How to be Successful in Math Pre-Reqs

As a former professor told me, you can’t escape math no matter how hard you try. In most pre-nursing courses, you must take math to be considered for the nursing program. In my community college, one can either chose between mathematical modeling or college algebra. I ended up choosing algebra. Why? Back then, I considered math the lesser of two evils but schools that I was interested in required college algebra. I retook math in the Summer and AP2, and I was very successful in both, but what surprised me the most was my math grade. If you’re like me and math isn’t your forte, here are some tips to succeed in math.

Pick the right teacher!

I usually say this a lot, but picking the right teacher is vital! I had a great teacher during my first take, but her teaching style and learning style didn’t mix. If you are taking math the first time, I think it’s best to pick a teacher that is low in difficulty, especially when you’re dealing with a subject that you don’t quite understand or struggle with. When retaking, I took a professor who understood math was difficult to some, so he made it as easy as possible. The second attempt had its bonuses, such as showing your work was extra credit towards tests. Also, my professor, in the second attempt, had made a PowerPoint of the questions we were supposed to learn.

Learn how to work a calculator

This is usually explained in the syllabus, but usually, your teacher will tell you the importance of operating a calculator. This comes in handy, especially when working on graphs and for certain units.

Stay in constant contact with your teacher

During my first attempt and second attempt, I always contacted my teachers weekly. If I was having trouble or needed tutoring, I always sent an email to schedule time to improve myself in this subject. Doing this can go a long way in being successful in your math course and shows your professor you are willing to learn!

Write a list of things you don’t get

Before the midterm and the finals, I would write down the topics I didn’t get and use tutoring or resources to help me comprehend what I didn’t get during that particular unit.

Keep resources handy!

When it comes to Math, one thing I’ve done was keep a few resources in handy if my teacher wasn’t available. One resource that I constantly used during my math class was KhanAcademy and Mathhelp.com. These resources helped greatly when reviewing for tests, midterms, and finals.

Do not procrastinate on math

I had to learn this the hard way. When you procrastinate in math, prepare for one hell of a headache. If possible, always try to do your assignments as early as possible! When you procrastinate, you usually have to cram a lot, and with a difficult course like this, it usually backfires.

Stay organized

Knowing when your assignments are due and how much they are worth is the key to success. Along with this, I print out tests, powerpoints, and the work I did for previous units and keep them in a binder.

Take your time on exams

Some exams are usually 75 to 90 minutes, always take your time with your exams and don’t rush through them. From experience, I rushed instead of maximizing time and missed a couple of points.

Always take advantage of extra credit if offered- Some teachers offer extra credit. When the opportunity comes for extra credit, take it even if your grade is high, some professors say you won’t benefit from it if your grade is high but always take the opportunity to sharpen your skills.

References

How to Succeed in Math Courses