Student Advice

Past calculus students offer their advice for being successful in the blended Calculus classes.

My advice is just common sense.  Online students need to put in a lot of quality study time.  If it's your first online class you really have to make yourself stick to your study schedule.  It can be easy to stray away from it and put things off.  Keep studying and do extra practice questions until you feel confident and keep reviewing previous chapters.  If I don't fully understand something, I try to work out as much as I can, then rewatch the videos and things finally click.  - student who took Calc I and II online

Don't wait until the last minute.  There is no way to crunch this format.  More importantly, understand why details have to be carried out a certain way.  Otherwise, taking educational guesses won't get you very far. - student who took Calc II online

There is a "big picture" in calculus.  Try to see how big concepts like derivatives, limits, integrals, and even series work and fit together.  Just being able to do a problem and get the right answer doesn't mean you know what you're doing.  You need to know why you're doing what you do.  Good luck! - student who took Calc I and II online

Know your Limits and Derivaties.  Everything builds on those two things. - student who took Calc I and II on-campus

I think that the students should read the lesson before we discuss it in class and try to figure it out first so that in class they will understand it better.  This is something that I didn't do in class but wish that I would've.  - student who took Calc I and II on-campus

STUDY!!!  Practice formulas and problems!  Participage when possible!  Do not be afraid to ask Questions!  - student who took Calc II online

Before the semester begins, make sure and review: 1) Natural logs and their roles (these tripped me up).  2) Factoring  3) Sine and cosine curves and their relationships.  - student who took Calc II online

Stay on top of the homework.  It's easy to skip an assignment that is only worth 1.4 points, but they really add up and help your unit grade.  Also, don't be afraid to ask questions.  - student who took Calc I on-campus and Calc II online

Don't just watch the lectures, read the sections in the book too.  Pay attention to the discussion boards in WebAssign; someone might have the same difficulties as you.  - student who took Calc II online

Practice your algebra and trig before diving into calculus. - student who took Calc I online

The workload is much more intense than I was planning on.  It was more than 2 hours a night more often than not. - student who took Calc I online

Quite simply, this class requires a routine that includes learning the material through lectures and other resources, applying that material, and then going over the material that was any trouble.  Doing the homework is a must. Spend reasonable amount of time on it! Use the message boards to get help and return the favor. - student who took Calc I online

Learn to use the technology right away. - student who took Calc I online

My advice to future Calculus students includes a couple of ideas in order to prevent the stress and fear of an upcoming test.  First, I would gain the immediate understanding of the commitment it takes to earn an A in a Calculus course.  You cannot learn it overnight and I had several 2am studies.  Next, get organized and take notes in such a way that YOU can easily understand the "steps" of completing your homework problems.  Use all available tools and resources to understand topics.  I used the book, online videos, and other students' knowledge, with their ability to teach me, to understand topics.  Finally, teaching someone will prove to be very rewarding.  Make sure to complete all homework problems, and rework them later in the course so that you retain the information for the final.  Repetition "made it stick."  - student who took Calc I online

Just make sure you do your homework ahead of time. - student who took Calc I online

Do your homework as quickly as possible to leave time for questions. Do not hesitate to click the button for an extension. You can always get an extra day's worth of time to ask questions and improve your grade. - student who took Calc I on-campus

If you are an in-class student going to class is a must! The boardwork is so helpful! Also, utilize AND participate in the message boards. It gives you the chance to help out other student and receive help without letting others do the work for you.  - student who took Calc I on-campus

Don't skip a week. - student who took Calc I on-campus

Set aside time every night for the massive amount of homework. - student who took Calc I on-campus