Plan your school experiences to maximize the likelihood of success for college mathematics.

Purpose:

To define the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to succeed in the first year of college mathematics. To make this information available to all aspects of the educational endeavor: students, parents, teachers, advisors, and educational policy makers.

Definition of Success:

A student is successful in the first year of college mathematics if the following three conditions are met:

1. The student is prepared for the first college mathematics course required by the student’s choice of major or interest area.
2. The student completes each mathematics course attempted during the freshman year with a grade of C or better.
3. The student is able to transfer knowledge gained in the mathematics course(s) into other courses, particularly into courses of the major.

The overwhelming consideration is that mathematical skill, or the lack thereof, should not be the determining factor in the choice of major or career.

Why you should be concerned:

• Lack of appropriate mathematics preparation greatly restricts the choice of major or career.
• Decisions made about prealgebra in middle school can harm your college performance.
• Strong mathematics skills enhance success in other related courses, such as science, computer science, engineering, and so forth.
• Proper sequencing of courses requires early planning and yet can yield a savings of time and money in college.

What can be done?

1. Develop a positive attitude and find for yourself motivations to learn mathematics
2. Remember that calculus preparation makes available the widest choice of study areas and career possibilities.
3. Be aware that the need to take algebra and/or precalculus in college is considered to be a disadvantage.
4. Take Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, and Precalculus in high school – in that order if possible.
5. Develop strong study practices: study skills, test taking abilities, and technology experiences affect each student’s performance.
6. Take courses which expand your interdisciplinary knowledge: broader mathematical understanding, learned from economics, physics, chemistry, and other courses, contributes to success.
7. Take mathematics every year and especially in the senior year.
8. Learn to use calculators and computers appropriately, and not as a crutch.
9. Realize that taking comprehensive final exams are important for retaining knowledge. Exemptions from final exams are detrimental to success in college study, and particularly in college mathematics.

General strategies for learning also apply:

• Have the patience to practice.
• Learn from initial failures.
• Take as many mathematics courses as you can take – they always look impressive on your transcript and they increase you analytic abilities in all disciplines.
• Do some mathematics homework every day; shorter, more frequent study is more effective than less frequent, longer study periods.
• Develop your reading skills; strong reading skills enhance mathematical performance.
• Listen in class and take notes. Writing information down increases retention and provides an extra source of information.
• Ask your teacher about study skills and test-taking skills.
• Do lots of homework.
• Learn to manage time.
• Learn to "read" mathematics.
• Learn to "write" mathematics.
• Develop organizational skills.
• Give schoolwork a priority over employment in after-school jobs or extra-curricular activities.

Remember:

You are ultimately responsible for your own learning. Structure your course choices and your learning strategies carefully. Have great expectations for yourself in mathematics.

The report in its entirety contains information regarding content recommendations, technology recommendations, teaching and environmental issues, and teacher training recommendations. Interested persons are encouraged to obtain a copy either on the Internet or by mail. Copies should also be housed in college and high school libraries.

Committee:

Mary B. Martin, Chair, Winthrop University
Roger Allen, Francis Marion University
Eddie Brown, Burkett CPA’s
Charles Cleaver, The Citadel
Lin Dearing, Clemson University
Ron Goolsby, Winthrop University
Hugh Haynsworth, College of Charleston
John Long, Midlands Technical College
Mary Ellen O’Leary, University of South Carolina at Columbia
Julia Robbins, Rock Hill School District III
Suzie Schembri, Northwestern High School, Rock Hill
Wade Sherard, Furman University
Chris Tisdale, Winthrop University
Jane Upshaw, American Management Association
Keith Wilks, Rock Hill High School, Rock Hill

Funded by a grant from the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (based upon Act 359) as part of the "Great Expectations" Project.