<p>It's almost the end of my second semester in CC and it looks like I'll finish Math 130 (College Alg.) with an A. The concepts aren't too difficult for me at this point really. However, It appears at though, barring unfortunate circumstances, that I'll be taking Calc. one next Spring. I'm really freaking out though, there have been a few people at my CC that got destroyed this semester by Calc. 1 and had to drop. Not only do I have to pass the class, but I have to at least get an A so that I can prove to myself that I'm capable of becoming an engineer. I just have to! Not only that, but if I drop the course it will take me below the 12+ credits I'd need to maintain full time status. :(</p>
<p>Is there anything I can do to lessen the shock of Calc? I need to know that I can be an engineer, it's honestly the only thing I'd want to study at a University. It's bad enough my demographic is underrepresented in engineering, I just don't want to become another dude that gave up on engineering because the math was too hard.</p>
<p>Some people just aren’t good at math, which is why so many drop out of calculus. That happens at every school. Still, millions and millions of others have passed calculus. If you get an A in algebra, then you’re probably in good shape for calculus.</p>
<p>Don’t increase the stress by insisting on an A. All I ever tried to do was finish in the top half of the class.</p>
<p>I don’t know what kind of engineering degree you’re going for, but I took three semesters of calculus & analytic geometry for my CS degree, and never used any of it for work. I did use a lot of trig, linear algebra, and statistics, though.</p>
<p>The key to doing well in Calculus I is practice, practice and more practice. Most people who struggle with Calculus I- struggle mostly because they are simply not dedicating enough time to the subject and YES, this class requires more time spent and practice than any other course I have taken other than Calculus II</p>
<p>I know a kid at my university who is an Aerospace Engineering major- he is taking this course for the second time and he is struggling again-He is capable, smart but his problem, like with most people who struggle with Calculus I is rather simple, they are not practicing the concepts enough times and yes, sometimes you will have to dedicate hours and hours to this subject.</p>
<p>If you got an easy A in Calculus- I question the quality of the institution you are attending- Here at Iowa State, the average grade for a Calculus I midterm is about 68.</p>
<p>My institution is far from the greatest, but my calc prof is surely one of the best.</p>
<p>Average of 68? Lol, my class was 57, it was easy for me, but not for my classmates. Some people are good at math, some aren’t, calculus I is a good weed out class, but the physics courses werw THE weed out classes</p>
<p>OP - don’t focus on what others have done. Maybe some people aren’t naturals at math, but you can do some things to increase your odds. Go to class (obvious, but some college students seem to put class at bottom of ‘to do’ list), take good notes, do homework as soon after class as possible when concepts are fresh and you have time to find help if you can’t get it, and introduce yourself to professor and use his office hours for help. Many schools offer free tutoring or Supplemental Instruction sessions. Go to these even if you feel good about material, since you may hit a bump later in semester and you want to do well on concepts that are easier. Don’t wait til midterm to look for extra help. </p>
<p>You said you’ll be in Calc next spring. That’s a long time between math. Maybe use Khan academy or elementary calc book (AP Calc maybe others have suggestions) and keep fresh on algebra skills and start reading ahead on calc. Good luck.</p>
<p>I was always good at math and it came fairly easily for me. I was surprised when I first took calculus in college (this was in the 70’s). I just didn’t get it! I ended up dropping it at the last minute because I was flunking. So next semester, I tried again and was panicky when I still didn’t get it! Then, about a week in, something just clicked- I still remember being surprised that I hadn’t seen it before. I ended up with A’s from then on. Calculus is very different from other courses you have taken before. You have to approach it with a very open mind and be willing to learn it without being able to justify WHY you are learning it as it will not be readily apparent at first. You will start applying it a little later and then it will all make sense. Just memorize and proceed even if you don’t understand why you are learning it- at least at first. I have to say, I don’t remember ever using it directly in my engineering career although much of what I did was derived using it- it was good to understand the basis for my designs!</p>
<p>There is huge variations between the quality of a Calculus I course taken at different institutions:</p>
<p>First time- took it at Minnesota State University, ended up with a B, learned about 1/3 of what I learned the second time I took it.</p>
<p>Second time-took it at Iowa State- Finished with a C. the grading was way harder and the test questions were way more challenging but I learned about 3 times more than the first time I took it.</p>
<p>In my experience, most people who get slammed by calculus I+II never really mastered basic algebra. They get stuck on algebraic computations and don’t have a chance to focus on the calculus concepts (which are not that difficult at the into level).</p>
<p>My advice would be to brush up on trig … most people in my Calc. class that have trouble struggle with trig … and the the algebra when it gets hairy …not so much the Calc. concepts themselves…once you grasp the concepts , the rest is just mechanics …</p>
<p>Before I started Calculus 1, I read through the “Calculus for Dummies” book and did the workbook problems. By the time I entered Calculus, I already knew all of the topics and I got an A without any effort.</p>
<p>I keep giving the same advice. Take it from a great math student who was also a tutor and saw his tutees succeed or fail based on what <em>they</em> did: follow my advice and you should be fine.</p>
<p>A math class is like a music class, unfortunately many people see it as a history class.</p>
<p>With a history class you have all your books with you when writing papers and homeworks so you’re fine, and to do well on tests you just do lots of cramming the week (or night) before the test, and this strategy can actually work for lots of history classes. A lot of people think math can be handled the same way. They are wrong.</p>
<p>In a music class (say, piano), you have to play the piano every day. You have to MAKE TIME and sacrifice time away from things you’d rather do. You have to PRACTICE to get better. You can’t watch tv all semester and then try to cram all of your piano practice into one night.</p>
<p>The same thing I stated early, some people are good at math and others aren’t, I’m sorry but if you struggled with calc I, you’re probably choosing the wrong major.</p>
<p>I appreciate your sympathy, Lookingbehind you, but I am not an engineering major. While I applaud you for being one of those that finds math easier, I am not sure its helpful to suggest that if calculus is not an easy A , one doesn’t belong in engineering. But it sounds like you have more experience in the area than I.</p>