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[Northeastmonk]

When you fail you begin to learn the importance of what you missed. Those who get it right and move on may never think to apply what they learned or think of why it exists to begin with. A lot of gifted people fail and they just get back to working hard.

I think failure is something you have to expect because it happens. It's not something that will stop existing. You just have to find out why you failed and what you need to do. You might be shocked to see how much better you are at your career because of this.

 

[Old Lace]

If you want IT you can just do Certs

If he wanted go this route, what certs should he do?

 

[Al-ibn Kermit]

Yeah I didn't really understand that. I mean a graphing calculator sure, but no calculator of any kind? There were graphing rational and logarithms on the test.

Well usually for logarithms and rational equations on math tests, you get answers that are whole numbers or fractions. So the point of eliminating calculators may be to make you use the most efficient formula rather than just brute force it with your calculator and get an answer with 7 decimal points.

It could have been that the teacher just wanted to make you do more simple calculations but I think any decent math teacher could make a test that doesn't require a calculator to test you on the techniques.

 

[XenodudeX]

Well usually for logarithms and rational equations on math tests, you get answers that are whole numbers or fractions. So the point of eliminating calculators may be to make you use the most efficient formula rather than just brute force it with your calculator and get an answer with 7 decimal points.

It could have been that the teacher just wanted to make you do more simple calculations but I think any decent math teacher could make a test that doesn't require a calculator to test you on the techniques.

Yeah probably. Oh well.

Well, I think I may have to drop out or change my major. I have no idea what major I would go for though. When I was in community college I was an economics major, but I didn't really know what I could do with that, so I switched to CS when I graduated. Ugh I feel sick.

 

[Tommie Hu$tle]

Don't give up, man.

Apply yourself.

Get a tutor.

Cheat.

Yep

 

[Wads]

I saw the catalog for CIS and it doesn't require as many math/theory classes as CIS but it still has a bunch of programming requirements.

Depends where you go I guess or maybe it has changed. Mine was almost exactly the same math wise. Maybe one less course. Op should at least look into it.

 

[Epsilon-delta]

If he wanted go this route, what certs should he do?

Depends on what IT route he wants to go for.

http://www.tomsitpro.com/articles/best-it-certifications,1-1352.html

 

[geomon]

"Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat!" - Jesse 'The Body' Ventura

 

[AEGISX]

Well I'm pretty sure I failed my math final, and thus will probably fail the class. This was my last attempt as well or else I wouldn't be able to peruse a degree in Computer Science at the University. I I toke the test about 5 hours ago and I'm still in complete shock that I did so terrible. All those hours studying meant nothing.

I think it's because I got tripped up because the professor told us we couldn't use a calculator of any kind on the test, despite agreeing a couple of day ago that we could use it. I had to fight with him a little, but he wouldn't budge. I feel like a huge failure right now.

fuck computer science, go for information technology. so easy to find a job.
plus if you did not or could not do calculous in high school, then dont even bother with engineering programs. you are not an engineer since the moment you born.

 

[Aureon]

Ha.
Ever had a professor tell the class "I don't really care, go ahead: Use the internet, Use calculators, use Wolfram|Alpha, whatever it takes - It's not gonna help anyway" and then proceed to fail 90% of the class on an a freaking math (Calculus? it's called something like Complements of Mathematical Analysis 3 down there, no clue what's the equivalent - the last math class Physics students take) exam?

 

[fader]

Im sure you can take the class again btw, financial aid wont cover it however.

 

[rooflapimp]

I have never been allowed a calculator on any on my math exams at university. My exams have always been about understanding the concepts and applying them, rather than to crunch difficult numbers.

The thing is, if the professor didn't allow calculators, you most likely didn't really need to use them. You just failed at understanding the concepts.

 

[mltplkxr]

Welp, look at it this way: this may actually be a good thing. Failing fast and failing often helps reach success faster.

As for your interest in CS, you have to think a bit more about it if you're not good in math because CS is like a branch of math applied to computers. The ultimate university CS degree would be pretty much 60%+ math and the rest computer theory.

Do you already program at home for fun?
Do you fork projects on github just to toy with the code, for example?
Do you follow software development blogs and read books on programming?

If you answered no to any of those questions, than CS is not for you. However, it doesn't mean though that software development at large is not for you.

The field of computers is vast and varied. There are a lot of different jobs and a lot of them don't require complicated math. If you like to build computers and install and play around with applications, maybe IT is more for you. There's also marketing, management, user experience, design, web development and many more jobs to do around or with computers.

Try to look outside of the box, outside of the beaten path that the institutions try to put in front of you and find your way.

Anyway, just listen to the hippie with the scraggy beard and the round glasses, he knows what he's talking about:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYfNvmF0Bqw

 

[SpyGuy239]

Hey don't give up man. even Medical Students fail their classes sometimes. So many factors involved, what you are now does not equate to what you will be in the future.

All the best man!

 

[happypup]

I have never been allowed a calculator on any on my math exams at university. My exams have always been about understanding the concepts and applying them, rather than to crunch difficult numbers.

The thing is, if the professor didn't allow calculators, you most likely didn't really need to use them. You just failed at understanding the concepts.

There is a psychological component to this too though. He probably didn't need the calculator to do okay, but he came in expecting that resource. It is easy to make mistakes, lose confidence, and generally panic when that happens.

To the OP, You probably haven't had to deal with this often, but you will. Always prepare to have the absolute minimum equipment necessary to complete a task, and then bring as much equipment as possible when attempting to complete it.

 

[Mudkips]

Math Course
No calculator in final

What the shit?

Math course. Calculator allowed at all.
What the shit?

Calculators are for statistics, engineering, science, etc. Not for math.

 

[SegaShack]

OP I'm a Computer Science (with a focus of IT) student who has 2 years to go after this semester (including thesis). I have a math class I'm struggling with too. I've never failed a college course before and my most recent math course, (Business Calculus) I got an A in last semester. I'm taking advanced business statistics right now and got a B on the first test, and a D on the second. I'm not too sure how I will do on the final (Friday morning).

If I do fail I know I'll have plenty of time to retake and that I tried as hard as I could. Also keep in mind other Universities by you might offer the course, potentially as a Winter class you can take before Spring semester. I've been taking college courses since 2008 in High School) and have done many CS and IT classes and never have I needed an advance understanding of math to complete any projects or pass any tests.

Programming is more about logic than anything. It isn't so much about knowing formulas, but knowing how you can use a programming language to pass information around and create the desired result.

Also OP, keep in mind that depending on the work you did on your exam you could receive a nice amount of partial credit. That has saved me before on many occasions. Also I'm sure the shift to no calculator affected many more in your class, if a lot of other people do bad he could curve the grade.

 

[Necromanti]

Math course. Calculator allowed at all.
What the shit?

Calculators are for statistics, engineering, science, etc. Not for math.

Strange, most of my math classes have required a graphing calculator. Which I'm actually kind of thankful for, as, besides the graphing and use of tables at times, I wouldn't want to do some of the trigonometric calculations in my head. Things that were more regular or things like limits didn't really need a calculator, though.

I have only taken Calculus I and II. I don't know how many people cheated in how relatively small the classes were, but there was no curving so at least it wouldn't have affected all of us.

 

[Greenzxy]

Never give up. Trust your instinct.

 

[Snot Rocket]

If he wanted go this route, what certs should he do?

None honestly, certs mean dick in any real IT career. Anyone in any serious position knows this, gauges this and interviews accordingly. The biggest things that help one when interviewing for an IT career is quite honestly.. your personality. How you will potentially mesh with the team, and less of your skills. Interviewers keen in on things that cannot be taught. If someone is likable, organized and a team player that will do more for their career than being a honed engineer with the personality of a death moth. I can teach a monkey VMWare or SAN, I can't teach a monkey how to fit into my group and work environment. Certs aren't worthless per say, if you and some other guy they love too are both up for the job and you have certs? I could edge you out, but thats about all they matter. Experience reigns, if you have 5-10 years experience working with systems, you will always.. always always be hired over the dude with a degree and a pile of certs.

I've seen it happen time and time again for 10 years.

If you want to break into some serious IT? Start at the bottom, work the trenches and be HUNGRY. Claw, fight and seize opportunity. I dropped out of community college, I am now a sr systems engineer and I make more money than all of my university grad friends.

Every guy I worked with who had 'certs' or was working on 'certs' I passed. How? Focusing that effort on hard work at work, and networking like a bitch. I lost count how many certified people I passed years ago, all of them sitting on their ass waiting their 'turn' for someone to make their career happen. I mean afterall, they had those certs and that degree.. success was rightfully theirs now right?

Education is great, just set your expectations. Degrees are helpful, certs eh ... I'm indifferent about them really. Never met a single engineer, sr engineer, manager or director in my career who I seriously respected who had 'certs'. All of them went to official training mind you, and were subject matter experts in their craft. But all of which seemingly all understood the non importance that certs do for your career once you get into certain sectors. Basically you only have so much bandwidth as an adult, so many hours in the day. Where should you allocate your free time? Chasing certs? Who knows really, but my experience has been they are a complete and utter waste of time.

 

[Vooduu]

Only scientific calculators are allowed for my exams, but at that point its useless and most people don't even bother.

Don't give up OP. I took my Calc 3 exam last night and I feel like I'm in the same boat. I already know if I fail I will definitely retake the course in the summer.

 

[Skeyser]

Welcome to the real world. When you have a project your boss assigns you and then changes all sorts of parameters and tells you its due in 2 hours, you are not going to go to HR and complain... It is life, deal with it.

The difference is that your teacher doesn't give a shit if you fail, your boss is screwed too if the task he asked from you isn't done when he needs it. So it's in his best interest not to fuck you over like this.

Though you're probably trolling with that non-sense.

 

[AEGISX]

if you can cheat without getting caught, then go for it. A friend of mine cheated his way into dental school, and he's still cheating even in dental school.
He's korean, he says most korean people cheats. help each other, look over other's test or make cheat sheets.

 

[Vooduu]

if you can cheat without getting caught, then go for it. A friend of mine cheated his way into dental school, and he's still cheating even in dental school.
He's korean, he says most asian people cheats. help each other, look over other's test or make cheat sheets.

As an EE student, can confirm.

 

[Oreoleo]

Something doesn't add up here.

 

[TopDreg]

I'll be graduating this year with a physics/computer science/math degree (this is my 6th year.. I've been a tad indecisive). I get mainly A-'s and B+'s in my classes (with exceptions being DIFFICULT proof-based courses and Quantum Mechanics). I failed College Algebra the first time I took it, which I largely blame on being lazy in high school, and inadequate focus.

How focused have you been on the course material OP? This is your second time taking it?

My experience with College Algebra versus other courses is that becoming proficient at the material learned in College Algebra is more like learning a language than having to be creative. I don't consider that course representative of how you would do in Computer Science, other than that maybe your ability to learn programming languages. And even then, once you know one, learning others gets easier and easier.

Maybe your bad experience in math is indicative, or maybe it's not. It is ludicrous in my mind for a college to restrict a student on taking College Algebra. If you do fail indeed fail the class, I think it would be best to take that class again regardless. Push yourself to have the capacity to do college-level math, even if your major ultimately becomes something else. After you pass that class, then give computer science a shot, and see if you like it. But keep trying to pass that class. I don't think everyone is built for STEM, but I feel that everyone should be able to get through a College Algebra course.

 

[dreamcastmaster]

The difference is that your teacher doesn't give a shit if you fail, your boss is screwed too if the task he asked from you isn't done when he needs it. So it's in his best interest not to fuck you over like this.

Though you're probably trolling with that non-sense.

Nope, your boss with throw you under a bus. Unless they are Japanese then they take the blame.
What's the phrase I look out for? "I'm making you responsible for this". Usually attached to an impossible project that the boss/manager knows can't be done but allows him to get out of jail free when it ultimately fails or takes credit for leadership if it's a success.

 

[MisterLuffy]

I'm majoring in CS too. I have to take prob. and stats. w/ computation class and I'm already failing. I'm going to take that class again but I'm not sure if I'm going to do well because the class is hard. It's mostly my fault for not doing the homework on my own instead of getting answers online. I hate failing, the feeling of it sucks.

 

[batigolalone]

That feeling will go away, don't be so down on yourself. 5 years from now, you wouldn't even remember this shit. The worst that could happen is that you have to take the class again to get your degree.

 

[strata8]

I know how you feel. I failed a lot of my classes in my senior year of high school then failed a university pathway course - twice - even though I enjoyed the subjects. At this point I don't think it'll be possible for me to enter a university ever again.

The thing is, there are so many options out there. I've got no idea what I want to do with my life, but I know that I'll likely be able to pursue almost anything without going through academia, as long as my interests are broad enough.

 

[NotBacon]

College algebra, damn. Yeah at my school I have to go through calc 4, in addition to discrete math and linear algebra. You may want to rethink the CS thing, or accept the fact your social life won't exist for almost 2 years

 

[Sarobi]

Don't beat your self up over it, OP. Life is full of ups and downs and you aren't the only one going through this and worrying about it as well.. you'll make it.