How to Be Successful
Completing your math requirements ensures timely graduation. To be successful in your math course, it is important that you:
- Participate
- Attend Class – If you are absent, you won’t understand the concepts. You have to be in class to get the information. Attendance always counts toward learning!
- Pay Attention – Put away your cell phone and listen to your teacher.
- Ask Questions – If you don’t understand something, ask for clarification. Most likely, someone else has the very same question.
- Talk to Your Professor – Don’t wait until you are failing or want to drop the course. Talk to your professor as soon as you are struggling with a concept or have a personal issue that impacts your ability to stay on track.
- Do the Work
- Homework – You learn through practice. The more math problems you do, the more you will learn. Do your homework for each section as it is covered in class.
- Study – Need extra help? Form a study group or visit khanacademy.org/math or purplemath.com for free practice problems.
- Use These Free Tri-C Resources
- Tutoring – See a tutor as soon as you need help – don’t wait until the end of the semester. All tutoring services are free of charge to Tri-C students for the courses in which they are enrolled and are available by appointment or walk-in. See a tutor today!
- Smarthinking – Online tutoring is available through Smarthinking. Submit a question, interact with a tutor, schedule a personal tutoring session or submit a paper to the Online Writing Center. Tutoring is available 24/7 in many subjects, including basic math skills, algebra and calculus.
- StudentLingo – Tri-C offers free online workshops, available on demand through StudentLingo. Workshops include How to Overcome Math Anxiety and How to Succeed in Math.
- Counseling – Tri-C’s Counseling Centers offer more than just academic counseling – they also offer career counseling, personal counseling, student success workshops and general studies courses. Visit your campus counseling center to discuss any concerns impacting your educational experience and personal development.
If you’ve done all the above and are still struggling, or if you are having a personal issue and need to withdraw from your math course, you must first have a discussion with your math professor. Your professor will discuss your course progress and the implications of withdrawing, and will complete the required Fast Forward Math Withdrawal form. This form must be turned in at a campus Enrollment Center to withdraw from your math course.
It is important to remember that dropping your math course might:
- Delay your completion of a degree or certificate
- Impact your eligibility for financial aid and scholarships
Be sure to schedule an appointment with a Tri-C counselor to update your academic plan and speak with a Financial Aid advisor before dropping any course.