Given how my college career is going, I'm worthless

[Dr. Courtney]

My contention is that weak backgrounds in these areas can be strengthened by individuals, either through disciplined self-study or through taking prep courses (provided online or through community college or even introductory offerings in first year university). Yes, this will require work (possibly hard work) on the part of individuals, but it can be done, and many have done so.

Sure, there are lots of ways that algebra and trig skills can be strengthened. But I've seen many students who were confident in their skills flunk out of STEM majors because their confidence was unwarranted. The ALEKS pre-calc assessments are great predictors of success in math, physics, and engineering courses that rely on algebra and trig skills.

If a student really has the required skills, they will blow through all the ALEKS pre-calc material spending 1 hour per day in a week or two at most. I've seen it done multiple times. But ALEKS will also catch any areas of weakness and provide the needed practice in weaker areas to ensure success downstream. ALEKS uses machine intelligence to identify and address the areas students need most practice in.

 

[annoyinggirl]

In my linear algebra class some applications to solving systems of differential equations were discussed, but there wasn't much real calculus in linear algebra IME; there was plenty of regular algebra applied to systems of equations in general though.

systems of equations. it has been a while since I've seen those. thanks for the heads up. I'm going to go review that

 

[annoyinggirl]

Sure, there are lots of ways that algebra and trig skills can be strengthened. But I've seen many students who were confident in their skills flunk out of STEM majors because their confidence was unwarranted. The ALEKS pre-calc assessments are great predictors of success in math, physics, and engineering courses that rely on algebra and trig skills.

If a student really has the required skills, they will blow through all the ALEKS pre-calc material spending 1 hour per day in a week or two at most. I've seen it done multiple times. But ALEKS will also catch any areas of weakness and provide the needed practice in weaker areas to ensure success downstream. ALEKS uses machine intelligence to identify and address the areas students need most practice in.

is this an advertisement for ALEKS ?

 

[Dr. Courtney]

is this an advertisement for ALEKS ?

No. I was skeptical at first, but now I am a believer.

I remember the Math Dept meeting at the Air Force Academy when the idea of having all cadets do an ALEKS pre-calc assessment and then skill building (if necessary) to better prepare them for the challenging calculus sequence and technical core (2 semesters each of physics and chemistry and 7 engineering courses that ALL cadets take). I thought it was a big waste of time and resources and would be insulting to students who have already mastered the material. I thought existing assessments and support systems were more than sufficient.

There was a lively debate and discussion, but in the end, I was outvoted and ALEKS was adopted. The difference in cadet success in the technical core was apparent the first year, especially for students entering with lower ACT math scores. I was in something of a unique position, both serving as a math professor and in charge of a team of faculty in the Quantitative Reasoning Center. I supervised engineering, chemistry, physics, and math faculty in providing extra instruction to students who needed it. As director of the QRC, I conducted thorough analysis of why cadets flunked out and what the best predictors were for success in the technical core.

The bottom line is that ALEKS works very well for the above purposes. I've moved on now from that job, and my wife and I are homeschooling our children. We teach them pre-calculus out a textbook and then use the ALEKS pre-calc assessment to verify what they've learned and to revisit weak areas. Needless to say, they are hitting home runs so far in their college math and science courses.

I'm a fan of ALEKS because I've seen it work many times better than any alternative preparation for college courses in math, physics, and engineering. A number of departments across the country are now using ALEKS to assess preparation for calculus and strengthen weak areas.

 

[gfd43tg]

Why are you guys talking about ACT scores when the OP has serious psychological problems that dwarf any stupid test?? Annoyinggirl, you are too far away from higher math classes to even be considering them. You need to get real help, you do this every time you make a thread and ignore anyone who is telling you the core problem and answer trivial responses only. You are ignoring your profound problems. I think you were in calculus like 2 years ago, there is literally no progress being made in your degree. I'm not sure if you do this for attention or if you are serious at all about fixing your issues.

 

[annoyinggirl]

Why are you guys talking about ACT scores when the OP has serious psychological problems that dwarf any stupid test?? Annoyinggirl, you are too far away from higher math classes to even be considering them. You need to get real help, you do this every time you make a thread and ignore anyone who is telling you the core problem and answer trivial responses only. You are ignoring your profound problems. I think you were in calculus like 2 years ago, there is literally no progress being made in your degree. I'm not sure if you do this for attention or if you are serious at all about fixing your issues.

yeah two years ago. I passed two years ago, then bounced around so i wasn't sure if to take calc 3

 

[annoyinggirl]

No. I was skeptical at first, but now I am a believer.

I remember the Math Dept meeting at the Air Force Academy when the idea of having all cadets do an ALEKS pre-calc assessment and then skill building (if necessary) to better prepare them for the challenging calculus sequence and technical core (2 semesters each of physics and chemistry and 7 engineering courses that ALL cadets take). I thought it was a big waste of time and resources and would be insulting to students who have already mastered the material. I thought existing assessments and support systems were more than sufficient.

There was a lively debate and discussion, but in the end, I was outvoted and ALEKS was adopted. The difference in cadet success in the technical core was apparent the first year, especially for students entering with lower ACT math scores. I was in something of a unique position, both serving as a math professor and in charge of a team of faculty in the Quantitative Reasoning Center. I supervised engineering, chemistry, physics, and math faculty in providing extra instruction to students who needed it. As director of the QRC, I conducted thorough analysis of why cadets flunked out and what the best predictors were for success in the technical core.

The bottom line is that ALEKS works very well for the above purposes. I've moved on now from that job, and my wife and I are homeschooling our children. We teach them pre-calculus out a textbook and then use the ALEKS pre-calc assessment to verify what they've learned and to revisit weak areas. Needless to say, they are hitting home runs so far in their college math and science courses.

I'm a fan of ALEKS because I've seen it work many times better than any alternative preparation for college courses in math, physics, and engineering. A number of departments across the country are now using ALEKS to assess preparation for calculus and strengthen weak areas.

i see. I think i'll give ALEKS a try.
I'm surprised you're a professor. Given that you have teaching experience, you don't think that the reason most students who didn't do well in your math courses was lack of foundation and work ethic, instead of lack of raw aptitude?

 

[Dr. Courtney]

i see. I think i'll give ALEKS a try.
I'm surprised you're a professor. Given that you have teaching experience, you don't think that the reason most students who didn't do well in your math courses was lack of foundation and work ethic, instead of lack of raw aptitude?

Things like ALEKS assessments and the ACT measure mathematical abilities that have been acquired, rather than raw aptitude.

By the time someone is in college, lack of the algebra and trig skills needed in math, physics, and engineering courses might be attributed to lack of raw aptitide or lack of work ethic expressed through the high school years to such a degree that the needed abilities have not been acquired, even though there has been the raw aptitude and opportunity.

There usually is some additional opportunity to use that raw aptitude to gain the necessary abilities, but the window of opportunity for acquiring algebra and trig skills usually begins to close during the college years, often because no one is willing to keep paying indefinitely for lazy students who are making slow progress.

Most students who struggle in intro college math and physics have the raw aptitude, but are struggling due to a bad work ethic, but in addition to the bad work ethic in their current struggle, their bad work ethic in earlier courses has left them well short in the needed algebra and trig skills.

 

[Robit1769]

I think Dr.Courtney is way off-base; it's clear and obvious someone who doesn't have the prerequisites to do well in a STEM program, will not do well in a STEM program. There's not much to say here, so don't add in your pessimistic folly.

For OP, if you don't have a solid foundation (90%+ in all your important prerequisites) then go off and review them and do prep courses (truncated courses focused on your weaknesses at a local community college).

If you have some behavioral problems, like an inability to focus, work long hours, you have to fix those. How? Aerobic exercise 4-5 times a week at moderate to high BPM. Look into HIIT. Also, learn how sugar affects your insulin levels, and simply do not eat processed foods, and stick with whole foods. Lock down a high fiber, high protein, low sugar, complex carb, no simple carb morning and lunch routine.

Finally, 1) don't feel sorry for yourself, it's a waste of time and RAM, and 2) KEEP GOING.

 

[Amrator]

Hi annoyinggirl,

I was in somewhat the same position as you. I suffer from PTSD, OCD, and depression. I did awful in high school, and I ended up attempting suicide multiple times because I thought I couldn't fix anything. The thing is the longer you sit and feel bad about yourself, the more time you'll be wasting. There's no time for self-pity. When you succeed and look back on this, you will be proud of yourself for having broken through those barriers that you are currently facing. Seek help from a psychologist in order to identify those barriers and surmount them. Until then, don't try to suppress your intrusive thoughts because it will only make them affect you more. When a negative thought comes up, acknowledge it and ask yourself whether it is really true (i.e. Am I really worthless?). At the same time, try to make a plan of how to get your life (Both academic and social) back on track. Learn time management and study skilIs. I promise you, if you get up and take action, you will find a path in life that will leave you content.