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I hate math, but was able to get through college algebra and statistics with an A. It can help to have awesome professors, which I did, and to use the tutoring services offered by your college. Also, I had to tell myself at the beginning of class that I could do this. Telling myself this changed my negative mindset. Take it one step at a time and never try to take more classes than you can handle.
Zoe92 is right! You only need to be successful in math one day at a time. Quit looking way far out into the future of equations. All you need to do is take it one class period at a time. If you get stuck on a concept, find a tutor and master that concept before the next class period. It is very overwhelming if you look at the whole, so take small parts first. I once had a teacher ask, Question: How do you eat an elephant? Answer: One bite at a time. So Math should be 'one bite at a time'.
Are you at a major university or smaller community college? Even if you plan on doing your nursing program at uni-level, I highly recommend getting the math basics done at a community college for two reasons: A) the class sizes are usually smaller, and B) classes usually cost less, so if you need to take more pre-req math courses to get to where you have to be, it's less of a hit on the wallet. Plus, I don't know about the CC's in your area, but my community college only requires the College Placement Test, not the ACT, which I found to be much less stressful for some reason.
A bit of a background: though I did very well in all my subjects in high school, I always hated and stressed over math. Two years after graduating, I took the CPT and found out just how much math I'd lost from high school in those two years. However, college was...different. I don't know how to otherwise describe it. Not only did I finish up my College Algebra courses with A's (and lasting comprehension!!!!), but I also went on to College Stats and excelled in that as well (as in, not only was this my first-EVER college course I finished with a 99.8% average, but I-the self professed math hater-loved it). A lot also depends on your professor, as well, which is why I always recommend researching your options with those professor rating sites out there.
You can do it! Just remember: bite sized pieces, make sure to get the basics down pat, and go easy on yourself if you don't get it right away. It will all come together in time!
amber4452
8 Posts
Hello, i just want to start off by letting everyone know that I really want to be a nurse. It has been my dream for years! However, I have a problem. I am HORRIBLE at math and anything involving equations and conversions. Throughout high school, for the most part I got good grades. I know college is much different and i am terrified. My memory is horrible, my math skills are just flat out horrendous and I am not quite sure if I would make it in nursing school (that is if I even get in, after taking basics at the community college). I havent even taken the ACT yet, but ive been looking at the practice questions and to put it bluntly.. i suck
I always did well on the standardize testing in school, but i guess most of what i learned just didn't stick.. Is there any advice you guys can give me? Has anyone else with my problem succeeded? I just want this so bad, but lately i've been feeling as if im just not capable of doing it. Please help...