High Expectations
How hard is this class?
Ivy League Schools
Big Research Universities
- * 4-year Liberal Arts Colleges such as Old Westbury *
2-year Community Colleges
High School
Why Old Westbury?
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/03/27/opinion/build-your-own-college-rankings.html
Why is this class hard?
You must show math skills "on your own"
Simply attending/participating isn't enough to pass.
Time and communication is always more important than "being a genius".
Be on time and attend every class... like a job!
Study ~6-8 hrs/wk outside of class on your own.... yes, seriously!
Due dates are NOT start dates! Start assignments in advance.
You must be willing to grow
Learning will challenge you in new ways, old study strategies may need to improve in order to succeed.
For example, a student who never needed to take notes before may actually need to start!
Why learn math?
Humans need to be able to understand computer output
Why does this work?
What is the process?
What logic would give this answer?
Reasons and rationale are equally important as final answers.
How can we explain the math steps?
How do we know calculators are correct?
How could we check calculator results on our own?
- Use calculators only as a check, not as a substitute for learning.
When will I use math?
Direct uses in careers include...
science research
working in a science industry
other math fields like finance etc.
teaching
Indirect uses include cognitive skills such as ...
breaking things down into parts
analyzing information
problem solving
abstract reasoning
perseverence and precision
Don't blindly copy apps
Academic dishonesty is taken very seriously.
Students who fail ...
usually skip class.
usaully skip homeworks.
usually never ask "how to" math questions.
usually rely heavily on online calculators.
usually after initially failing decide they should just give up.
Students who succeed ...
usually stay on schedule with assignments.
usually ask "how to" math questions in person.
usually only use online calculators to double check their own work.
usually after initially failing find a way to fix their schedule, study more, and get more help.
Advice From Students
"I wish I had ...
- ... stopped working full time to study more."
- ... gotten help for personal problems."
- ... made time for Prof's Office Hours."
More advice from students
- "Finishing HW early actually helped me to understand the material better."
- "Working with peers helped me to talk out the concepts, even though I was initially nervous."
- "Going to Office Hours, the Prof helped me clear up in five minutes something I was confused about for months!"
- "I had no idea how much more I could understand simply by reading and preparing before class starts. I wish I had done that earlier."
Studying Errors
- just watching, not doing it yourself
- not taking any notes, you WILL forget!
- just doing what you're told and not thinking about why
- giving up when a problem has mulitple steps
- copying a calculator verbatim and not creating your own style
- never asking for help from a human in person
Warning on Outside Materials
Math is vast!
Outside materials:
... explain things differently.
... explain things we are not doing in this class.
... can be helpful!
... can be confusing!
Use outside materials as supplement not replacement
for our course materials.
Grading Standards
Aim high. Leave room for error!
High school may have lower standards! Don't be surprised that a D or C-minus is failing. Without passing you cannot take the next class!
Your Professors Can Help You
- Students sometimes struggle with pursuing a degree their parents or someone else picked.
- If you choose a career path based on what you think you "should" do, rather than your passions, you may struggle more.
- Talk to your Professors, we can help you navigate and find the best path for you.
(IMHO!)
Disabilities: 1 in 4 Americans
Image Source: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/infographic-disability-impacts-all.html
