- #1
poutin
- 10
- 0
Just in case you are wondering, the "I am falling down a deep cliff" was something I got from "The Catcher in the Rye", I hope I used it correctly in my problem.
Background on Problem
I am a college freshman this fall and I am face with an undecided decision (that was very wordy). I have always been passionate about Math, but only until last year did I really look at Math differently.
In late May of 2010, I wrote the AP Calc BC Exam and during late May, I also decide to enroll myself in a Multi-variable Calc at a community college.
Two days ago, I got my results from my Calc Exam (late testing, late results) and I found out that I scored a 3. Then just today, I got my final grades computed from my MVC and I got a B- (2.67gpa). My community college runs on a 4.33 gpa scale. The college I have been admitted to, runs on a 4.0gpa scale and converting, I would get a pitiful 2.4gpa
Problem
Now I feel like God just stabbed me twice in the heart because now I really feel like I am fishing for the wrong fish here.
This is really painful for me because I don't know how to present this when I apply for grad school. They look at my application and see an ugly B and they see this is just someone with passion, but no talent and would not benefit the school in the future. Should I even retake MVC to change that B- at my new university? I feel horrible to even suggest this, but my grandfather passed away in mid-June this year, should I use him as an excuse? He wasn't very close to me, but he was still my grandfather and I feel a bit horrible for using him, just a little unethical and despicable and a disgusting temptation.
I have talked with my instructor and he said that I should try other areas of Math to see which one is for me. (explained later in my post)
I signed up for Calc I and II and first semester of Linear Algebra this fall (two terms) and my instructor thought that Linear Algebra was a good choice, but maybe I should argue with my new university department to let me skip freshman calc
And here I am, no idea what to do, if I get a pathetic and pitiful grade in an elementary math course like MVC, is there even hope for me? My 3 in my AP Calc (which I self-studied) seems to say the same.
What am I suppose to do, what path should I take. I feel like I am not getting anywhere.
My talk with my instructor (optional read)
After I received such an embarrassing grade, I had a talk with him and discussed some prospects with him. He told me that he nearly failed Calc I, but he bumped it to a C+ because he scored like a 98% on the finals and how he actually failed Calc III when he first started (probably said it to make me feel better). He also said that maybe Calculus is not for me and maybe some other area of Math is for me. He said I should try discrete math, probability, or real analysis and see maybe I can go on from there and if there is no concrete results shown, then I should consider switching my major.
But I feel like a lot of his past errors are overlooked because it was probably like 20 years ago and I am sure that the competition today is much more frightening. In addition, I think all Math connects with one another and I feel like these two failures (Calc BC and MVC) showed that I am incompetent for this, but I can't get off the passion for doing anything else.
Important info forgot to add
I should also mention that I am Canadian, so the lack of grad school for direct ph.d entries is scaring me. Not even sure if funding exists in Canada.
Thank you for reading PF
Background on Problem
I am a college freshman this fall and I am face with an undecided decision (that was very wordy). I have always been passionate about Math, but only until last year did I really look at Math differently.
In late May of 2010, I wrote the AP Calc BC Exam and during late May, I also decide to enroll myself in a Multi-variable Calc at a community college.
Two days ago, I got my results from my Calc Exam (late testing, late results) and I found out that I scored a 3. Then just today, I got my final grades computed from my MVC and I got a B- (2.67gpa). My community college runs on a 4.33 gpa scale. The college I have been admitted to, runs on a 4.0gpa scale and converting, I would get a pitiful 2.4gpa
Problem
Now I feel like God just stabbed me twice in the heart because now I really feel like I am fishing for the wrong fish here.
This is really painful for me because I don't know how to present this when I apply for grad school. They look at my application and see an ugly B and they see this is just someone with passion, but no talent and would not benefit the school in the future. Should I even retake MVC to change that B- at my new university? I feel horrible to even suggest this, but my grandfather passed away in mid-June this year, should I use him as an excuse? He wasn't very close to me, but he was still my grandfather and I feel a bit horrible for using him, just a little unethical and despicable and a disgusting temptation.
I have talked with my instructor and he said that I should try other areas of Math to see which one is for me. (explained later in my post)
I signed up for Calc I and II and first semester of Linear Algebra this fall (two terms) and my instructor thought that Linear Algebra was a good choice, but maybe I should argue with my new university department to let me skip freshman calc
And here I am, no idea what to do, if I get a pathetic and pitiful grade in an elementary math course like MVC, is there even hope for me? My 3 in my AP Calc (which I self-studied) seems to say the same.
What am I suppose to do, what path should I take. I feel like I am not getting anywhere.
My talk with my instructor (optional read)
After I received such an embarrassing grade, I had a talk with him and discussed some prospects with him. He told me that he nearly failed Calc I, but he bumped it to a C+ because he scored like a 98% on the finals and how he actually failed Calc III when he first started (probably said it to make me feel better). He also said that maybe Calculus is not for me and maybe some other area of Math is for me. He said I should try discrete math, probability, or real analysis and see maybe I can go on from there and if there is no concrete results shown, then I should consider switching my major.
But I feel like a lot of his past errors are overlooked because it was probably like 20 years ago and I am sure that the competition today is much more frightening. In addition, I think all Math connects with one another and I feel like these two failures (Calc BC and MVC) showed that I am incompetent for this, but I can't get off the passion for doing anything else.
Important info forgot to add
I should also mention that I am Canadian, so the lack of grad school for direct ph.d entries is scaring me. Not even sure if funding exists in Canada.
Thank you for reading PF
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