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I'm a "non-traditional student" (33yrs old) and after having done ok in all my other classes (3.5 cumulative gpa) calculus has just made me feel mentally challenged! The frustrating part is I feel like I really do understand the material. I understand the concepts and how to apply them to "real world problems" but get totally lost with the arbitrary equations. For example on the tests and homework I do great on "story problems" because when using real world references I can understand what solutions actually make sense. Unfortunately our tests are made up of mostly random equations with only a few "story problems" at the end. Calc is the last class I need to get my AS (I already have an AA) and it looks like I will more than likely end up with a D in the class and therefore it wont transfer to a university plus it will drag down my gpa. I went back to a community college to bring my math and science levels up before transfering to a university to study engineering and now I'm not so sure I should continue to persue an engineering degree (significantly more math is required after calc).
My background: I completed an apprenticeship and have been a Journeyman machinist for over 10 years. My previous job title was "process engineer" at an aerospace company(5 yrs in that position) and currently I am a supervisor. I returned to school partially for my own satisfaction (I have always wanted a bachelors degree) and because I have started to realize that with out a degree I have pretty much reached my income limit.
Here's my question: Should I continue to slave away with mathematics or should I consider persuing a business degree instead? I prefer to stay or continue in management career wise but I feel that an engineering degree carries more respect and possibly a stronger probability of higher earning potential. Or do you think my specific degree would be less important due to my experience? When its all said and done I will probably continue in engineering mainly because I love challenges, I really enjoy the things you study in engineering, and maybe because I secretly enjoy torturing myself.
I guess I'm just looking for input on how important what type of degree I have will be considering the 15 years of exerience I already have in manufacuring, machining, engineering, and now management?
I will add that the reason I am so frustrated is that I studied my *ss off and it looks like I only managed to get a D. Prior to this last test I was just barely scrapping by with a C-. And this is coming from someone who managed to hardly ever study and still get B's in Chem 1 & 2 and Biology and A's in english, history, and poly sci classes. I also had a 4.0 for all my apprenticeship classes. Basically before calc I actually thought I was somewhat smart! lol
Yes I did see a tutor when I could, I bugged the crap out of the Prof during his "office hours". I work 45 hrs a week and took 9 credit hrs (I have always taken 9-12 while working) but the study time required was just more than I anticipated. Also because I understood the concepts and can "see" how stuff relates in calculus both the Prof and my tutor kept telling me I would be fine even though I felt incredibly lost. Next time I will take just calc so I can focus on it. There WILL be a next time, I cant let calc win!
Yes I did see a tutor when I could, I bugged the crap out of the Prof during his "office hours". I work 45 hrs a week and took 9 credit hrs (I have always taken 9-12 while working) but the study time required was just more than I anticipated. Also because I understood the concepts and can "see" how stuff relates in calculus both the Prof and my tutor kept telling me I would be fine even though I felt incredibly lost. Next time I will take just calc so I can focus on it. There WILL be a next time, I cant let calc win!
No, don't let it win! You can kick it's *ss!
I think it's a good idea to just take calc, that way you can devote all of your spare time to just that.
When I was in high school, also in the 80's, I took AP Algebra as a freshman and got a B. I understood the material but made a lot of careless errors. Plus I was fine with a "B". I probably could have gotten an "A" with more determination. Because I didn't get an "A" it was suggested that I take regular Geometry as a sophomore. I did so well in my Geometry class that my teacher suggested I take Trig in summer school so that I could take Pre-Calculus my junior year and Calculus my senior year. There were only about 20 kids out of 630 that followed that track to taking Calculus. All of them were in Geometry as freshman though. When I took Pre-Calculus I got "B's". But when I took Calculus I was lost. I muddled through it with "C's", but didn't feel that I even deserved that. It was the hardest class I've ever taken. I got "A's" in AP Chemistry, but Calculus was brutal. As was Physics which I took as a junior.
The point I'm making is that I had excellent math skills. My brain understands things analytically. And I struggled mightily with Calculus the first time I took it. I will say this I took Brief Calculus in college and it was much easier.
Calculus is known as being the great differentiater for a reason. It is known to be a good indicator of the ability to think abstractly necessary for math/science/engineering and those who cannot pass it frequently are not cut out for those degrees.
That being said it is entirely likely that if you take it on its own you will do significantly better. I would try that if I were you, but if you are not grasping the abstract concepts well in that situation I would switch degrees.
Oh, and I say this having taken right through diff eq and linear algebra, a common math tract for engineers.
Yes I did see a tutor when I could, I bugged the crap out of the Prof during his "office hours". I work 45 hrs a week and took 9 credit hrs (I have always taken 9-12 while working) but the study time required was just more than I anticipated. Also because I understood the concepts and can "see" how stuff relates in calculus both the Prof and my tutor kept telling me I would be fine even though I felt incredibly lost. Next time I will take just calc so I can focus on it. There WILL be a next time, I cant let calc win!
I suggest taking the Calc class all by itself. The second time round (if you do fail) should be much easier for you to grasp and with only 1 class you'll have more time to study.
I took engineering in college and physics was my hardest class. After a few weeks into the semester I realized I had to drop another class so I could devote more time to physics.
I'm a "non-traditional student" (33yrs old) and after having done ok in all my other classes (3.5 cumulative gpa) calculus has just made me feel mentally challenged! The frustrating part is I feel like I really do understand the material. I understand the concepts and how to apply them to "real world problems" but get totally lost with the arbitrary equations..... I went back to a community college to bring my math and science levels up before transfering to a university to study engineering and now I'm not so sure I should continue to persue an engineering degree (significantly more math is required after calc).
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Here's my question: Should I continue to slave away with mathematics or should I consider persuing a business degree instead? I prefer to stay or continue in management career wise but I feel that an engineering degree carries more respect and possibly a stronger probability of higher earning potential. Or do you think my specific degree would be less important due to my experience? When its all said and done I will probably continue in engineering mainly because I love challenges, I really enjoy the things you study in engineering, and maybe because I secretly enjoy torturing myself.
I guess I'm just looking for input on how important what type of degree I have will be considering the 15 years of exerience I already have in manufacuring, machining, engineering, and now management?
If you're not fundamentally sound in algebra and trigonometry then you'll have a very hard time with calculus because, as my college prof told me, "you have to complete the algebra and trigonometry in order to do the calculus." So, if you really want to become an engineer, brush up on your algebra and trig, and keep working on your calculus. There's no substitute for hard work. You'll get there if you really want to pursue your dreams. BTW, I have a BA in Math and I was forty - two when I graduated. Good luck to you.
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