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Math is ruining my college majors, what do I do?
Bare with me, I am a good student. I get mostly high A's with a few high B's in between and then I'll wind up having to take a math course and struggling through the class. I just can't wrap my head around anything more complicated than Algebra. I keep trying to avoid math courses, but things like physics, micro/macroeconomics, and calc keep popping up as a required part of my major.
I've changed majors twice already because although I did great in the core classes, I couldn't handle the advanced math classes. Now I'm running into the same problem again. I really want to be in something healthcare/science related, but it all winds up circling back around to really complicated math.
I'm starting to feel like I'm just not cut out for a science degree, but I'm a junior right now and I feel like it's too late to change majors. I've been working towards a bachelors for almost 4 years (I work full time too).
Do you think it's better that I just call it quits on anything related to math on an advanced level and make one final major change over to something not requiring so much math so I can just graduate and go onto grad school? I've tried tutoring and studying in every way possible, but I just can't seem to get advanced formulas.
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Lucky you, at least you figured out Algebra. I was plucked from regular math class in HS to end up in a whole class of those struggling with math. I think they were trying something new. I got stuck at algebra and felt sorry for my teacher who was patient and truly tried many different ways to explain each time I went up to his desk for help. I think some peoples minds, like mine, just don't think that way and may never get past the basics. I am more creatively minded as are all my daughters. So my suggestion is that if you love some things about science, then consider that as something you delve into just for a hobby, for fun, not as a a vocation. Even if somehow you barely squeaked by and passed and got your degrees, you would hate your job if you could even get one in the fields you mention because it would be constantly stressful every time math is involved or you end up stuck, embarrassed and worse, fearing losing your job and being replaced with someone who can handle higher math. Because of this, I feel you may be happier calling it quits as you said, on anything involving higher math. At least you can know you aren't a quitter or one who gives up too easily. You seen to have tried with the tutoring and extra studies. In this case, it's a matter of trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. It just isn't meant to fit.
You may want to talk to your guidance counselor. If there is a test that can be taken that based on your answers to multiple choice questions, shows where you have other interests, I'd do that. Eons ago, I took such a test at a community college to see if there was any line of work I'd be happier in. It should have had one that stuck out above all others, mine came back with 4 that were exactly equal to each other. Since I was only toying with the idea of going to college, I did not in fact go at all.
This may not help, but perhaps if you look to your hobbies, something you wouldn't think of as a money earning career, perhaps you can gain some clues there. Or think about what some things are that you are passionate about and what quality you have that makes you passionate about it. To explain, I will use myself. I am passionate about anything that involves my nurturing aspect and teaching aspect. I am not a school teacher. But even while working as a clerk, what I loved most is being a mom and raising my kids, working in the garden and giving advice where I also get to share things that might teach others. Nurturing little seedlings to grow is a love of mine. Nurturing might come in working with animals in some way although I don't currently but love pets. I know this may not sound helpful but you have already changed majors twice. I know a fellow who did this 4 or 5 times, going to school for an extra long time before he realized that the vocations one could get a degree for at a university, just did not interest him nor did he have what it takes to do them exceptionally well. Last I heard, he decided to go after a job that one could get training for on the job or in a separate school, like training to be a bus driver, going to a beauticians school, a cooking school or a technical school to learn computers, mechanics school to learn to work on cars. Lets take working on cars as an example. Sure you don't make as much as you would as a scientist but if you are in a job that you love and enjoy, you will excell in it over others just doing it to earn a living. I used to have a mechanics shop I preferred over others to take my car to because the group of people working there were excellent as well as the boss who was the one who talked to every client. I realized I had faith in and believed in them beyond any other place. Unfortunately, I no longer live in the area and it's too far away. But having customers who believe in you because they can sense and feel your love of what they do and they do it well, thats what spreads word of mouth to friends who will come and you make money not on salary but on repeat and expanding business. Then when your schedule is so full that you can no longer fit everyone in, you can start getting more in pay for the same job such as a gal who used to cut my hair in my 30s and 40s. I had gone many places where the person would not listen and cut my hair the way they wanted, usually a hack job, taking off way more than I wanted. So when I found someone good at her job, I had trust in her, didn't want to even try anyone else and willing to pay more when the cost went up. I hope that thinking along these lines will help you figure out what you want to go after.
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