Putting the C in AP Calculus

<p>I've always been great at math--straight A's. This year, all mathematical ability has seemingly abandonned me and I'm getting a C this first quarter. It doesn't help that my teacher is borderline incompetent. </p>

<p>I applied early decision to a very prestegious and competitive university. I have an A in all of my classes, except this one, single, honking--C! I'm assuming there's not much I can do about it, but I thought I'd ask just in case. </p>

<p>Could it be helpful to ask my guidance councilor to send a note to the university explaining how difficult the teacher is and how nearly half of our class is failing? I really hate doing that, because I take responsibility for the fact that I should be doing better as there ARE people who did do fine. But I don't want this one C to keep me from getting accepted! </p>

<p>Any words of wisdom/comfort to offer? Thanks!</p>

<p>Are you in AP cal BC? Can you transfer to AB?</p>

<p>c- c or c+? is it a weighted c? I have a B- in AP Calc and a B in AP Bio and I'm not too too worried because they are basically the hardest AP's offered. Just make sure you get it to an 80 2nd quarter.</p>

<p>D got a C+ in Calc. first quarter and deferred from her highly competitive early decision school. She brought this up to a B for the second quarter and was admitted.</p>

<p>I think a note from the guidance counselor would be helpful. Being proactive is always an advantage.</p>

<p>You might think about a tutor for the second quarter.</p>

<p>We're in the same boat here. I'm not performing well in Calc either, but I applied ED so I don't know whether my first semester grades will factor into admissions decisions. Anyway, regardless of how difficult the course is, I'd really advise you against "making excuses" for the grade as I've heard colleges don't look favorably on that. I would suggest that you take the Math IIC SAT II (if you haven't already) to prove you're capable in mathematics in spite of what your grade may indicate. If you do that I'm sure the admissions officers will be able to figure things out without your having to send a note.</p>

<p>I second the suggestion that you hire a tutor. My S tutors and once he tutroed a smart kid with a lousy teacher. They only met once, and we never heard from them again. I assumed it was a bad match - turned out one hour was enough to get her past the bad teaching.</p>

<p>How about starting a study group? My oldest son was part of one that met on Sunday evenings for most of senior year. They had a good time, and everyone did well in the class with the extra support. If you do start a group, invite the top students in the class to join, and treat them well.</p>

<p>
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Could it be helpful to ask my guidance councilor to send a note to the university explaining how difficult the teacher is and how nearly half of our class is failing?

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No, and no. It's making excuses, not what a top college is looking for in its applicants.
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I really hate doing that, because I take responsibility for the fact that I should be doing better

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If you "really hate doing it" then you wouldn't; the fact you're trying to find out what colleges are going to think shows the only thing holding you back isn't your distaste for making excuses but consideration of how it will be seen. You may TELL yourself you're taking responsibility, but you're not. A person who took responsibility would not be thinking about sending a note telling a college how mean the teacher is and how unhappy everyone else in the class is too. They would be figuring out how to learn the material.</p>

<p>Here's how I see it, and how I think colleges see it. You seem to view your education as if there is an implied contract between you and the school. Their job is to supply books for the class and teachers to explain the material. You hold up your end of the bargain by doing a reasonable amount of work to learn the material, turning required assignments in on time, etc. It is <em>unthinkable</em> that you'd have to do more work than the rest of the top kids are doing. It is <em>unreasonable</em> that you'd have to take the initiative to learn something (say, calculus) on your own; the school owes you competent instruction and if they don't give it then nobody could possibly hold you at fault for not learning the material. Hence you think it may be justifiable to send a letter to a college essentially saying "this grade isn't my fault; I have a bad teacher". And you think this while simultaneously saying you "take" responsibility for your grade. Come again?</p>

<p>If you probe a bit, I think the "I only have to learn what they teach" idea is how many HS kids view school. Probably a lot of college kids, too. Your job is to learn what they present, and if they don't teach something or don't teach it well then that's just too bad; not your fault. It may be a common view, and its probably ok for HS kids applying most places; that's all the college can get in the way of students. But its not the one the top colleges are looking for. At a "prestigious and competitive university" they can afford to sift thru their applicants and choose the ones that actually take responsibility for their education, responsibility demonstrated by doing something about it when the outcome they're getting doesn't match their expectations. Even if it means spending more time on a class than their peers. Even if it means independent work. And don't think this effort isn't seen by others and mentioned in recommendations.</p>

<p>In fact you could learn calculus on your own if you wanted, if you actually took responsibility for learning it instead of just proclaiming that you do. There are books for self-taught students. Workbooks with solved problems so you can practice. Websites explaining calculus, forums where you can ask questions. Software that you can use to learn and practice. As others have suggested, there are also tutors. A resourceful student, a student owning responsibility for their learning, would even consider taking the initiative to go to a local CC or college and posting a note on the board outside the math dept asking for someone interested in tutoring (better rate than hiring someone who is advertising for work). 1st-year calculus takes work, to be sure, but a student who accepts the responsibility for learning it can get it done. Those are the kind of kids prestigious and competitive universities are looking for.</p>

<p>I agree with Mikemac. MY D has a bad teacher as well and Math is not her strong subject. She is getting A- because she went to her best friend who's got a better teacher to help her learn. She formed study group and camped out on her AP calculus teacher daily. On top of that from what I read here, she is starting to google for math subjects online to help her better. In fact, in the brag sheet for her counselor, she did ask how D overcame this type of problem. Counselor wants to make sure student nails this problem before going to college. Not everybody will be so lucky to always have good teacher. The key thing is to realize when you need help and ask for help. There so much information on the internet now.</p>

<p>Amen, mikemac. My D complained early in the quarter about the quality of the lectures in her AP Euro class. I took a look at the text book and it's pretty good. I told her this would be a great experience in learning a subject simply by digging into a text book and the subject matter in other ways. She's embracing Euro now, but not the teacher. Lifelong learning is often achieved strictly though reading and perserverance.</p>

<p>I want to add that since it's only early in November it isn't too late for the OP (or others in a similar situation with a class) to dig down and start learning the material. This has several personal benefits. The obvious one is that it leads to a better grade in the class. But there's much more than that -- it starts you developing an approach that will pay dividends not just in school, but for all the years to come. </p>

<p>Many people are just drifting thru life (even though they don't realize it), their reluctance to take charge leaving them at the mercy of outside forces. And for most people, most of the time, this works out ok. Your HS curriculum is designed to deliver an education to the average person, at college the distribution requirements will mean you get exposed to several branches of learning and when you finish your major you will have covered one area in more depth, and so on. Once out in the workforce they do their assignments competently and on time, seemingly satisfying their employer. Just meeting others expectations is drifting, confusing keeping up with taking control.</p>

<p>The first problem is things designed for the average person aren't designed with your personal preferences and advancement in mind. You won't get the most out of college if you just wait for someone to tell you to do something. The career center isn't going to call and offer internships, your college isn't going to beg you to study abroad, odds are your profs aren't going to invite you to stop by their office so they can discuss your favorite areas in more detail. The college experience is much richer if YOU take ownership of making things happen -- that's what saying "I take responsibility" really means.</p>

<p>And it doesn't end in college; a lot of people get a shock when they get into the workforce with the ingrained habit of just doing what they're asked when they're asked. That's average performance, but the people getting the promotions and attention of management are the ones that do MORE than asked, that constantly search for ways to improve things and help out without being asked to do so. You know the saying "first impressions are lasting ones", and this is very true in the workplace. When you start a job your coworkers and the managers are forming an impression of you, and once they see you as just a steady worker but nothing special that's how you'll probably always be seen no matter how hard you try later. At each level only a few people are advancing, and unless you do more than average you're not going up very far.</p>

<p>So what does a C in calculus have to do with all this? Will the world change if you work to bring it up? Yes and no. No, it isn't going to change things in time to make a difference in your college apps. And if that's all that drives you, stop reading right here. On the other hand, if you decide now that you're the type of person who sets high goals for yourself and then makes them happen, making the extra effort now is a way to prove to yourself that its really true and not just so much hot air. Words are cheap, and its easy to say "next time I'll ..." You may even convince yourself that it's true, but the easiest person to fool is always ourselves. A wise man once said that character is what we do when nobody's looking. The adcoms aren't going to see if you buckle down and take responsibility for learning calculus instead of just mouthing the words. It will matter only to you, and that's all the difference.</p>

<p>
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If you probe a bit, I think the "I only have to learn what they teach" idea is how many HS kids view school.

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</p>

<p>That surely is a common idea in high school, and that is why many successful high school students are shocked when they get to college and have to take more initiative in learning. </p>

<p>To the OP, depending on what else is in your application file, one C grade in one course may not make a big difference in the admission decision. The other parents who have replied to you are correct that the key issue is to learn to learn even if the teacher doesn't teach in a way that resonates with your brain. Train your brain to learn in other ways. </p>

<p>P.S. to the other parents: LOTS of families can't afford tutors, not even one lesson from a tutor. But of course the OP indicated that she was applying ED, and if she is that sure about being able to accept any financial aid offer, her family can probably afford a tutor too. Some learners have to do things the really hard way and rely solely on library books for supplemental instruction, in towns where the library has few math books.</p>

<p>helenrez,</p>

<p>A C in calculus in your senior year obvioulsy sucks. I think mythmom, though, offers a great and hopeful example of success. </p>

<p>What is important is the pace with which you progress from here. Make sure you get at least a B to B+ this term and then you, if you have to, can tell a cool story in your RD apps about how you really buckled down and learned how to tackle a very difficult subject. </p>

<p>Despite the soap-box nature of mikemac's posts and their lack of concision, he makes some good points. Make no excuses, take responsibility, be proactive, dig very, very deep, get help, do LOTS of practice examples, don't give up, show grit, etc. It's how I got through Calculus B last year (which btw was twice as hard as Calculus A). In the end, I found it to be one of my proudest and most satisying accomplishments ...ever. I got a B. </p>

<p>Best of luck, you can do it!</p>