Need some advice here?

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>So I am a college freshman who is double majoring in Computer Engineering and Math. Honestly, I love Math but I'm not good at it. I spend a lot of time looking over it, getting my questions answered by my professor, but I don't do well on tests. I've never been a good test taker, and it really hurts my confidence when I get a bad Math test grade back. I do pretty well on the quizzes (I have a 74% average) and really well on the homework (95% average), but the tests are bad. </p>

<p>I know I'm only a freshman, but I found out about a Math summer research opportunity for undergrad Math majors who are Juniors/Seniors. I REALLY want this position in a couple years, and I'm trying SO hard to get good grades and keep my GPA up (my Math GPA is a 3.0, but I'm hoping to get a 2.0 this semester in Calc 1 due to the tests) but I just feel like I'm not going to get the position because I'm not good enough.... Help?</p>

<p>Drop math if you are struggling to understand but not if you’re just getting a bad grade.</p>

<p>If you’re struggling in Calculus I, you will be weeded out by Calculus II. If not by then, certainly by the time you take Real Analysis.</p>

<p>I was a very lazy student in Calculus I. I think I only studied the day before the exams. I passed with a C. I passed Calculus II with a C. I passed Ordinary Differential Equations with a C with barely paying attention all semester and doing none of the homework. I passed Linear Algebra with a C with hard work. I passed Calculus III with an A because I was good at Calculus. </p>

<p>I got an A in upper-division Differential Equations. I got an A in Partial Differential Equations. I got a good amount of B’s in the classes I just did not care about in my math core for upper-division classes. I put in a good amount of effort to understand Real Analysis this quarter. You cannot even pass the class without understanding. Understanding is not even enough. I am praying I actually pass this class, I was holding onto a B before I took the final. There was a guy who is a math tutor in class that is crazy good at computation, but he had his head on the desk today during the final because he gave up. </p>

<p>So, if you’re really trying hard, then I might say the major is not for you. Which is what it seems like. It’s better to find out now than later when you hit Real Analysis and poop really hits the fan. I did not care about my GPA initially, but it becomes increasingly more apparent that it is a good thing to have on the high side. So, I’d drop the math major and just do Computer Engineering if I were you. </p>

<p>There is so much to understanding Calculus. You’ll appreciate it more if you take an upper-level class, but it is harder. A different kind of hard. I don’t know how logical you are, but it may be your cup of tea instead of computation.</p>

<p>Frightening images are in my mind now. These evil mathematics. Let me ask you this, Jessica10238: How different is the homework from your exams? Could you give us some insight on how your exams look like at the moment? How are you not a good test-taker? Do you have strategies? Do you understand the concepts of calculus?</p>

<p>Ummmm…for the Math, I don’t think you need to drop it if you can get at least B’s. Now C’s??..yeah, drop it.</p>

<p>This is why…</p>

<p>Once you get past Differential Equations, you can set a path to be more of an Applied or Computational Math major. That means that you would just need that junior-level Analysis or Advanced Calculus course…not the full-blown Real Analysis sequence with possibly the “ole Blue Rudin Book”. After that one-semester Analysis course, you can branch out to the more “computational” Math courses like Combinatorics, Graph Theory, Operations Research, Numerical Analysis, Numerical Linear Algebra.</p>

<p>I was Computational Math major. My school (Michigan State) relaxed our “Analysis” requirement to only a one-term Advanced Calculus course (which was basically a Real Analysis-Lite course) instead of the full-year Real Analysis sequence with the “ole Blue Rudin Book” (for the pure math majors). I will admit, I got a C+ in that course (I never cared about proofs) and was satisfied because I knew that was my last non-computational-with-theory Math course.</p>

<p>From there it were the more math/computer courses where programming assignments were a major part of grades.</p>

<p>So, you can still keep the Math major…but usually us “computational types” will struggle with pure theory.</p>

<p>I’m assuming that as an engineer, you need to be taking some more math anyhow, so it’s not a matter of whether or not to drop the math.</p>

<p>First of all, are you struggling as much as you think you are? I don’t want to give false hope but many college classes have difficult exams and the grades are curved. Presumably your syllabus explains the grading policy. Another thing to consider is that many STEM students will already have taken calculus in high school. It’s quite possible that many of your classmates are simply repeating material they already know. That would make anyone feel a little dumb (and things may get better when you are on an even footing). Also, could this be a case of a bad professor, or of just not having college-worthy study habits? Many freshmen take a while to adjust to college expectations. Could a study group be helpful?</p>

<p>Was math always easy for you in high school? You say you don’t test well, so I am assuming you don’t have great standardized test scores in math… </p>

<p>I don’t mean to sound too discouraging, but if this research program is difficult to get into, it doesn’t sound like you will be among the competitive applicants. But, maybe you can turn things around by then. Good luck.</p>

<p>Just wanted to add, as an engineer, you would probably benefit from doing an internship over the summer. By the time you are able to qualify for the math research, your priorities may have changed.</p>