I am taking Differential Equations this semester, but I might have to drop out because I haven’t been doing well in the class. My question is whether or not this would affect my TAG application as I have already submitted it. If I withdraw from this class and take it next semester, would that be a problem? I’m thinking that it shouldn’t be since I would still complete all of my major prerequisites prior to transferring, but I’m not sure.
Anyone know whether or not this would be a problem? Thanks!
I suggest you also spend some time thinking about how you can do better next semester because so much is riding on that.
In many math/science classes a rule of thumb is to spend 3 hours outside of class for every hour in class. Assuming your class meets 3x/week that means spending 9 hours each week from the start of the term reading the book, doing homework, doing extra problems on your own (yes, this is allowed).
Second is taking advantage of the resources at your school. Have you been going to office hours to ask questions about things that aren’t clear? Also at many CC’s they have free tutoring available; have you checked to see if yours has this? It may be offered in several places including the dept, a tutoring center, or a club on campus such as the math majors club.
Third is looking at online resources. Khan Academy is a good place to start. There are other websites that have advice, help, and tutorials.
Another great resource is a book like the “ Differential Equations Problem Solver” available for less that $10 from Amazon. It’s like a SAT review book for diff-eq with thousands of worked problems. Find the chapter matching what you’re studying in class, cover the answers, and start practicing. You can do this as part of the 9hrs/wk you spend on the class.
I’ll add that if you’re taking this class because you’re an engineering major then it’s one you’ll want to be performing at an “A” level in. The laws of the various engineering fields (electrical, mechanical, aeronautical, civil, etc) are to a great extent expressed in second-order ordinary differential equations. So for engineers mastering them is bedrock knowledge, tools you’ll be using in every class.
The general standard for college courses is 3 hours of work per week for each credit hour (“unit” in California public colleges and universities), including class time and out-of-class time, according to eCFR :: 34 CFR 600.2 -- Definitions. .
As a practical matter, some classes tend to take more time than others of the same credit value, usually due to having labs, art studio, music performance, large term projects, etc…