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How would you recommend someone who doesn’t have the strongest basic math skills approach college level math courses?

I went to a French Immersion school and was not able to connect with the math teacher and learn as well as I would have hoped. I now struggle with math even though it used to be a course I enjoyed. I really want to major in chemicals I love science a lot but I know I would have to take some math courses. I want to know how I should approach these courses to get the most out of the class.

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Mallory’s Answer

I was in a similar boat when finishing high school and entering college. I was not the strongest math student, as I was too young to know the importance. It was not until I took algebra in my junior year until I started to build confidence in it. By my junior year of HS, I knew I wanted to challenge myself to go to engineering school, which is A LOT of math. I will give credit to some amazing professors my freshman/sophomore years that helped deepen my understanding. But, it took a lot of work on my end as well in outside resources. I used YouTube SO much and I will recommend some channels here: 1) The Organic Chemistry Tutor 2) NancyPi 3) PatrickJMT. Challenge yourself to some problems in a textbook or online and it is so satisfying when you start getting the correct answers!

Math is it's own language and it can be intimidating at first, as not everyones teaching methods work for all types of learners. The 3 YouTube channels I added are incredible to supplement what you are already learning! It takes practice, and with your drive/curiosity to improve, you will do great!
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Seema’s Answer

Great to see that you are invested in your learning! Math comes hard for a lot of people, but I think it is more due to a fear of Math. One of the best things you can do to learn math concepts is practice. Keep working on different problems for each concept to help fully understand. Practicing and more practicing will help you feel more comfortable and overcome the fear of Math. Also, as someone mentioned, utilize the tutoring sessions offered by your school whether it is by the TA or the tutoring department. I tutored Math when I was in college and feel like this really helped students who were having trouble.
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Anthony’s Answer

I've had a similar experience when I took Calc 2 in college. The methods my professor used didn't connect with me and it made it very difficult to understand and follow the material. I tried my best to connect with other students in the class and then expanded my search to utilize the universities labs/study hours to try to find other sources. In the last decade, I feel like the amount of resources online have exploded with learning different techniques to understand concepts in math so it might take a little searching to find what connects with you the best but they're out there! Also, teachers and professors usually love what they do so even if you don't connect with one of them, you usually can ask others to help in the subject you're struggling with.
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Taylor’s Answer

I completely understand where you’re coming from. Mathematics can be incredibly challenging at times. As a previous math major myself, I remember how difficult certain concepts were to grasp. I truly admire your dedication to mastering the material.

One of the most helpful resources I relied on was the tutoring center at my university. I often spent hours there working through problems until I felt confident enough to continue studying and completing the assignments on my own. The tutors were an invaluable support system—many had either recently taken the same course or had extensive experience in the subject matter.

I can’t recommend using those resources enough. Seeking help is a sign of commitment to your success, not a weakness. There’s absolutely no shame in asking for assistance. It often makes all the difference.
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Andrew’s Answer

Mathematics is the language of science and technology. It is imperative for you to attain competency and proficiency in mathematics up to at least calculus, if not higher, in your undergraduate career if you are to major in chemistry.

If you have issues with your math teacher and the learning environment, you may have to get on a Plan B for your math education. Luckily, there are many free online math books available to you. Take a look at this OpenStax website, https://openstax.org/subjects/math, and decide on which level of mathematics you would like to improve.
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