Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 14:39     Subject: Re:College Sophomore struggling with Calc 2
Anonymous wrote:Yes - the college has peer tutoring. He has tried that but it's hit and miss. Will tell him to keep trying and also considering an outside tutor for a boost of confidence.


Is the professor any good? I had some bad professors and had to rely on TA office hours to learn because the prof's teaching style didn't match my learning style (or they were just terrible teachers & didn't explain how they went from step to step). Now with the glorious internet, you can find lots of lectures or lessons online. Khan Academy looks to have lessons & questions for additional practice. I'm sure there's YouTube videos on whatever topic he's struggling with as well.

As previous posters said, show up to office hours, any math help, & find other students to study with.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 14:38     Subject: College Sophomore struggling with Calc 2
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kid is at a top LAC and is struggling with Calc 2 (he already did Calc 1 last semester and did ok). He had a bumpy first semester as a freshman and is now stressed out about this semester because of Calc 2. He is talking about transferring as he feels like he does not belong in the college academically (socially happy). He came from a rigorous private and did well, although always weaker in math but made it through to Calc and did fine. Plenty of APs with good grades. We were surprised at how much he struggled first semester at college. He wants to do sciences/pre med so is required to take Calc 2 for this course. Any advice?


Tell him to buck up and grow up. Seriously. If he wants to do pre-med, this is nothing.

His "rigorous private" likely coddled him through the tough classes. I'm sorry, OP, but that's how it works. I've had 2 go through a rigorous private as well, and that was definitely the case. Then they get to college and - surprise! - the work is really hard.

Perhaps some of the time that he is spending being "socially happy" would be better spent with a tutor, or a peer study group, or working his tail off on his own to get through Calc 2. I know. It's hard. But so what? So is life.


+1

This 100% this


Ok, my kid went to a rigorous private (like an actually rigorous one that was miserable for 4 years) and is finding STEM classes at a top20 to be a joke.
She has a 100% in all classes, including ones where the average on first assessments was a 20% or 40%.

Just had to say that.

OP, you need to hire a tutor on Wyzant. This is what we did when things got bad in high school.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 14:38     Subject: College Sophomore struggling with Calc 2
Doesn't seem like a fit for a top LAC if they are still struyin a high school / first-year course in year 2.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 14:38     Subject: College Sophomore struggling with Calc 2
Calc 2 is a weed out class. I switched to accounting back in the day.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 14:35     Subject: College Sophomore struggling with Calc 2
My kid is also struggling - i told them to check out office hours and the free drop in tutoring sessions. Many schools offer that for math.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 14:34     Subject: Re:College Sophomore struggling with Calc 2
Yes - the college has peer tutoring. He has tried that but it's hit and miss. Will tell him to keep trying and also considering an outside tutor for a boost of confidence.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 14:32     Subject: College Sophomore struggling with Calc 2
Does his college have a math resource office or offer peer tutoring support?
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 14:30     Subject: College Sophomore struggling with Calc 2
Get a tutor!!
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 14:30     Subject: College Sophomore struggling with Calc 2
He needs to do daily drills. A lot of drills. To many smart people, Calculus is not intuitive and straightforward like precalc. Unless you are a natural, he needs to practice, practice, practice.

Get him a really good tutor to support him.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 14:29     Subject: College Sophomore struggling with Calc 2
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kid is at a top LAC and is struggling with Calc 2 (he already did Calc 1 last semester and did ok). He had a bumpy first semester as a freshman and is now stressed out about this semester because of Calc 2. He is talking about transferring as he feels like he does not belong in the college academically (socially happy). He came from a rigorous private and did well, although always weaker in math but made it through to Calc and did fine. Plenty of APs with good grades. We were surprised at how much he struggled first semester at college. He wants to do sciences/pre med so is required to take Calc 2 for this course. Any advice?


Tell him to buck up and grow up. Seriously. If he wants to do pre-med, this is nothing.

His "rigorous private" likely coddled him through the tough classes. I'm sorry, OP, but that's how it works. I've had 2 go through a rigorous private as well, and that was definitely the case. Then they get to college and - surprise! - the work is really hard.

Perhaps some of the time that he is spending being "socially happy" would be better spent with a tutor, or a peer study group, or working his tail off on his own to get through Calc 2. I know. It's hard. But so what? So is life.


+1

This 100% this
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 14:26     Subject: College Sophomore struggling with Calc 2
Calc 2 is likely easier at a community college. He could consider dropping it this semester and taking it over the summer.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 14:26     Subject: College Sophomore struggling with Calc 2
Is he willing to secure a tutor? His professor might be able to recommend a person.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 14:26     Subject: College Sophomore struggling with Calc 2
Anonymous wrote:My kid is at a top LAC and is struggling with Calc 2 (he already did Calc 1 last semester and did ok). He had a bumpy first semester as a freshman and is now stressed out about this semester because of Calc 2. He is talking about transferring as he feels like he does not belong in the college academically (socially happy). He came from a rigorous private and did well, although always weaker in math but made it through to Calc and did fine. Plenty of APs with good grades. We were surprised at how much he struggled first semester at college. He wants to do sciences/pre med so is required to take Calc 2 for this course. Any advice?


Tell him to buck up and grow up. Seriously. If he wants to do pre-med, this is nothing.

His "rigorous private" likely coddled him through the tough classes. I'm sorry, OP, but that's how it works. I've had 2 go through a rigorous private as well, and that was definitely the case. Then they get to college and - surprise! - the work is really hard.

Perhaps some of the time that he is spending being "socially happy" would be better spent with a tutor, or a peer study group, or working his tail off on his own to get through Calc 2. I know. It's hard. But so what? So is life.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 14:25     Subject: College Sophomore struggling with Calc 2
He needs a study group, to go to office hours and to do tons and tons of problems. You learn calc by doing problems.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 14:23     Subject: College Sophomore struggling with Calc 2
My kid is at a top LAC and is struggling with Calc 2 (he already did Calc 1 last semester and did ok). He had a bumpy first semester as a freshman and is now stressed out about this semester because of Calc 2. He is talking about transferring as he feels like he does not belong in the college academically (socially happy). He came from a rigorous private and did well, although always weaker in math but made it through to Calc and did fine. Plenty of APs with good grades. We were surprised at how much he struggled first semester at college. He wants to do sciences/pre med so is required to take Calc 2 for this course. Any advice?