Probably getting a C in Calc 2. Can I still become a chemical engineer?

[Sentience]

I am really starting to doubt myself, which sucks because it's what I want to do. Should I retake? Can I move on and be ok? (I did fine in the integrating part, but not so much in series/sequences)

 

[Steff196]

IMO, you'll be fine. I didnt take school seriously and got a D in Calc I my freshman year but after getting serious I became a math major and took calc II,III, advanced calc, diff eq etc.. without retaking calc I and I didn't struggle once. Truthfully, you'll probably never have to do those hard integrations by hand again anyway so if you understand the principles and the theory, don't sweat it.

 

[Leveret]

It really depends on why you got a C in it. Did you struggle with the material, or did you understand it and just make mistakes regarding exams and/or homework? Was there one exam that really killed you, even though you did alright on the others?

Some higher-level math classes take for granted that you know how to integrate if necessary. As Steff196 said, you'll probably never have to know the integral of (1/x^2)(1/sqrt(1-x^-2)) off the top of your head again, and if it does come up, you'll probably be able to look it up. But you do need to have an intuition of what an integral is, and how to construct one if given a word problem.

Similarly, with infinite series, it's definitely good if you know how to expand a function into a series, but the most important thing is your understanding of the underlying concept. Do you see why you can write things as series and when they serve as good approximations, do you know the basic form of a power series, do you understand at least the principles behind convergence, and does it make sense why/how you can shift, differentiate, and integrate them? If you have all that down, it's fairly simple to relearn convergence tests or re-memorize a particular function's series. If you didn't gain that intuition in calc 2, however, some more advanced versions of infinite series (series solutions to differential equations, Fourier analysis, etc.) might give you trouble.

 

[Pengwuino]

Nope, you're required to drop the major and go into Interior Design. All Interior Design majors are CEs that didn't get an A in a calculus class.

*end sarcasm*

It's one class, you'll live, just make sure you know the subject to an acceptable level.

 

[General_Sax]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome

It's normal to doubt yourself. Don't worry... be happy!

 

[flyingpig]

Don't retake it, review your material during the summer.

 

[Sentience]

It's been tough this whole semester in both classes. I don't know if it's stress or what but I'm not able to focus like I used to. I used to get completely immersed in math in previous semesters and gain a deeper understanding when I studied. I used to listen to music a lot more when I studied, maybe that's it...

Anyhow, as far as Calc goes I didn't do so great on the first test (Volumes of solids of revolution) because didn't study enough and got a 68. Second test involved a bunch of techniques of integration, I felt pretty good about that stuff got an 85, a few minor mistakes.

Well on Friday I had a chemistry and a calc test right in a row. Chemistry test was stressful as hell, then I just felt rushed/burned out during my calc test. I was talking about the problems with a buddy after class, and realized I made some DUMB mistakes with my algebra and I forgot how to use the Limit comparison test. /shrug Hopefully I'll do better than my first but I don't have high hopes. I get to retake one test, maybe if I can do good on that and the final I can still pull a decent grade.

I feel like I understand what's going on, what series and integrals represent. But if I get stuck during a test I tend to lose confidence very quick, and kinda panic.

 

[Sentience]

If you guys have any study tips or the "psychology" of stress/test taking/studying it would be most appreciated. And thanks for the responses.

 

[symbolipoint]

I am really starting to doubt myself, which sucks because it's what I want to do. Should I retake? Can I move on and be ok? (I did fine in the integrating part, but not so much in series/sequences)

Getting a C in a required Calculus course is not the important problem. The important problem is not having learned the material of the Calculus course well enough to know how to use it in relevant science or engineering courses or not having learned the material well enough to be truly qualified for the next Calculus course.

 

[Sentience]

I have to take Ordinary differential equations (ODEs) and then an elective math credit. They offer a stats based course or calc 3 as well as some others. If I intend to go to grad school someday what should I take?