<p>I am currently a senior in high school and yes, I am failing my AP AB Calculus class. It's not because of the dreaded senioritis or a lack of studying either; I genuinely just don't understand the concepts all that well. For my last test, I started studying 5 days in advance and I still got an E on it. I've always been an A student with the few overall B's here and there. Right now, I have a 56% E in that class. I really don't know what to do. I understand that second semester senior year grades are not nearly as important as second semester of junior year, or first semester of senior year, but I'm still very concerned. I've been accepted into University of Wisconsin Madison, deferred from Yale, and awaiting decisions from Northwestern, Hopkins, GW, Tufts, Georgetow, and WashU. I have about a month left in the marking period (3rd quarter). Is dropping the class still an option or is it too late? Any advice? I've been extremely upset all day :(</p>
<p>Get a tutor. That's what I did before the first marking period ended, and I've been getting A's and B+'s since. It helps A LOT when someone sits down with you and helps you understand the concepts.</p>
<p>Hi Saxophonegirl,
I am a parent, your post caught my eye. Please, please, go to your teacher as soon as possible (tomorrow!) and talk to him/her. See if the two of you can come up with a plan to get you on track. Most teachers really want their students to succeed and will work with you. I am sure this is not the first time the teacher has had this situation , Calc is a tough class. It sounds as if you need to get caught up on the concepts and the longer you wait, the worse it will be. You sound like a good student, and I have confidence in you.</p>
<p>If you know you're going to get a D or an F, drop it IMMEDIATELY. My friend got a D and he was accepted into UC San Diego, but he got deferred at the last minute because of that D. I know several people who got deferred last minute because of their D's. If you know you can at least get a C- then stay in the class. And if you do drop it, then explain to the colleges why. I think they will understand.</p>
<p>I agree you should drop if your school allows. You should not torture yourself when you are not ready. You can take calculus later in college later if it's a required class.</p>
<p>I disagree with oceanspearl. College is harder than high school. You have to study more. You have to work harder. Might as well get a head start now.</p>
<p>You should be studying calculus ten hours a week (not including class). Are you? If you are struggling, you should be working with your teacher or with a tutor. Are you? If you don't understand a concept, you should work more problems than just the ones assigned by the teacher. Are you? </p>
<p>Studying for the calculus test five days in advance is not enough. You need to be understanding the concepts all along. You can't learn a month's math in five days unless you are an exceptional math student-- otherwise, you have to be studying all along.</p>
<p>I have just emailed my teacher asking if I could meet with him during my lunch period tomorrow, and asking for the names of some tutors in the area. Cardinal Fang, my problem is that I thought I understood the concepts, since I was able to get problems correctly out of our textbook. Then I had a rude awakening when I actually took the test, seeing that it was more difficult.</p>
<p>Drop that shi*. You'll have way more time to study in college than now in high school.</p>
<p>I think fear/confidence is a factor. When your confidence is restored, things will be easy.</p>
<p>Talk to your teacher as stated above. I know that students who pass the AP exam in calculus often take first semester calculus or have trouble with the second sememster course of calculus at UW. In college you expect a 2:1 hours of study per class hour/credit. This is also a year long course, you need to be sure you have mastered concepts from last fall to learn current ones. If you need math for your college major it is to your advantage to learn how to master calculus with the aid of your HS teacher.</p>
<p>Do you have any friends in the class? Like people who would be willing to help you out for an hour or so, and go over some problems?</p>
<p>I help one of my friends in my AP Bio classes for a few hours a week, and it has helped both of us - but mostly her :)</p>
<p>I don't know if this will be helpful, but here's a link to the site of my classes calc textbook: <a href="http://www.phschool.com/atschool/calculus/Student_Area/CALC_S_BK_index.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.phschool.com/atschool/calculus/Student_Area/CALC_S_BK_index.html</a> . Each chaper has some practice tests - they've helped me review for tests.</p>
<p>Do you do every problem in the book and not just those assigned?
I was told in my sophomore year that only those who did every problem and not just what they had to do were the ones who got A's.</p>
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and I still got an E on it
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What's an 'E'? There was no such thing at any of the schools my kids attended.</p>
<p>Glad to hear that you emailed your teacher. Make sure you follow up if you don't get a response. Good Luck!</p>
<p>Saxophonegirl, you can do this. You're taking the right first step in talking to your teacher. Good luck!</p>
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<p>That's why she should drop it now. She has, in essence, missed the first semester of understanding. It is too much to make up while trying to learn 2nd semester topics.</p>
<p>A college math professor told me that he thought calc in high school is not worth it. In HS, it is not as rigorous as college.</p>
<p>saxophonegirl, drop the class. concentrate on your other classes. You have enough "head start" to do well when you take calc in college.</p>
<p>I'm afraid if she drops the class, she's also dropping admission from Yale, Hopkins, Tufts, Georgetown and WUSTL. But perhaps I'm mistaken about that.</p>
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A college math professor told me that he thought calc in high school is not worth it. In HS, it is not as rigorous as college.
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<p>In theory, maybe.</p>
<p>In practice, I don't think so.</p>
<p>Calculus is one of the most popular APs. In some parts of the country, practically every student who is good at math takes it, and most of them take the BC version.</p>
<p>So who's in the introductory calculus classes at college? The students with LESS mathematical aptitude. Given that, can the professors really make the classes MORE rigorous than those taught in the high schools?</p>
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I'm afraid if she drops the class, she's also dropping admission from Yale, Hopkins, Tufts, Georgetown and WUSTL. But perhaps I'm mistaken about that.
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A D or F won't get her in those schools but it may keep her off other schools like UCI, UCD for example.</p>
<p>And a lot of those AP Calculus students end up repeating calculus in college.</p>