Anyone not good at math but turned things around?

Etak, BSN, RN · Oct 18, 2019

Yes!!! me, me, me!

Here’s my math history.

algebra for the first time in 9th grade. I was always weak in math and got paired with an awful, truly awful teacher that HATED kids. She threw the book at us, didn’t teach a thing, and then called our parents in front of the class, during class, to tell them we didn’t do our homework that no one knew how to do. It was a long time ago, so I didn’t remember if I got a D or F, but it was bad. It was traumatizing, and I don’t say that lightly. This set the tone for math for the next decade of my life.

I retook algebra in 10th grade. Good teacher, but hated the subject. Scraped by with a C.

11th grade I had geometry and was passed with a C that honestly, I didn’t earn. My teacher pitied me when I really should have failed.

12th grade, I took business math. The kind where you learn how to balance a checkbook. It was math for the dummies that needed to check a box to get enough credits to graduate and I fit right in. I couldn’t risk taking a difficult math because failing again literally would stop me from graduating high school. (BTW, otherwise, I was a very good student. All As and Bs otherwise but just suffered at math)

Community college in 2003, algebra again. It’d been two years and I was never good at it to begin with so I needed to try to rebuild the foundation. Got a D.

Decided college was not for me and I’d never get through the math to any degree. Gave up.

Fast forward many years and I become dead set on nursing. I figured, I’ll do my very, very best. If it’s not enough, then I just wasn’t cut out for it.

2016 I re-enroll in community college absolutely determined to get through math. I retake that remedial algebra class, and on the first day I open my book and there’s an entire paragraph about the American belief that people are born “good” or “bad” at math. But in Japan, there’s no such myth. People that work hard at math are good at math and those that don’t, don’t. I decided to adopt the Japanese stance on this, as clearly the cards were stacked against me if I continued to believe I was “bad at math.”

First semester back in basic algebra: A. Not only that, I aced my cumulative final and my instructor said I got the highest grade anyone she taught that semester. She wrote that in red pen on my final. I kept that paper. It was my first math victory in my life.

second semester: intermediate algebra: A. Not just that, but I breezed through the class and ended with over 100%.

third semester: statistics, the last math class I needed: A.

the next couple of semesters my focus switched to the science prerequisites (and the strong grasp on algebra really helped in chemistry, fwiw) then I started studying for the TEAS.

My math section of my TEAS score? 100%.

So here’s what I did to turn around my math “life”

1) adopt a new attitude. Say it out loud. I was not “born bad at math.” I never learned how to do math, but I am not incapable of learning now. This is SO important and honestly, I’m convinced the key to my success. A quote I love and always say to myself and to my kids is: “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” -unknown

2) Do what it takes. This might mean frustrating amounts of work that go above and beyond the assigned work. I did this before every test, I took practice exams before every test that my teacher never even saw. I did every problem I could find for every chapter. A lot of people don’t like to do work they won’t get credit for. That’s dumb. Your teacher won’t see it, but your test score will. Most college professors don’t check homework to see if you did it. Do it anyway, that’s how you study math.

3) go to every class, do every assignment. No exceptions.

4) YouTube!!!! YouTube was not a thing when I was in high school. My goodness, I don’t know how people got through school without it. Maybe your teacher isn’t getting through to you and you just can’t grasp a concept. Whatever it is, someone, somewhere has made a video for you. And you can watch it 1000 times if you need to. And keep at it. You will do well!

Take the idea that you can’t do it right out of your head and promise yourself you’ll do whatever it takes. Then, you will. It’ll be hard but you CAN do it!

verene, MSN · Oct 18, 2019

Yes! I was TERRIBLE in math all through out grade school, middle school, and highschool. I had to repeat algebra, I barely passed geometry and ended up dropping out of pre-calc. I knew that my math skills needed to improve in order to go to nursing school. I used Khan Academy (online, free) and started over at the very beginning with kindergarten math and worked my way forward doing independent math review. It was a life changer! I'm actually not bad at math but had apparently never learned some of the foundational skills from K-2nd grade level math. Once I got those down it made so much more sense! I was able to test out of math pre-reqs except statistics and I got an A in my statistics class - first time EVER getting an A in a math class.

Ella26, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2019

Yes! I was definitely bad at math, (I got Bs and Cs in math in high school), I hated it!

So... in college I avoided it like the plaque, until I couldn’t anymore...

I needed it to progress in my courses. In LPN school, I failed 1 pre-clinical dosage calc exam. That’s when it hit me that if I don’t get the hang of it, this WILL prevent me from being a nurse. This could not happen! Failure was not an option!

I went and bought a dosage cal interactive program and did tons of questions. Read the book. Memorized conversions. Made sure I understood all the formulas and passed all of the rest of my clinical math exams with nearly 100%. This worked for LPN-RN bridge as well, never failed another one again...

Until, I went back for my BSN...that’s another story...

I had to take STATs for my BSN, it nearly drove me insane! It was like no other math I had ever encountered! Even with a tutor, I barely passed (got a C ?).

But, I think a lot of it had to do with the instructor as he was badly rated on “Rate My Professor”, (D rating). But, his class was the only class that fit my schedule. There was no other option.

The class started with about 35 students and so many dropped or failed over the term that by the time I took the final, there were like 10 students left in the class!

He was a very smart man, he had like a doctorate in Stats or something like that. But, the way he taught was as if we already knew as much as he did. He didn’t break things down or thoroughly explain them in simple terms to our understanding. We would have to ask him repeatedly to slow down or re-explain a concept. He would scoff at us and begrudging go back over it. This was intro to STATs, he taught like it was advanced. It was terrible! It nearly broke my sanity!

I’m so glad that part of my life is over!

At work, the math is very simple and I use a calculator to be certain...

I guess it was a necessary evil I had to endure just so I can write BSN after my name... sigh....

Good luck!

J.B.Chan, BSN · Feb 18, 2020

I literally am getting severe anxiety thinking about taking Stats at UTA. I have heard horror stories. It's a 15 week class and I am like..uggh! I am not going to let one math class keep me from becoming a CFNP. I will do what it takes to get through it and I know how I am...just passing with a C will not be an option. I will make an A or a B. If I have to eat, sleep and pray Stats, then that's what I'll do.

allnurses Guide · Feb 19, 2020

I am terrible at math, so much so that it took me almost 20 years to go back, face college algebra and get the degree I wanted. I have an MSN and four degrees now.

Study. That is literally the only answer. You study. You accept that you are going to have to work harder, seek more help and study more than most of the rest of your class.

Then you do that. Then you move past it.

HandsOffMySteth · Feb 20, 2020

On 10/18/2019 at 8:24 AM, Wannabenurseneko said:
I cam bad at math trying to turn things around by studying for it before taking math. What did you do to turn things around in math?

The problem is not that you are bad at math. The problem is you don't know what to do. Math is like Kung Fu, you need to master the basics before you can do the harder stuff. There is no feeling in the world like learning something you previously thought you could not do!

never panic, take things step by step.
memorize how to solve each type of problem, lots of repetition helps.
make sure you know the order of operations, commit this to memory
If you have a bad teacher ,use online resources such as YouTube or Kahn Academy
When testing, do all the easiest problems first and draw a star next to the ones you need to go back to. This will help you with the time allotted.
Study for an hour and take a fifteen minute break, then repeat. This will help keep you focused.

Wannabenurseneko · Apr 23, 2020

I’m definitely doing what you said now

Guest1142305 · Apr 23, 2020

Yes, I was horrible, Aleks saved me. Well worth the $20 a month. They have a covid19 promotion right now. Sign up as an independent learner and you will have access to a plethora of courses at different levels. I used them to learn precalculus, college algebra, and statistics. Also used them to learn Chemistry.

Tegridy · Apr 25, 2020

I would just learn what you need to know for prereqs. I’ve done nursing through a masters and med school. I don’t really remember much algebra. You don’t have to be good at maths for a medical career. I remember zero calculus and was never great at it. Welcome to the club. You will be absolutely fine.

Tenebrae, BSN, RN · Apr 26, 2020

My maths test at the start of my degree was aweful, couldnt even make 50%.

I recommend the book maths and meds for nurses. Forget who wrote it, but it takes you right through the underlying maths and then how it relates to the drug calculations we use in nursing

northmississippi · Apr 26, 2020

You need to buy a book called ACT for Dummies and study the math section. I taught myself algebra with it. It's and easy and fun book.