Is tutor essential for success in mathematics?

Question

Everyone in my Pre-Calc - Calc I class is failing, except the kids who go tutor. They get top percentile ranks in the class. Should I drop maths all together so I don't have to invest in a tutor? I understand this is quite a subjective post, but I still do believe a solid answer lies here.

Answer 1

To all the people that tells me: "I was always bad in maths"

I answer: "That's because you were not ready to invest enough time for it"

Improving your efficiency while learning is matter of experience, and sometimes tutor can help (in order to discipline yourself for example).

Answer 2

Many schools offer at least some free academic support such as tutoring or walk-in help sessions for their classes. You might investigate that possibility at your school. (It sounds like you don't want to 'invest' in a tutor.)

As for your bigger question: should I drop maths altogether...you might want to ask yourself questions like these:

(1) 'Why am I taking maths?';

(2) 'Do I find maths interesting or useful?';

(3) 'What would I lose/gain by dropping the study of mathematics?'

Answer 3

For every chapter after the lecture you should sit down and try to attempt the problem sets. Usually there will be an easier problem that the instructor has gone through in class that will lead you through most of the exercises. When you get stuck go back and reread.

Find examples in the text chapters, which you also should read and work through. Especially the problems the book does for you. Go through those yourself and cover up the next step. Try to intuitively find the answer and verify if you're correct. When you get to the non solved problems they will usually be similar.

Do some reading online or download other lectures. You live in such an amazing time that I would have killed for in college. You can supplement any lectures with Kahn academy, iTunes U. MIT Open Courseware etc. There are lots of ways of explaining the same things and if one doesn't work for you chances are other methods might hit home.

These are the things I do as someone working independently on catching up for concepts useful in Algorithms for my software work.

Finally the thing I don't have that you should really take advantage of. Teacher availability at office hours (or over Lunch if it's HS). Usually HS instructors are elated that someone cares enough to come by after school. Professors even at large universities usually have very few visitors during office hours. Utilize these people once you've done the work above to go over the concepts that don't make sense.

Don't give up. If you do, you will kick yourself hard in years to come. I still do. I'm 36 and finally in the field I want to be in after dropping to an easier major at 19. It's the easy way out. Put in the work now while you don't have other obligations and distractions.