How to improve AP calc BC grade?

perfectionist27 · 10-05-2012, 04:10 PM

So I have gotten straight A's in all my previous classes, including APs. This year I am taking calc, and I don't find it difficult but the tests are killing my grade. When we go over homework and notes, I perfectly understand the material. I can do homework without any issues. Homework grades are only a tiny percent of my overall grade though.

Obviously tests are the major grades. I've tried study groups, practice tests, etc but I ALWAYS end up with a C or worse on my tests! I don't understand why! When I look the problems I miss, its normally because a) I didn't have time to check my algebra work or b) the question is something we haven't really looked at before

Does anyone have tips for conquering this class? I would really like to maintain my GPA. At this point, its not about the A, but its about the principle. I understand the material but do poorly in the class. My teacher says I should be happy with a C on my test, but I'm disappointed.

I would appreciate any advice

justacitygirl · 10-05-2012, 05:40 PM

This is exactly what happened to me last year! I kept making these little mistakes that would add up to a bad grade (including, yeah, some C's) and it drove me crazy -.- Ok, I can't offer any amazing advice, but...
does your teacher give you any practice problems? Do all of them. Go for help after school, I was reluctant cause I've never had to before, but I went in with a couple of said practice problems and even that helped me out. Even try out some problems from the textbook to see if you can do them, and if you can't, ask. While you're doing homework, if you make a mistake, note what kind it was, and really try to avoid that in the future.(lol this is embarassing) I kept doing dx/dy instead of dy/dx...you're probably not that dumb, but stuff like that. Read the chapter very thoroughly, a couple times, before the test, and work out the examples before looking at the solution. That'll take care of stuff you didn't cover in class. On the tests, train yourself to go very, very slowly through every problem so you make fewer mistakes and don't have to come back and check.
To be honest, you don't even have to do all of that. I'd do a bit of this and that, every chapter, and by midterm I was getting A's again. The main thing is, if you're ever the slightest bit unsure about a concept or a problem, don't forget about it. Go over it or ask about it until it's totally clear. And is there any way you could stay after to finish a test?
anyway, good luck! (:

perfectionist27 · 10-05-2012, 05:56 PM

thanks for the tips! yeah we are not allowed extra time on the tests...I do try to do practice problems but I should probably go in for tutoring once in a while
It's just really frustrating when I know the material but specific questions trip me up!

RPreZZ · 10-06-2012, 10:57 PM

Watch PatrickJMT's. I got an A on my last Calculus test thanks to this guy

srilankar333 · 10-23-2012, 09:39 PM

I self-studied precalc during my sophomore year and following summer. Then, since math didn't fit into my junior year schedule, I am taking AP Calc BC online through OSU. Depending on what I get on the exam, (4 or 5) I will either take calc 3, but if I get a 3 or lower, I was thinking about retaking Calc BC, which most seniors in our school take, through my school. BTW, I want to go into engineering. Will this look bad, if i get into college.

Niquii77 · 10-23-2012, 09:46 PM

You should've made a new thread for this.

tangentline · 10-24-2012, 03:02 AM

Approach 1
Being good at the task at hand is practicing the problems that are likely to be on the test. (Really good for the AP exam) Do it until you can muster up an answer and check to see if it is correct, if not, fix and revise. Rinse and repeat.

Approach 2
Learn problem solving techniques: brute force, running number experiments testing patterns etc, working on a general understanding of everything if you were to explain it to someone else and why it works is great, and figuring out what certain techniques are capable of (for instance in geometry problems think of all the instances similar triangles would help)/ maybe write your own problems or predict what would make something challenging... I like approach 2, it allows me to solve problems that I've never learned before and I rather be doing those types than memorizing and repeating the same ones over and over.

Side tips: Remember +C and the factors you pull out of integrals, and to check the lower limit to make sure that it doesn't equal 0 when plugged in.