<p>Okay, my finals for math is on Tuesday and I'm worried I will fail the class and I cannot understand why. I am getting straight A's in my other classes (which are non-technical courses BTW) but I am struggling in this one.</p>
<p>I have NEVER missed a day of class and my professor notices I come everyday. When I went to class the lectures were really confusing and I didn't do well on the test (I got an F but I didn't panic because she said she would replace the grade if I did well on the finals). On the second test, I decided to get help. I used the free math tutoring lab on campus and I tried to read a different book that explained to concept. Plus I talked to another professor (I have a good relationship with her and she is like a mentor to me) and she said I am on the right track and I would do well on the next test. Well, on the second test I got a D and it was too late to withdraw from the class. On the third test I did the same thing and I studied VERY hard and got an A+ on the test. Finally on the fourth test, I did the exact same thing PLUS I got a study group together and I don't think I did so well on the test (I think I got a C or maybe another D).</p>
<p>The class average is probably a B-/C+ and my average in the class is a C. If I don't do well on this finals I basically failed the class. I feel really frustrated because I try to do everything "right" but I am still failing. ARGH! I have been studying for 10 days straight but I am still nervous... Any advice on how to do well on the finals? I feel like my best is not good enough in this class!</p>
<p>Did you ever try talking to YOUR professor? They might have been able to provide some insight.</p>
<p>Yep I met with her during her office hours once because I was having a hard time and she told me to do the study guide and I should be okay. I did what she said and I still didn’t do well. I cannot meet with her during office hours because I have other classes during her office hours and she will not meet with me during another time (I already told her my situation). I usually ask her for help after class but I still don’t understand the material.</p>
<p>May I ask what subject it is? Otherwise, I guess I would just encourage you to continue doing what you are doing - it worked for the third test. Also, do you have a copy of some of your old tests? If you could study off of those it might help you to understand why it was so difficult for you, and you can understand it better ebfore the final.</p>
<p>Its basic college algebra. Its a core class requirement so I have to take.</p>
<p>You should have pass/failed it right after the first exam.</p>
<p>But should/could/would have’s aside, keep studying hard. It looks like you get the material if you study hard for it. More importantly, study smart.</p>
<p>Math is about practice, practice and more practice. Do all of the pratice problems in your book and figure out what you did wrong.</p>
<p>I already talked to my academic advisor about doing that and he said that since I don’t have 2.5 GPA in the school (I just started this semester so my GPA is currently 0.00) I cannot change the class to pass/fail.</p>
<p>You could have dropped the class too, then once you have a GPA, take it pass/fail next semester (assuming they let you take required classes P/F). An F on the first exam is hard to recover from, no matter what your professor promises. Frankly I would ignore everything the professor isn’t willing to put in writing.</p>
<p>Even a W normally doesn’t count in your GPA and would have been better than a C.</p>
<p>You don’t mention whether you think you understand the material. Did you ever go back and figure out how to do the kinds of problems that were on the first test? The second and fourth tests? Did you figure out how to prepare for class so that you could understand the lectures as they happened?</p>
<p>During the last 10 days that you’ve been studying, do you think you have learned how to do the problems?</p>
<p>Just do the problems, over and over and over again, until you can basically look at a problem and figure out the answer on the fly. </p>
<p>Do not read the book. </p>
<p>Grab as many old tests as you can, grab as many practice problems that you think are relevant as you can, and just do them repeatedly. </p>
<p>Best way to study for a technical subject, I think.</p>
<p>Oh, and the class is probably curved. Getting a 60/100 is not failing in many, many math/physics/science courses, and I speak from experience. Unless you’re doing more than one standard deviation below the mean, you’re not failing (unless your professor has no heart).</p>
<p>Algebra is cumulative. If you don’t understand the beginning concepts, grasping the later ones will be much harder. Start slow, and build up from the ground level.</p>
<p>I somewhat understand the material, I make a lot of simple mistakes (I won’t round the numbers or I put the decimal in the wrong place etc.) I tried the practice test this afternoon and the results were this </p>
<p>T1 = 74% correct</p>
<p>T2 = 65% correct</p>
<p>T3 = 93% correct</p>
<p>T4 = 55% correct</p>
<p>Maybe I’m just stressing out. This is my first time taking finals in college.</p>
<p>If you understand the formulas and processes but keep getting points off because of stupid mistakes, you just have to practice. A lot.</p>
<p>Surprisingly, I actually remember nearly all of the formulas so I am okay with that. It just HOW to do the problems that is screwing me up. My professor does give partial credit if we do the right steps but the numbers are wrong so I might do okay.</p>
<p>Maybe I am just stressing out. I had two finals on the same day on Thurs. and a sacrificed my weekend so I could study for the next three exams on Tues and Thurs, so I am exhausted.</p>
<p>Get a good night’s sleep, get up tomorrow, and keep practicing. A lot.</p>
<p>Go over those tests you took. Figure out why you missed the problems you did.</p>
<p>Also, it is EXTREMELY important to eat and sleep well (so try not to stress too much).</p>
<p>If you have a really hard time not stressing out, I’d suggest going out with your friends and listening to music, or something else relaxing.</p>
<p>If that fails, I’d recommend you drink a beer or two or some some weed or something. I mean, don’t get wasted, but it’s awful nice to have the edge taken off once in a while.</p>
<p>Okay, so I finished the finals a couple of hours ago and got the results on my forth test. On the fourth test, I got an A on it!! 
The final was somewhat easy, I think I got a C+/B- on it but I not sure (after seeing that fourth test, I have officially retired from guessing my grades before I see them).</p>
<p>Therefore, in the class I have these test scores</p>
<p>T1: F currently but the prof. said she would use the final to replace the grade.</p>
<p>T2: 67 = D</p>
<p>T3: 99% = A+</p>
<p>T4: 96 = A</p>
<p>FINALS: 75-85% C-B</p>
<p>HOMEWORK, QUIZZES, SPECIAL PROJECTS: 97% = A+</p>
<p>I think I am going to be okay, thanks for all of the wonderful advice and support. I now have to face two more finals but I am really calm about them.</p>
<p>All the best!</p>