How difficult is a statistics course for someone horrible at math? (bachelor's, degree)

[Sally_Sparrow]

Pretty much two things now standing between me and my Bachelor's. College Algebra and an introductory statistics course.

I have other courses needed to graduate but no worries about the rest of them. Just these two.

I have posted elsewhere on CD about my math struggles. Assuming I can, by some miracle, manage to get through college algebra, I will then need an intro statistics course (psychology). How difficult will this be? What kind of math knowledge is used/needed?

When I had a different degree plan, I would have had the option of taking "contemporary math" (aka Liberal Arts math) instead of college algebra, and it was considered acceptable as a pre-req for a different introductory statistics course (criminology for example), just not THIS statistics course (psych) so I wonder.

[WesternPilgrim]

Originally Posted by sabride

Pretty much two things now standing between me and my Bachelor's. College Algebra and an introductory statistics course.

I have other courses needed to graduate but no worries about the rest of them. Just these two.

I have posted elsewhere on CD about my math struggles. Assuming I can, by some miracle, manage to get through college algebra, I will then need an intro statistics course (psychology). How difficult will this be? What kind of math knowledge is used/needed?

When I had a different degree plan, I would have had the option of taking "contemporary math" (aka Liberal Arts math) instead of college algebra, and it was considered acceptable as a pre-req for a different introductory statistics course (criminology for example), just not THIS statistics course (psych) so I wonder.

You need to be comfortable and competent with algebra to do well in statistics. Geometry helps too, believe it or not.

[Momma_bear]

I think Algebra is easier than Liberal Arts math. The problem with Liberal Arts math is a mishmash of a bunch of different subjects and that can be difficult for people who struggle with different mathematical concepts. You never really get a chance to master anything and then you are off to the next subject.

College Algebra is not much different from the Algebra that high school students take. It just moves along at a faster clip than it did in high school.

Statistics is fairly easy but you need to understand Algebra in order to take it. I am sure that is why College Algebra is required for that class. It doesn't mean that Statistics is some ridiculously difficult class.

[Huckleberry3911948]

stats w/o strong math? a death sentence and why we got a 50% drop out rate.. and that my friend is why i have been posting since 2007 the following.
all americans want a college education most just need a trade.
fake white collar trade schools called university--- sell ego fixes for $120,000 plus to americans wo line up to get em. those poor souls think that debt is just a bunch of numbers.
dont play that game.

[boxus]

Intro to stats is simple, even the most inept can do it.

College algebra a little more complicated, but with a little extra tutoring, you could still easily get by with a C.

You need HS math knowledge, nothing more.

But a lot will depend on the teacher.

[Katarina Witt]

Two courses away from a degree? Just do it! I'm not a math person, and I found both college algebra and stats easy.

[brightdoglover]

If I were OP, I'd just get a tutor and fight hard to get a passing grade.
I canNOT do quadratic equations. Algebra and chemistry make my brain hurt. I barely passed both in high school, and never took a college course that involved them.
Now, I have long thought that Psych majors are required to take stats (and usually early in the program) to weed out the faint-hearted.
I took graduate-level biostats and found it much easier than algebra, etc. Got a B+ with only minimal study. Couldn't tell you now, years later, much more than N equal or less to... but was startled that I could get a B+ so easily.

[toobusytoday]

My daughter just got her Masters and has said how helpful stats would have been as an undergrad. She said that it should have been required for her sociology major. She took two classes in it in Grad school, enjoyed them and got A's in both classes. I understand that stats for non-math majors is easier and probably more interesting.

You know you need those classes. Get the best teacher you can and plan on using a tutor. You CAN do it!

[NDak15]

I'm terrible in math and I passed my introductory stats class with a B. I asked lots of questions of the professor and other students.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by sabride

Pretty much two things now standing between me and my Bachelor's. College Algebra and an introductory statistics course.

I have other courses needed to graduate but no worries about the rest of them. Just these two.

I have posted elsewhere on CD about my math struggles. Assuming I can, by some miracle, manage to get through college algebra, I will then need an intro statistics course (psychology). How difficult will this be? What kind of math knowledge is used/needed?

When I had a different degree plan, I would have had the option of taking "contemporary math" (aka Liberal Arts math) instead of college algebra, and it was considered acceptable as a pre-req for a different introductory statistics course (criminology for example), just not THIS statistics course (psych) so I wonder.

Statistics focuses more on proof and conjecture (which, ironically, will probably make more sense to a Liberal Arts major than a math major) and how to gather, organize, and analyze data. Very little math is used, some will even argue that statistics is not math, what whether you want to call it math or not, any $12 scientific calculator has more statistical functions built-in than you will ever use. Depending on the data sets used, the amount of information, some problems can take a long time to work through. It can become extremely monotonous, but not too difficult.

You do not need any background in math to take a 100 or 200-Level introductory course in statistics, although these courses will have pre-recs (the pre-rec for stats at my university was/is calc I, which is rather silly considering the stats course was rather remedial as far as math goes; although there was one lower-level stats course offered... and two upper-division calculus-based stats courses). You will spend most of your time learning the vocabulary, how to properly collect data, how to eliminate, er...lessen, bias, and so on. You will also use Excel, StatCrunch, or the like as well. StatCrunch is similar to Excel, but watered down, and to be honest Excel (or StatCrunch) is going to be the hardest part of the course.