Math!!!!

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Ok so I will be starting my pre req's this fall. I knew I wasn't the greatest at Math but this is what I want to do in life. So today I went for my placement testing and I did horrible ont he math section! Great huh.

Has anyone had to start from scratch when going back to school?

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Specializes in LDRP.

yeah, i didnt even study for my placement test because the only requirement was to test at algebra 1 or higher, and i took trigonometry in high school (only a year before) and took it and had to take algebra anyway. i thought since i did so bad the class might actually be hard for me, but it wasnt hard at all. i guess i just forgot some stuff and had to brush up a little bit.. but my advisor told me about 75% of students mess up the placement test and end up taking a lower math than they actually should... so dont worry, plenty of people have to start from the beginning. at least youll have it all fresh in your mind.

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Hey, what math did you test into and can you retake the placement exam?

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Specializes in ICU/UM.

I started out in basic algebra (remedial/developmental; got a C) and worked my way up to Stats (B).

I just clinched my first ever A in math for an applied mathematics class (the preferred math for the nursing program and buffs up my GPA). :lol2:

I was diagnosed with a learning disability in math as a fifth grader and took remedial classes through out my scholastic career. So believe me when I tell you that it's okay and completely doable. :up:

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Good morning!

I did horrible on the Math portion of the CPT and had to start from the beginning. I haven't been in school in 20 years. I wasn't so bad, currently I am passing with a A. I have my final next week. I have 2 more math classes to take but I am going to retake the CPT next week and hopefully skip at least the next math class and only have to take Intermediate Algebra which is the only pre-req required for NS. If I don't do any better on the test, I will take both math classes this fall and get them out of the way. Summer classes were a lot of work but fall should be a little more laid back. You can do it.

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I too did awful on my placement test. So I took the basic college math course this summer, I couldn't belive how much I had forgot. Simple things like order of operations and fractions. I have my final next tuesday. I have an A average in the class. Very pleased and no longer ashamed I took the course. Next Algebra 1.

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Yep, same here, going through an Algebra class right now. I had taken math all the way up to Precalculus, (granted, this was almost 10 years ago, and it didn't transfer in because I got a D), but like previous posters said, I didn't really study as much as I should have before taking the test and also had forgotten the most basic of things...

Getting an A though, at least it'll be a boost to my GPA!

I also agree w/ ThatPoshGirl though, if you want, see if you can retake it. I know at my school, you could pay to retake it, after a certain amount of time...or I actually went in to the advising office and kind of made a stink that I had placed so low that one of the advisors gave me a slip to take it again for free...I ended up not retaking it though, because I didn't really think I would do any better after having to try to re-teach myself stuff..and I don't regret having taken the class this summer, cleared out a lot of cobwebs! :chuckle

Good luck!

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The more I think about it and the more I read the posts the more I say to myself - "You haven't picked up a math book in 8-9 years, go from the begining and you'll do better that way. I don't want to be thrown in a class I just a skidded by with the placement test and risk hurting my GPA".

Thanks everyone for sharing your expierences. It puts my mind at ease

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Specializes in hospice.
The more I think about it and the more I read the posts the more I say to myself - "You haven't picked up a math book in 8-9 years, go from the begining and you'll do better that way. I don't want to be thrown in a class I just a skidded by with the placement test and risk hurting my GPA".

Thanks everyone for sharing your expierences. It puts my mind at ease

That's exactly what I went through. I hadn't taken any math in years, but what I had taken was enough to qualify for my NS prereqs. Therefore, when I actually started NS back in May, I was scared to death of all of the med math we encountered. Plus, I was never good in math. But you know what? I've ended up doing well. I passed my med math test on the second try (we got three tries), and on our last test (this past Wednesday) we did IV drip rate math (with very little instruction on how to do it, btw). I did really well on that, too.

It's good that you are recognizing what you need to brush up on. That will help immensely when you actually get into NS, so that you won't get behind in things. NS is hard enough; it's best to stay on top of things from the beginning.

You can do it. :yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah:

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The more I think about it and the more I read the posts the more I say to myself - "You haven't picked up a math book in 8-9 years, go from the begining and you'll do better that way. I don't want to be thrown in a class I just a skidded by with the placement test and risk hurting my GPA".

Thanks everyone for sharing your expierences. It puts my mind at ease

You may want to think about this some more. As you said, you haven't picked up a math book in years. Consider spending a couple of weeks with some math books. Your nursing program will probably require college algebra or precalc. The closer you can get to that without having to take classes the less money you will need to spend. The reason I decided to make a real effort to teach myself algebra was because I didn't want to spend an extra year and $1000 catching up. I saved a lot of money and it only took me a couple of weeks to get caught up. Everyone is different, but I think it would be worth your while to give catching up a try before spending the money. If it doesn't work out then go into the lower math class. But if you go right into the lower math class and things start to come back you may regret it because once you enroll in a math class you probably can't retake the assessment test.

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Specializes in hospice.
You may want to think about this some more. As you said, you haven't picked up a math book in years. Consider spending a couple of weeks with some math books. Your nursing program will probably require college algebra or precalc. The closer you can get to that without having to take classes the less money you will need to spend. The reason I decided to make a real effort to teach myself algebra was because I didn't want to spend an extra year and $1000 catching up. I saved a lot of money and it only took me a couple of weeks to get caught up. Everyone is different, but I think it would be worth your while to give catching up a try before spending the money. If it doesn't work out then go into the lower math class. But if you go right into the lower math class and things start to come back you may regret it because once you enroll in a math class you probably can't retake the assessment test.

Good points. :yeah:

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I never did well in Math (at all) I was always a year behind. So I know it really won't come back to me all that quick.

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