<p>okay, i play my Nintendo DS in Calculus BC class becuase i dont feel like listening to my teacher. Is there any particular book out there that i should get to ensure a 5 on the AP test? besides teh usual Barron, Arco, Princeton Review stuff. I just need some problems to keep me refreshed.... Thankx.</p>
<p>Btw, Mario totally rocks in Calculus. I guess the curves on the board just makes it all that easier to jump in circles in the game. lol</p>
<p>I don't want to sound cliche, but with an attitude like that... you do not deserve a 5 on the AP calculus test.</p>
<p>ap calc is so boring, once you truly understand the derivative and integral, it becomes so freakin easy.</p>
<p>On the contrary, Vladimir. I think the people intelligent enough to perceive the tedium of typical schooling and refuse to be zombies to it deserve the greatest rewards of all. Nothing makes me happier than seeing that nerdy girl (we all know someone like this) who always sits in the front, pays attention, does all her homework, etc. coldly fail (or get 4s, at least) her AP tests because she doesn't realize that education is more than doing what you're "supposed" to do.</p>
<p>As for the OP's inquiry... I don't know what prep books are good, but like Andrew said, just get the concepts down cold. Learn epsilon-delta limits, understand them intimately, and the rest of calc is cake.</p>
<p>Lol what the hell are the epsilon delta limits? Anyway, I didn't grow up in the USA, so maybe I don't understand the whole "nerd" idea. I'm not the most studious person, high SATs, B avg, Honors classes, so there are a bunch of people like me. However, please explain to me WHY IS IT BAD when a person is responsible about his work, does what he is supposed to do, and puts 100% into it. I actually have more respect for the person that you described (whom you would love to see fail), than for someone that plays games during his calc class, buys the review book a week before the test, thus taking an EASY WAY OUT, doing well on the test, then flushing it all out of his memory.</p>
<p>Everyone learns in different ways. Feuler brings up a great point. I enjoy seeing people being unique rather than just being so systematic. The people playing games are probably actually thinking, where the "nerdy girl" is probably just trying to get some process out of her teacher so she can memorize it.</p>
<p>THINKING is a hell of a lot better than memorization.</p>
<p>epsilon delta limits are like true definitions of the limit, not intuitive like you learn in AB.</p>
<p>Well, unless your teacher absolutely does not know what he's doing, playing games in CLASS?!?!?! :p</p>
<p>Get Barron's and go online to find problems.</p>
<p>you think paying attention is nerdier than playing video games in class? odd</p>
<p>I agree with fueler; seeing those perfect kids do bad brings me those moments of joy! Sometimes you gotta do that day to day focus--study only for that exam and only to get that good grade on the course. The educational idealism lasts so short.</p>
<p>hey Vlad, i understand your pain. Sometimes i hate seeing myself wandering off in games when some of the girls in the front desperately grasps for my teacher's notes. It's true that i'm doing "bad" things, but you know, my attitude is shared by many of our fellow students. High School can get SOOO BORING WHEN THE TEACHER DOESN"T TEACH. If it were a interesting class, hey, i might just pay attention. Lol. Hope u didnt' take offense Vlad, your work habits must be very admirable = the Perfect STudent.</p>
<p>wickedpriest, you have the right attitude. I truly hate those goody goody perfect girls who are teacher's pets and are the presidents of all the school's clubs. I have one of those at my school and I enjoy watching her miserably do poorly on the sats even though she has one of the highest gpas in the grade. Just felt like saying that even though I have no answer for your real question.</p>
<p>I exaggerated in my first post. But my point still stands- working hard in school is not an end to itself. The people who are going to be succesful in life are not the people who do exactly what the rules tell them to do, they are the people who know how to get out and get what they want, in whichever way works best for them, regardless of which rules they break in the process.</p>
<p>What do hard workers really have to show for it? Perfect grades? What about all the kids who skip class, never study, get drunk on weekends, and also have perfect grades?</p>
<p>I guess you can make an argument for work ethic; those who take the time to do the required work will be equipped to do so in the real world. But there is a flaw in that- in the real world, your goal is to get things done. Most school-work accomplishes nothing beyond wasting your time. The old cliche, "work smarter, not harder," is very true. It is the smart workers who will, in the end, profit by all the labors of the hard workers.</p>
<p>Playing games in class? Been there, done that. Statistical Theory 227. Metroid Fusion. Fun was had. I hated that class, passed it on 4 days of cramming before the final.</p>
<p>icyfire...I guess i fit in the category of girls you described. I am president of 2 clubs and I have a high GPA but I don't find it necessary to kiss butt..</p>
<p>and Calc BC....ughh...i am getting so tired of that class. we have been doing series and sequences for the past 2 months...and I just want to puke on them...but I've found a way to keep myself busy during that class. either i am sleeping or i'm playing on my calculator (so it looks like im doing work) ...I hate Calc BC...and esp series and sequences!! </p>
<p>Goo luck on the AP, guys!</p>
<p>Where are you guys getting all these false impressions? While I agree that the hard workers often prefer method over innovation, I cannot fathom how the people playing games are "actually thinking". Cramming 4 days before the AP exam with a prep book and getting a 5 isn't thinking or learning...in fact, I would say that this person is MORE test- and grade-oriented than the "nerdy girl" cariacature, since he/she only sees the final test as a product.</p>
<p>Get over the dream that natural intelligence alone will make you successful in life. While the people who don't have it may find it tough, you won't go anywhere without a work ethic. That work ethic is developed in school.</p>
<p>Feuler: "What do hard workers really have to show for it? Perfect grades? What about all the kids who skip class, never study, get drunk on weekends, and also have perfect grades?"</p>
<p>Hmmm, so we are looking at a lazy, irresponsible alcoholic with perfect grades. Tell me when you meet one, or better yet - get out of your dream world.</p>
<p>Conker is absolutely right; without work ethic you will go nowhere. But one has to be careful never to work for its own sake- ideally, someone will do whatever work they need to do to understand the material, and have time to spare to have fun, or, if they are very motivated, to delve deeper into the material, and understand it further than is required of them. If the homework is helpful, or if the lectures are insightful, then it is a good idea to take advantage of them. But doing all your homework because it is there, taking notes from lectures because they are there- that is not good work ethic, that is being blind to your own purpose. At least the people who cram right before tests have a distinct goal they are aiming for, even if it is a poor goal to set.</p>
<p>Vladimir (you hadn't posted when I started typing the above)- I was not describing lazy, irresponsible alcoholics. I was describing people who know how to get done what they need to get done and have time left over to enjoy themselves. Skipping class from time to time doesn't make you lazy, and drinking socially on weekends doesn't make you an alcoholic. And for the record, of all the 4.0 kids I know, about half of them do party on most weekends, skip class sometimes, and don't spend that much time on homework. The other half fit the more traditional hard worker stereotype. And the interesting thing is, guess which half has higher test scores.</p>
<p>To be honest, I have fit more into the "hard worker" group for most of high school. But this year, maybe due to senioritis I have started partying a lot more, blowing off homework, finding more time for athletics and activities, etc. and I'm beginning to realize what I've been missing. And the funny thing is, my grades haven't dropped a bit.</p>
<p>This world is not perfect. There are people that earn good grades without studying, and there are people who fail when they study 24/7. Simply, this world isn't fair. Learn to deal with it. How are you going to change the world if you think the person next to you who sleeps in every single class doesn't deserve the A he got? Just stick to your own beliefs and leave other people be. The truth is, you can't change a thing about how those people operate. If you get frustrated at the people who get good grades without working, how is that going to help you get a better grade? You might skip the time thinking about that and study instead.</p>