- #1
Seth Newman
- 11
- 0
Greetings science enthusiasts -
Longtime lurker, first time poster here. I am in a bit of a weird position academically, and would love some pertinent advice.
Some background:
I am a former Firefighter/Paramedic who got a few AAS degrees (knocked out about 154 credits in 8 quarters), and recently decided to change to math/physics (something I've always dreamed of doing, was always too scared to attempt). I finished up my community college experience with a 3.97 GPA, with all of my undergraduate core work finished (literally everything except direct degree coursework).
I was a high school dropout at 15, and tested into PRE-pre-algebra in college. I basically said F that, taught myself a bit of math, and ended up taking Statistics 1 in Winter Term 2015, College Algebra last spring, and I just finished (two weeks ago) a 5 week accelerated Calculus 1 course, which I did by skipping trig entirely.
I received A's in all my math courses, until now it seems. I am currently halfway through an accelerated Calculus 2 course and am holding onto a mid-low B. The combination of an absolutely brutal professor who does not play the curve/EC game, put together with my poor lifelong math background and work schedule, have made this course brutal so far.
I know I can pull a C or B in the course, but I am concerned about how much material I am truly understanding. My current schedule for Fall 2016 is Vector Calculus 1, Series Calculus, and Calc-Physics 1. I am curious if anyone thinks swapping out the Series Calculus to retake Calculus 2 is a good idea. I am very concerned with my GPA, but even more than that, I am afraid that skirting by in Integral Calc may not set me up for success in my ever-approaching upper division physics coursework.
Would love some advice on what to do, and maybe a bit of what your experience was.
Appreciate the time,
Seth N.
Longtime lurker, first time poster here. I am in a bit of a weird position academically, and would love some pertinent advice.
Some background:
I am a former Firefighter/Paramedic who got a few AAS degrees (knocked out about 154 credits in 8 quarters), and recently decided to change to math/physics (something I've always dreamed of doing, was always too scared to attempt). I finished up my community college experience with a 3.97 GPA, with all of my undergraduate core work finished (literally everything except direct degree coursework).
I was a high school dropout at 15, and tested into PRE-pre-algebra in college. I basically said F that, taught myself a bit of math, and ended up taking Statistics 1 in Winter Term 2015, College Algebra last spring, and I just finished (two weeks ago) a 5 week accelerated Calculus 1 course, which I did by skipping trig entirely.
I received A's in all my math courses, until now it seems. I am currently halfway through an accelerated Calculus 2 course and am holding onto a mid-low B. The combination of an absolutely brutal professor who does not play the curve/EC game, put together with my poor lifelong math background and work schedule, have made this course brutal so far.
I know I can pull a C or B in the course, but I am concerned about how much material I am truly understanding. My current schedule for Fall 2016 is Vector Calculus 1, Series Calculus, and Calc-Physics 1. I am curious if anyone thinks swapping out the Series Calculus to retake Calculus 2 is a good idea. I am very concerned with my GPA, but even more than that, I am afraid that skirting by in Integral Calc may not set me up for success in my ever-approaching upper division physics coursework.
Would love some advice on what to do, and maybe a bit of what your experience was.
Appreciate the time,
Seth N.
Last edited: