I am a Running Start Student at a Community College in the state of Washington, looking into the Bioengineering Program at the University of Washington and applying for Fall 2017 with a Direct Transfer Associates in Biology. My performance in math has mostly been Bs the first year of high school (Geometry and Algebra 2) and upon taking math here I’ve gotten a 2.1 in Precalc 1, 2.4 in Precalc 2, and a 2.1 in Calc 1. I will be a high school senior this fall. I’ve kept in touch with the advisor for UW’s Bioengineering program until these past few weeks. I sent an email asking them on whether or not I should retake Calculus 1 or to move on and get the highest grade I can in Calculus 2/prove that I know the material through a good grade in Calculus 2 despite my past performance (this is what the math professor suggests, an aged graduate from UW. I personally would prefer to move on and finish this calculus series, but I am concerned for my GPA and what these low grades may prevent me from doing later on, possibly the bioengineering program or getting into UW itself). Since I’m applying this fall and I’ve got a biology and chemistry series (and the remaining calculus series) waiting for me next year, I’m taking summer quarter to clear up some degree credits so I have more time to study for the upcoming classes. Here’s what I’ve taken so far with their grades and what I plan to do for my degree and in preparation for admissions to the program, University of Washington, along with my high school diploma:
-Literature: 4.0,
-Precalc 1: 2.1
-Gov: 3.2
-Precalc 2: 2.3
-us hist 1: 4.0
-us hist 2: 4.0
-Calc 1: 2.1
-Psych: 2.4
-Eng 101: 4.0
Summer Quarter(now):
-Calculus 1 (retake for higher grade/understanding) or Calculus 2
-English 102 (online)
-World Music (online)
-online health/p.e. classes
Along this past school year, I was also part of my high school’s orchestra, completed year 3 of an after school “Advanced Biomedical Applications” program, and got a scholarship to attend the Honeywell Leadership Challenge Academy (a space and STEM program)
I am currently applying for a program and position related to leadership and STEM.
2016-2017
Fall:
-Bio&221
-Chem&161
-Calc 2 or 3, depending on what I take this summer
-Humanities
Winter:
-Bio&222
-Chem&162
-Calc 4 (req for Calc 1, 2, 3 to transfer to UW; depends when the course is offered)
-History Class or Politics
Spring:
-Bio&223
-Chem&163
-Calc 4, High school requirement, or Physics 100 (suggested by UW advisor as a preparatory class for the Engineering Physics series students take for the Bioengineering program)
I am using the opportunity to do well in the classes I’m taking this summer with no extracurricular activities to raise my GPA that has been lowered from my performance in mathematics. I am confident about getting 4.0s in all of them other than math. Doing well in Calc 2 will save my parents money this summer quarter and force me to relearn what I didn’t understand in the past math classes. Back when I was taking those classes, most of the hours I spent was on assigned worksheets and exam study guides through the tutoring services and solutions manual (which allowed me to pass, but are not grades in my mind are fit to UW’s standards or is good for my continuation in math. I needed to put more effort into math along with independently working on ALL of the problems offered in the book, whether or not required; habits I plan on forcing myself to do this quarter). Then again, I see students who performed well in Calculus 1 do poorly in Calculus 2. With Fall 2017 applications coming this December, I feel that to get admission to UW and the bioengineering program I need to increase my GPA through the classes I’m taking this summer and spring quarter; along with extracurricular activities and the completion of an unrequired calculus series (for high school and the degree, Calculus 1 is only required, doing well in the rest of the Calculus series would replace the B’s from math in high school, raising my high school GPA) that I now feel that I would do more poorly at UW after hearing my professor’s advice. 30 percent of both of his Calculus 1 and Calculus 2 classes are online homework/problems, the remaining percentage being split into 5 exams for Calculus 1 and 4 exams for Calculus 2; whereas he discussed how back when he took mathematics at UW, one was lucky if the professor offered a 10 percentage for homework problems with only a midterm and final.
I am not sure if Bioengineering is something I want to major in. Its a major that interested me the most during the three years of the Biomedical Applications program I took and I have a strong interest in STEM; despite finding the subjects complicated/difficult time to time (math being the top contender). My parents have asked me to choose a university in-state and that the only reason I would go to one outside of Washington would be through a scholarship. The only university I see myself wanting to go to or finding a major I want within the state of Washington is UW. At this point, if my performance in math this summer (whether it be Calc 1 or 2) is improved through completing all of the problems and a professor who seems to be much more promising than my previous professor (it turns out she was the student of the professor I will be taking Calc 1 or 2 from!) I will go for the Bioengineering degree having a transferred AA and calculus, biology, and chemistry series finished.
I plan on retaking the redesigned SAT to get it up to at least 1400 this fall, I still have the ACT to try (I’ve searched for what UW expects for students to have on SAT, ACT, and subject scores; haven’t had much luck finding them but I aim to get those scores/possibly higher).
I have also considered retaking Calculus 1 along with an auditory for Calculus 2 (where you come for lectures but do not take exams/get a grade for). The auditory costs the same as for taking the class itself. My parents do not see the value of paying for a class with no credit/grade to come out of it. I was told by my professor that he does not recommend taking both of his classes or more than one of any class over the summer other than a P.E./health class. From what I discussed earlier, for Fall 2017 admission my choices are limited in spacing out what I want to accomplish along with what UW requires as a Running Start student.
The high school and community college math I’ve taken so far has taught me through and allowed me to use a graphing calculator. I switched to this college’s branching one (same institute, different locations, flexible math and science classes times) to find that they have a strict calculator policy UW also has a limited/lower leveled calculator policy in which I feel thankful that I am now being put into classes that teach the math behind what is done on a calculator and being prepared for UW/any higher university’s math. The professor says that he designs his exams in a way that a dollar store calculator is needed. Despite that, I am still concerned having been taught how to simplify or solve problems on a calculator since high school and the Precalc and Calc 1 I took at the previous college and getting it taken away for what may possibly be the rest of the calculus series at this college.
I would appreciate and give a big thank you in advance to anyone who takes their time to read through this and share some advice or criticism. For now, deciding between Calculus 1 and 2 comes first. In the meantime I will try to see if I can find another advisor or past/accepted students at UW who will answer some of my questions.