance counselor for help in locating someone? It would surely be a shame to loose your scholarship to such an excellent school, valoraine. Don’t get up! Good Luck!</p>
<p>You need to try to pass this class because if you fail it, you will not have 4 years of math, which may become a serious issue. For a US-based student, the college most likely would even withdraw admission.
Now, I don’t know about Georgia, but my experience is that schools abroad are much tougher graders than here in the US, where A’s are fairly easy to get. For example, there are kids who will get high grades in an AP class but may do poorly or even fail the AP exam, either because the AP class doesn’t cover the proper AP content or because the teacher has lower standards. (I’m not including students who have severe test anxiety and therefore don’t do well on the exam.)</p>
<p>So, my question is: Are you possibly failing the class because you really don’t know the material that will be tested on the AP exam, because your teacher includes content that is harder than what a ‘normal’ AP Calculus class would be like in many US schools, or because the teacher grades tougher than in many US schools? Depending on the answers, you would need to proceed differently.</p>
<p>poetsheart: Thanks for the response. I don’t think getting a tutor is an option, as finding a English-speaking Calculus teacher in Georgia is almost impossible. There are two that I know of, and I don’t think they would help seriously help my cause.</p>
<p>beenthere2: Well, I would have 4 years of math even if I failed this course. Geometry, Algebra I, Advanced Math I (also known as Algebra II) and Advanced Math II (also known as Pre-Calculus).</p>
<p>A part of my lack of success is most definitely due, at least partially, to my teacher’s attempt to “over-prepare” us for the exam. Questions on his test are almost always of the type that would be considered average or higher difficulty problems when compared to the actual AP exam questions. Thanks for your response.</p>
<p>valoriane - have you checked out this website? Many people having trouble with math swear by it:</p>
<p>[Khan</a> Academy](<a href=“http://www.khanacademy.org%5DKhan”>http://www.khanacademy.org)</p>
<p>Khan Academy is good. But PatrickJMT (YouTube user) is even better. I watch his videos before every math test.</p>
<p>katliamom: thanks, I will try to use it more. It certainly was some help to me in the past.</p>
<p>born2dance94: Never heard of it, will check it out. Thanks.</p>
<p>Tried out PatrickJMT too. Looks like it will be some help. Any other ideas?</p>
<p>Just ran across this thread; to post a brief update: I passed all of my units a day before graduation. Thanks to all of you who tried to help.</p>
<p>Thanks for the good news up-date!</p>