<p>He worked really hard and got a C. Realistically concerned about the cumulative final. Says it’s not fair that he’s not smart enough. Says he needs to change schools (from engineering) but can’t imagine anything else he wants to do. Sigh. When does this parenting stuff let up?</p>
<p>Shrinkrap: I hope he sticks with it. It is discouraging to study hard and get a lower grade, but everyone tells me that once you get past these weeder/basics courses, then you can get into more relevant courses to the major.</p>
<p>My S is having the same struggles, but so far wants to stay in engineering. Is planning to retake differential equations, but really loves the engineering courses so is sticking with it for now.</p>
<p>Thanks for that!</p>
<p>Shrink rap. Is there a summer study group? Can your son ask the prof.? Maybe the prof can announce those interested in a study group can talk with your son?
I apologize if this has been stater before.</p>
<p>In my sons toughest classes he found his study group helpful in explaining the material in different ways.</p>
<p>Good luck to your son.</p>
<p>I assume no end curve in this class?</p>
<p>Congratulate him on that C. He went into this summer (compressed timeframe) Calc class with a weaker math background, yet got the C. I think you guys should celebrate this success, then encourage him to work his butt off through the final. He can do it!</p>
<p>And don’t forget that many, many engineers got many, many Cs in school. Once he is out in the work force, it really won’t matter. The work ethic he is developing will matter. His creativity, something that many top grade earners do not have, will matter. I hope he hangs in there.</p>
<p>When he says it’s not fair he’s not smart enough, I wonder if there might be some stereotype threat going on. To succeed, he needs to be in the mindset that he is perfectly well qualified(as he is).</p>
<p>He’s hanging in there Shrinkrap. I wouldn’t let him quit yet :).</p>
<p>Here is a link to the free calculus book by Strang, if he wants an alternative book to check if he finds the usual book for the course to be too difficult to understand for a particular topic:</p>
<p>[Free</a> Online Course Materials | Textbook | MIT OpenCourseWare](<a href=“http://ocw.mit.edu/resources/res-18-001-calculus-online-textbook-spring-2005/textbook/]Free”>Textbook | Calculus Online Textbook | Supplemental Resources | MIT OpenCourseWare)</p>
<p>
Amen to that.</p>
<p>I would say it might be a good idea for him to get some idea of which area of engineering he is interested in. Some programs are more math centric than others, or require different kinds of math.</p>
<p>For EE, for example, everyone needs to know basic analog and digital circuits. Analog circuits primarily require algebra, digital circuits have their own methodologies. Typically concentrating in power will not require a lot of calculus.</p>
<p>But if you want to concentrate in communicationor control theory there will be a lot of calculus involved. I bet C calculus students could and do still get through these programs, but it is more tortuous. And maybe he will have less trouble with DE. </p>
<p>I can’t speak to other engineering disciplines, but I’m sure there are wide variations in the amount and type of math required for the program.</p>
<p>Sending the link UCB , and many thanks, as always.</p>
<p>Bovertine , what js DE? I think he wants ME, and wants to work in automotive setting. I would guess design. Anybody know another field besides engineering that would get him close? </p>
<p>Thanks all, for the feedback. I am not sure what to think. </p>
<p>He feels he is not smart enough because others seem be doing better with less effort, as have many of his friends. He said a BIOLOGY major is doing better than he! (smile). H and I were bio majors and wonder why a Biology major is taking cal 2!</p>
<p>Anyway, no study group. In fact , there are few if any students around outside of class. He is alone in a campus apartment designed for four. Most of the students are commuting. This is his first time living in an apartment; shopping for groceries, , cooking, laundry etc, although he did those things at home.</p>
<p>He is an extremely social kid and he is extremely lonely. Last night he had a chance to talk to someone in real life and feels a bit better.</p>
<p>OTOH, I was at a diversity job fair a few days ago, and Boeing (one of sons dream jobs) wants to see a 3.6 GPA!</p>
<p>Also, there is no math tutoring over the summer. Does anybody think an online tutor, in addition to the resources snarled, should be an option? Or maybe someone has a connection for a tutor we could hire in LA?</p>
<p>Not at all sure he’d want that, though.</p>
<p>DE - differential equations. 3.6 for a job at Boeing? He may have to look elsewhere at first then try to get in midcareer. I worked over 10 years at Hughes Aircraft which Boeing eventually purchased and very few people had a GPA like that. But times change I guess. Maybe we wouldn’t have a supposed shortage of engineers if companies weren’t requiring such high GPAs.I’m currently a government engineer and we never ask for GPA.</p>
<p>^ Yes; the Boeing rep said last year it was 3.2.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It isn’t that uncommon for biology majors to have calculus required, although there is often a different version that biology majors are allowed to take.</p>
<p>3.6 seems to be an unusually high GPA for companies to be looking for. However, in an economic downturn, they can be picky, or merely trying to reduce the flood of applicants to a manageable level using whatever (often crude) screens for quality that are available.</p>
<p>I thought that most universities required Calc 1 and Calc 2 for the degree, just like requiring two semesters of English. I’ve heard of some that allow you to substitute some things for Calc 2 like Introduction to Logic but I think that two semesters of math is a reasonable core requirement.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Very few actually do, if those courses are not required for the major. Many do have a “quantitative reasoning” requirement, but that is often fulfilled by precalculus math, non-calculus-based statistics, etc…</p>
<p>For example, Boston College requires “1 course in Mathematics”:
[Academic</a> Policies and Procedures - Boston College - Student Services - Boston College](<a href=“http://www.bc.edu/publications/ucatalog/policy.shtml#corecur]Academic”>http://www.bc.edu/publications/ucatalog/policy.shtml#corecur)</p>
<p>Some of the eligible math courses are listed here:
[Core</a> Level Course Descriptions - Mathematics Department - Boston College](<a href=“http://www.bc.edu/schools/cas/math/courses/core.html]Core”>Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences | Boston College)</p>
<p>Hmmm. I had a look at the CAS requirements for math, geo, chem, physics, bio, and pre-med and they all look like they want at least Calc 2. I’m a bit surprised at the requirement of many of the other majors.</p>
<p>One of my sisters had to take Calc 2 for her accounting program (Michigan I think).</p>
<p>A friend (English/Journalism) at University of South Carolina had to take Calc 1 + Calc 2 or some alternatives.</p>
<p>I wonder if it has always been like this.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>All of those majors are typically those that require calculus 2 or higher math for the major (or medical school). Humanities majors, and social studies (other than economics) majors typically do not have calculus as a major requirement, and would not need to take it unless they are at a school like MIT that requires it for all students.</p>
<p>Accounting is usually part of business, and business majors typically have to take a year of freshman calculus for their major.</p>
<p>Your son could ask the summer staff if they have a tutor he could hire. Also other local colleges could have a name. I wonder if a huntington center tutors calc II? Craigslist and meeting at the library. One on one tutor might be just what he needs.</p>
<p>Wow. If I took it, it’s a shame that it does not even look vaguely familiar. Husband doesn’t seem to remember it, and HE went to Columbia! Gulp. Well, it hasn’t come up in my practice, so there’s that.</p>
<p>D was an English major and took calculus before she realized there were other ways satisfy the two quantitative requirements. She knew better the second time. </p>
<p>I’ll share the tutor ideas. Thanks again.</p>