So.. Decisions about college

[Lindsey]

I'm waiting on my admission decisions at a few different schools, and by the end of the month, I'll know whether I'm going to school here at home, in another college in Brooklyn, or another one in Manhattan.

Maybe that decision will be made for me if I don't get accepted at all three, but maybe not.. I'll make that decision when I come to it, when my letters arrive.

What I'm really worried about:

I've always wanted to be one of two things when I grow up. Either a doctor (family practice or mental health) or a veterinarian.

But I have a little problem. I was homeschooled until 10th grade and as a result, I didn't learn math when I was supposed to, because my mom's not good at math either and she taught me various levels of consumers/business math without really getting into algebra or anything.

I'm now in my final year of online schooling, and while cyberschooling sucks worse than anyone could ever know until they're doing it, at least I have teachers to help me with the stuff I don't understand. I've spent two years working my ass off to learn what I didn't learn before.

I've achieved a 68 in Algebra I, a freaking 36 in Algebra II, and a 76 in Geometry. 90-100s in every other class, including science, but I can't even come close to anything but failure in math.

I'm seriously worried that I can't do better than this. I'm not equipped with a math brain and I didn't learn it early enough. I spend hours studying every night, I call my teachers when I need to and attend online conferences for tutoring, and.. I'm still not getting it.

So I'm faced with entering college with a biology, pre-med or pre-vet related major and staring down potential failure.

Or I could roll with mental health and major in psychology, but I'd still have to confront math eventually if I want to go to med school.

Alternatively, I could pick something that I'm interested in as a hobby (writing) and academically really good at, but end up with a job I didn't really want to begin with. I'm not sure how I feel about teaching, and I don't know what else I could do with an English or literature degree.

Ugh, I'm under so much stress about this right now.. I really needed to vent somewhere. I can't sleep, I can't read or do anything without being interrupted by all this thought and worry. If I think about this long enough I start getting physically sick But I need to keep giving it thought until I decide what to do about it! It's vicious.

Has anyone else gone through similar issues with college decisions?

[McGoddess09]

You sound like me over a year ago. I am horrible in math. So when I took my placement tests, I ended up starting in Elementary Algebra, which would be helpful if I already didn't learn this stuff. Most colleges, that I know of, do offer some sort of Elementary class, but it may not count towards graduation credits.

Whatever you do, don't let these fears take over you and have you back out. The most you can do is wait for your letter. It will turn out better than you expected. Everything will be fine. Trust the person who only applied at one school and was so nervous about it (pssst. I did get in ) You have waaaay better odds because you applied at three schools.

ETA: As for your major crisis, you do have two years of Gen Eds to make that decision. Just have your options open and see if you really like it.

[jnd4rusty]

I started back to college five years ago after a 22 year absence, I had never taken any type of algebra classes before then. I recieved a 26 on my math placement test!! I had to take Basic Algebra (no credits involved), Intermediate Algebra and College Algebra. I had a "C" for Basic and Intermediate and a "B" in College Algebra. In other words, for someone who started algebra in her 40's and still made it out alive, I can say you should do just fine. When you get accepted to your school, you should go hang around campus and chat with other students to get an idea of who is the best algebra teacher, once you find a good one, keep them for all your algebra subjects. I had an awesome one, he did not mind if we called him at midnight with questions, his goal was to help us understand. Also check with your math department about free math tutoring. I had to use a tutor for a little while and that really helped because it was "one on one".
So don't worry, you will be fine!! There are many options out there, embrace them!!

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Whatever school you go to should have tutors available to work with you one-on-one with anything you're having trouble with.

I kinda wish I had this in high school when I was struggling with AP Calc so much. I need help with my damn derivatives, dammit! But that wasn't an option, even with my Upward Bound tutors, because they didn't do such advanced math.

I'm with everybody else; don't panic. You're going to have four semesters to figure out what you want to do, and the tough math-y stuff you struggle with most might not even factor too much into your chosen field.

[Jester]

You haven't had much experience in math, so it would be hard to say whether or not you have a math brain or not. Either way, any college worth its salt will have basic math classes and tutors, both of which you should take advantage of to help you through to the more advanced stuff. And you might want to consider getting a private tutor. I don't know your financial situation, but if you can afford it, it might well be worth your while, as the one on one ability of a tutor can be quite impressive...especially when they are getting paid,

First get accepted at one or more of the colleges in question. Once you have that out of the way, then you can worry about the rest.

As for deciding which to go to....you're on your own in that one!

Alternatively, I could pick something that I'm interested in as a hobby (writing) and academically really good at, but end up with a job I didn't really want to begin with. I'm not sure how I feel about teaching, and I don't know what else I could do with an English or literature degree.

Remember, you can major in pre-med (or one of the similar things you cited) and later become a writer or teacher, but you cannot major in English lit and later become a doctor. Something to think about.

[Pairou]

I'm starting college too, either this month or in the fall. My math skills are virtually nonexistent. But like the others said, they should have elementary classes in math you can take. Try to just relax, get excited about college, and decide what you want to do as you go along. c:

[trailerparkmedic]

If you have the time, check with your community college and see if they have any half semester classes or summer math classes you can take. Maybe just having an in person teacher instead of an online teacher will help.

Don't panic. You have tons of time in college to figure out what you really want to do and to catch up if you really are behind.

I just wanted to throw out there, if you are interested in being a vet, look at being an animal science major instead of a pre-vet major. You'll still be able to take the classes you need for vet school, but if you decide to not go the vet school route, you'll be more marketable. I guess similar logic would be to get a biochemistry major or something not specifically "pre med" just in case.

[Amina516]

The have the "remedial" classes youll most likely have to take. They dont count for credits, but they put you back on par to where you need to be to start @ square one. I agree with Jester, that you havent had enough math to know if you have a math brain. Dont give up!

P.S....Dont feel bad. My prenursing school exam...I received (drumroll please) a whopping 13% on the math exam. It had been about 7 years between any math class and this test. I had even forgot how to do fractions. But theres hope. I passed my math class with an A- after i got reacquainted with the concepts.

[K'Z'K]

You've never taken a proper math class, so there's no way to know if you're actually good at it or not. Start with whatever class you get placed into, and take advantage of tutoring as necessary. Some people have more of a knack for math than others, but *anyone* can learn. The biggest obstacle is the mindset that you're bad at math.

As for a major....it doesn't matter. Major in what you want to. Yes, even English lit. As long as you take all the prerequisite courses (and do well in them), medical and veterinary schools really don't care what your major was. I've seen some stats that show that undergrads with majors in non-science fields have at least as good acceptance rates as those in biology (a pet peeve: pre-med and pre-vet aren't really majors, as they are *not* fields. You're going for a Bachelor's degree in something). Admissions committees like students that have something in their life beyond getting into medical school. Don't pick your major based on how medical it seems--base it on what you enjoy.

Also, what makes you think you want to be a doctor (human or otherwise)? In my experience, a lot of people *think* that they want a medical career but have not the faintest idea what it actually entails. They get there, after working like hell for years and going into massive debt, and find out that they hate it. I used to work with a veterinarian who, after four years of vet school, a year-long internship, and two years of an emergency/critical care residency, realized she hated every minute of it and quit. Seven years and well over a hundred thousand dollars for a degree she didn't want. I once considered vet school. I got a job as a tech and found that while I love some aspects of veterinary medicine, I do *not* want to be a vet. Because veterinary school spots are so limited, most if not all vet schools now require experience in the field so they won't waste what they have on those who will fail or quit. I'd recommend getting this experience before declaring an intent to become a vet.

I'm a bit concerned about the amount of stress this is causing you. Getting in to medical school is much tougher than undergrad, and having lives depend on you is about as bad as it gets. Deciding where to go to college and what to major in is nothing compared to decisions which may determine whether a patient lives or dies. Doing poorly on a math quiz does not have the consequences a misdiagnosis or incorrect treatment does.

I'm not saying you shouldn't work toward a medical career. I'm just asking you to be realistic about it--do you know what the very different fields you're considering are really like? Will you be able to handle the stress? And what if you don't get in? Or get in and then hate it?

Assuming you're accepted at multiple schools for undergrad, pick the one you think you'll like better. Same for a major--go with what feels right. And don't be afraid to take your time in declaring a major or switch once you've declared. Lots of people switch. I started in chemical engineering and switched to biology on a whim (I'm now working on a PhD in ecology). I think my advisor went through 4 majors as an undergrad (and as a side note, he never technically graduated high school!). My brother majored in psychology and is now a network engineer. Your choice of college and major does not determine your future. Nor does your lousy background in math.

Good luck.

-K'Z'K

[Eric the Grey]

You sound like me over a year ago. I am horrible in math. So when I took my placement tests, I ended up starting in Elementary Algebra, which would be helpful if I already didn't learn this stuff. Most colleges, that I know of, do offer some sort of Elementary class, but it may not count towards graduation credits.

Whatever you do, don't let these fears take over you and have you back out. The most you can do is wait for your letter. It will turn out better than you expected. Everything will be fine. Trust the person who only applied at one school and was so nervous about it (pssst. I did get in ) You have waaaay better odds because you applied at three schools.

ETA: As for your major crisis, you do have two years of Gen Eds to make that decision. Just have your options open and see if you really like it.

QFT:

I was in the exact same boat when I started back to school and managed to get around the necessary math requirements. I averaged high-C's in the classes overall, so it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I'm actually glad I changed majors so I didn't have to go into calculus.

Don't sweat it. Things will turn out as they will turn out, and fretting will do no good. In the meantime, as was mentioned above, see what you can turn up on your own to get a leg up. You might surprise yourself with what you can do on your own.



Eric the Grey

[BookstoreEscapee]

When you get to wherever you go, check into the Learning Center (or whatever they call it; that's what my school called it). The LC at my school had all sorts of help available, from scheduling tips, study tips, paper-writing help, and various testing to help you figure out the best way for you to learn and other such things. They also kept a stable of student tutors. If you did well in a class, your professor might give your name to the LC (if you were willing) so that if they got someone looking for help in that class, they had a list of people to call. So you got a tutor who had taken the class at least within the past couple of years, and most likely with the same professor, so they can help you navigate not only the material itself, but also the professor's teaching style.

If they don't have a program like that, talk to your professors and ask if they can give you names of former students who did well in the class and might be willing to help.

[Jester]

If they don't have a program like that, talk to your professors and ask if they can give you names of former students who did well in the class and might be willing to help.

A lot of schools also have advisors that can help you with this kind of thing. I know my advisor at ASU was invaluable, even with all the abuse she heaped upon me. I returned the favor, of course. She was actually the one that decided my minor for me. "Well, Jester, you sure have taken a lot of upper level political science classes. I guess poli sci is your minor." I couldn't argue the logic with her, since it made perfect sense.

[Lindsey]

Thanks everyone, I feel a lot better after reading all these replies. I almost forgot I had this thread until now. I got accepted at one of the schools now and haven't heard from the other two, so I feel a little better about all this and I know I'll do whatever I can do overcome my math problems.

[42_42_42]

So, you haven't had anyone in person (as in physically in the room) teaching you the algebra? Sounds to me like that's what you need. I honestly cannot imagine trying to learn that stuff online/over the phone/in books. Can you call the local HS and find out if any of the teachers there can tutor you or recommend a student who can come tutor you?

[RichS]

When you get to wherever you go, check into the Learning Center (or whatever they call it; that's what my school called it).

Do you go to a school named for a person who cooks bread? (trying my best to obscure where I work )

I work at the aforementioned college's Learning Center. We help in math, English, and computer subjects, and have a separate computer lab for students to do work. One of out Directors was a school teacher that helps us occasionally. We also have a writing center with tutors that are skilled in the writing process, and even some instructors. All tutors have to at least carry a 3.5 GPA or higher to work in the Center.

What I'm saying is, don't be afraid to use your school's tutoring services, and don't wait until it's too late to use them if you're having any trouble. In our Learning Center, we want any student that uses our services to succeed!