A question on education...

[Ronin13]

Long story short- I suck at math and MSCD is trying to make me take 4 math classes that give 0 credits then 2 more classes to gain my degree. I hate the subject, always have, always will, and these 4 classes will just make me feel dumb. I'm sorry, I lack the capacity to fully understand math, maybe my brain doesn't work well...
So question, spend time I absolutely do not have on a tutor to get my placement test math area up, or just say eff it to going to college (at the risk of angering my dad who is my boss and refuses to hand over the family business to me without a 4 year degree)? Should I just use plan B and use my GI Bill to pay for flight school and become a helicopter pilot? Letting my brother then be the one solely responsible for taking our family business over and carrying it on so we don't have to close our doors after 61+ years? What to do? I need help bad here as I'm set to start school in January and need to have at least one math class done by Jan 2013 to graduate in time with the GI Bill's limits of # of Semesters.

[DocMedic]

Just deal with it. I didn't take math for 10 years, Failed college algebra back in 2000 because I hated math (fake numbers are stupid), but I needed it to finish my degree so I took it, still hate it, but pass it with a B.

[Fentonite]

Find a way to get it done. Most of the time when I hated math, it was a mostly just not meshing with the teacher. Find someone who can help you understand it. You are clearly smart enough to get through it, and you'll be glad you did. My 2 cents.

[BigBear]

No easy routes... I do think a lot of places make you take "remedial" courses just to squeeze more money out of you. However, there usually isn't a lot you can do about it.

Options:

1. Find a tutor and spend time and money you probably don't have on someone you probably don't know if they can teach or not.

2. Suck it up and take the classes and spend time and money on something you'll probably never use again...

hehehe.

[Hoosier]

Point #1: No one is incapable of learning a subject. Perhaps you had bad teachers before, or the material was presented in a way that just doesn't work for you... some people are far more visual, and being able to visualize math helps them immensely

Point #2: Meet your new best friend: http://www.khanacademy.org Go here, I suggest setting up a (free) account, but first just go through the list of videos. Your first goal is going to be finding where you are competent in math now in the video series. It goes all the way down to 1+1, so you can certainly find a point at which you're comfortable. For example, I'm sure you can do basic addition/substraction, can do multiplication in your head for numbers up to 9x9, and at least know how to operate a calculator to accomplish division and more complex multiplication, right? So find a video that you're like, "Yeah, I got all this" and then move up to the next more difficult one.

See if this method works for you. Many people find this much better than reading out of a textbook.

Good luck!

H.

[MED]

My wife is struggling with the math requirement at MSCD. She didn’t do well on the accuplacer test and is stuck taking four classes when all of her course work is done. I feel for you; I think the proficiency this school requires to pass the accuplacer is stupid for BA majors. I think the school is discussing changes to the requirements but that won’t help you in the short term.

If you don’t get math, you are not dumb…you just don’t get math. Everybody has their gifts; my wife works with people; I work with computers.

Are you almost done or are you just beginning or are you somewhere in between? What is your major?

I would advise finishing your degree regardless of the family business or no family business. My brother never finished his degree and when his business died he went to real estate to see that die too. He has no degree or marketable skills so he is working at Target at the age of 46. As a side note, my graduate degree gave me a substantial pay increase. I am working on a doctorate right now and I expect another huge pay increase so I am a proponent of education. Regardless of what happens out there, nobody can take away your skills, experience, and education. The more you have to keep your resume out of the circular file, the better.

[MED]

One more thing:

My wife did the tutor thing to pass the accuplacer; it didn't work. She lost time and money by not taking the classes.

[cysoto]

Math is not a difficult subject it is just time-consuming. It sounds to me like you are not willing to deal with the subject because you don't find it "entertaining". By the same token Aeronautics and Flight School in general requires a great deal of math skills.

Stop making up excuses and finish your college education!

[Wolfeie]

Cysoto has it right. To "become a helicopter pilot" you will need A LOT of math! It may be "different" math but it's still math.

Each and every one of use math each and every day. It's a learned skill just like English and learning the difference between "then" and "than". Not that I'm suggesting we all get it right every time but it sure does make life, and your choices, easier.

My recommendation is to do what it takes to get your 4-year degree - it is worth it.

[OneGuy67]

I had to do the same thing for my degree from Metro. Two remedial classes before taking college algebra. Passed it though!

You can do what my wife did: get a tutor for several months and go over the college algebra textbook, then take the CLEP test on algebra and be done with it.