Maths and Applied Maths trouble

Colour Insanity

Hey guys, so I'm looking for advice.

So Maths has been one of my favourite subjects all through school... until I hit Fifth Year. It's 6th Year now; I'm finding HL Project Maths insanely difficult and I feel like grinds would help, but my parents are telling me that it's "my fault" and I need to "work harder", when I'm literally pulling my hair out constantly over it. Any advice as to how I could approach the topic with my parents without them putting the blame on me? Or advice in general on how to improve my grade? I'm getting C3's at the moment, but I realistically need a B.

As well, I'm doing Applied Maths as an 8th subject, except I'm awful at it. I hate the class and have been failing consistently, but once again, my parents won't let me drop it, despite that all my other subjects are at Higher Level... and I don't particularly need it. It doesn't help that my Applied Maths teacher is also my Maths teacher, and has told my parents that it's all down to me not working hard enough. I've tried to drop the subject before and she actively gave out to me, and basically refused to let me go.

So, could anyone help? I'm really stressing out over it and it's causing me to have serious anxiety

Lu Tze

Are you actually putting in the work? Im just asking seeing as thats the response from your parents and teacher.

Moving on, i would suggest tackling a topic (i not familiar with the new syllabus, algebra, calculus etc.) a week from here to the exam, maybe get one of those study aid books "Less stress more success" etc. and spend the week solely on the one topic until you truly understand it. Structure it, 1 hour a night, dedicated,no phone, no distraction study.

If you understand the topic properly, nothing can come up on an exam paper will flummox you.

With regard to applied maths, are you sure you wont need the points? Any dodgy subjects that you may need to compensate for?

If you arent doing engineering or physics related course it is unlikely to help you in college. If you are planning to do engineering for instance, it would be a good basis for math physics etc. which you would have to tackle in first year

Colour Insanity

Lu Tze wrote: »

Are you actually putting in the work? Im just asking seeing as thats the response from your parents and teacher.

Moving on, i would suggest tackling a topic (i not familiar with the new syllabus, algebra, calculus etc.) a week from here to the exam, maybe get one of those study aid books "Less stress more success" etc. and spend the week solely on the one topic until you truly understand it. Structure it, 1 hour a night, dedicated,no phone, no distraction study.

If you understand the topic properly, nothing can come up on an exam paper will flummox you.

With regard to applied maths, are you sure you wont need the points? Any dodgy subjects that you may need to compensate for?

If you arent doing engineering or physics related course it is unlikely to help you in college. If you are planning to do engineering for instance, it would be a good basis for math physics etc. which you would have to tackle in first year

I'm planning to do Psychology in college.

I have been putting in the work to the best of my ability. Bearing in mind that I have 7 other HL subjects, App Maths has taken a back seat lately as I'm so bad at it. I study maths every night, try to wrap my head around it but it's been to no avail. I'm sitting my Mocks next week and I personally think I'll be lucky to get a C in normal maths, and pass Applied Maths.

I've been far too proud to get grinds all the way up through school but now that it's crunch time, it's come down to points, really. I'm just wondering how to approach these topics with my parents, who seem to be overestimating me at this stage. The comments my teacher made haven't helped either.

EoghanIRL

Colour Insanity wrote: »

Hey guys, so I'm looking for advice.

So Maths has been one of my favourite subjects all through school... until I hit Fifth Year. It's 6th Year now; I'm finding HL Project Maths insanely difficult and I feel like grinds would help, but my parents are telling me that it's "my fault" and I need to "work harder", when I'm literally pulling my hair out constantly over it. Any advice as to how I could approach the topic with my parents without them putting the blame on me? Or advice in general on how to improve my grade? I'm getting C3's at the moment, but I realistically need a B.

As well, I'm doing Applied Maths as an 8th subject, except I'm awful at it. I hate the class and have been failing consistently, but once again, my parents won't let me drop it, despite that all my other subjects are at Higher Level... and I don't particularly need it. It doesn't help that my Applied Maths teacher is also my Maths teacher, and has told my parents that it's all down to me not working hard enough. I've tried to drop the subject before and she actively gave out to me, and basically refused to let me go.

So, could anyone help? I'm really stressing out over it and it's causing me to have serious anxiety

Be honest with yourself. Drop applied maths . Do you do 7 hl subjects already ? Why do you need to do it ? You could focus on your maths more as ap maths takes a lot of effort . Be realistic with yourself .

Colour Insanity

EoghanIRL wrote: »

Be honest with yourself. Drop applied maths . Do you do 7 hl subjects already ? Why do you need to do it ? You could focus on your maths more as ap maths takes a lot of effort . Be realistic with yourself .

I'm aware I should drop applied maths. My question is how to approach the topics with my parents.

EoghanIRL

Colour Insanity wrote: »

I'm aware I should drop applied maths. My question is how to approach the topics with my parents.

I dropped ap maths to prepare for hpat .

Explain the situation to them. They will only want the best for you .
Possible points I would use :

-more time to focus on maths and other weak areas .

- it has nothing to do with your college course .

- you find normal maths hard , ap maths is harder if anything . Does it prevent you from doing well in other areas . Is it time consuming .are you able for it ?

- what did you get in your pre ? Can you raise your grade ?

Be honest and straight to the point . Explain your reasoning and how it is working to your detriment .
They will understand . The sooner the better.

Colour Insanity

EoghanIRL wrote: »

I dropped ap maths to prepare for hpat .

Explain the situation to them. They will only want the best for you .
Possible points I would use :

-more time to focus on maths and other weak areas .

- it has nothing to do with your college course .

- you find normal maths hard , ap maths is harder if anything . Does it prevent you from doing well in other areas . Is it time consuming .are you able for it ?

- what did you get in your pre ? Can you raise your grade ?

Be honest and straight to the point . Explain your reasoning and how it is working to your detriment .
They will understand . The sooner the better.

I've yet to sit my Pre; they start on Monday. I'll approach them once I've finished them. I do Applied Maths in school hours as well (we get 5 classes a week, including one double) so the time I'd save would be huge.

Thanks for the tips. My parents don't seem to see that I need to focus on upping my grades in 6 subjects now, rather than doing okay in 8.

Moomat

Can't help on the parents angle but this may be of some use to you. I'm doing LC maths as a mature student and a friend recommended this new service for remote study programmes.

https://www.adaptemy.com/

Best of luck!

Aspiring

Don't be too quick to drop applied maths. Once a question clicks with you you're sorted the same ****e comes up every year as we all know. For maths i can only say do your exam papers over and over again. My parents are the opposite to yours trying to coax me into maths grinds

Colour Insanity

Aspiring wrote: »

Don't be too quick to drop applied maths. Once a question clicks with you you're sorted the same ****e comes up every year as we all know. For maths i can only say do your exam papers over and over again. My parents are the opposite to yours trying to coax me into maths grinds

I've heard this again and again - in fact, we're finished the course, and I'm still failing. I simply don't care about the subject anymore enough to give it the time, especially when I have 7 other higher level subjects to be contending with.

Mr Pseudonym

Aspiring wrote: »

Don't be too quick to drop applied maths. Once a question clicks with you you're sorted the same ****e comes up every year as we all know. For maths i can only say do your exam papers over and over again. My parents are the opposite to yours trying to coax me into maths grinds

Unfortunately, I disagree with this. In my experience, most people who initially struggled but went on to be successful had issues with consistency at the beginning - they are relatively competent with the material, but, without practise, their grades fluctuated wildly. If that were the problem, I would recommend sticking at it, because it will eventually "click". But, it doesn't seem to be the case with the OP.


To the OP: I would jettison App Maths as quickly as possible. In that final month after school has ended and before the exams start having an eighth subject with which you are uncomfortable is not desirable.

Ompala

Drop Applied Maths asap. Its the only logical thing to do. Its going to weigh you down in LC and not benefit you at all in college. No point dragging it along.

Sounds like you are going to just have to put your foot down with your parents, back yourself to know whats best for you, they do want the best for you but parents can also be totally clueless as well (not blaming them, but it happens).

It sucks that you have the same teacher for maths and app maths, and she'll be annoyed at you dropping app maths, but highly unlikely you will ever see her after finishing school so just put up with her for the next few months. She'll get over it.

EoghanIRL

Colour Insanity wrote: »

I've yet to sit my Pre; they start on Monday. I'll approach them once I've finished them. I do Applied Maths in school hours as well (we get 5 classes a week, including one double) so the time I'd save would be huge.

Thanks for the tips. My parents don't seem to see that I need to focus on upping my grades in 6 subjects now, rather than doing okay in 8.

Good luck .

I would convince them . If you finished the course and you are still failing then you need to be realistic and honest with yourself . I was asked before , do you want a fail on your leaving cert . If you know you aren't capable of passing then you need to make a decision .

spurious

If you don't sit Applied Maths, it won't appear on your results sheet, regardless of whether you were entered for it or not.

Colour Insanity

spurious wrote: »

If you don't sit Applied Maths, it won't appear on your results sheet, regardless of whether you were entered for it or not.

Didn't know this - just thought it'd be an NG.

Yet again, thanks for the advice everyone. I'll try and sit them down after my Mocks (probably when I come back with a bare pass)...