Is my degree plan hopeless?

baktrax
Wed, 11 Sep 2013 20:35:14 +0000

Could you find a tutor or upperclassman to help walk you through the harder homework problems or show you how to solve them (perhaps, describing their thought process as they go along)? Problems always seem easier when the professor or TA is doing them, but you need to practice doing them yourself without any help at all. After you see another person solve them, practice doing as many problems as you can. Think about why you’re doing what you’re doing–don’t just memorize the solution as the professor or TA does it.

Perhaps, you could work with someone to try and figure out what about the subject that you’re struggling with. The problem may not be how much time you’re spending on the subject but how your studying or what you’re focusing on. Is it missing prerequisite knowledge? Do you just need to practice more problems until you get the hang of it? Is there a certain type of problem that you struggle with? Are you over thinking the problems because you’re just too stressed or rushed? Have you gone over your exams to see where you went wrong? Try to go through the harder problems that appear on the test with your professor or TA so that they can explain to you the thought process they were expecting you to go through. What may seem like “brand new material” could easily be the application of the course material in a new way or to a new problem.