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

Check your MCC email.  Don't get behind, do a half-hour every night.  - student who took Calc II online  [editorial note, if you do the math, students should plan on doing 1-2 hours of calculus every day]

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