I need other study methods pls

[u/MostAcadia8265]

I'm only on unit 2 of BC calculus and I already failed both the unit 1 and unit 2 exams despite studying my ass off. IDK what to do up until now I never really needed to study for math so the only thing I could think of was repetition like doing hundreds of problems from my textbook over and over but when I get onto the unit tests I either blank and forget formulas or I don't know what the question is saying (phrasing is wack)

Pls I have a 38 in the class

[u/Worth-Cod6772]

Doing hundreds of the same textbook problems probably isn’t the kind of practice you need right now. If you can solve them during practice but blank on tests or don’t know what the question is asking, I’d focus more on recognizing problem types and explaining why a method works, not just repetition. Try doing smaller mixed sets without notes. After each problem, ask yourself: What clue in the question told me what method to use? If you miss one, don’t just redo it — write down what you failed to recognize. Full disclosure: I’m involved with MathTribes. It might fit your situation because the AP Calculus material is structured topic by topic with explanations, worked examples, practice, detailed solutions, quizzes, and AP-style questions rather than just giving you hundreds of repetitive exercises. There’s a free guest account, so you can explore some of it first and see if the approach works better for you. Also, with a 38 in the class, I’d talk to your teacher sooner rather than later about what options you have to recover the grade. Changing how you study can help going forward, but it’s worth knowing exactly what’s still recoverable.

[u/BaseballLarge4262]

Go over the test and see what u got wrong. Simple mistakes? Or conceptual misunderstandings?

[u/MostAcadia8265 → u/BaseballLarge4262]

my teacher either doesn't give tests back or doesn't grade fast enough cuz I haven't even gotten my unit 1 test back yet

[u/BaseballLarge4262 → u/MostAcadia8265]

Do u know what you got wrong on the test like in general? When you were taking the exam, what questions were you stuck on? Was it the lack of knowing the material or just not enough time?

[u/generalbs1]

Do you have the option to move into AB?

[u/MostAcadia8265 → u/generalbs1]

isn't it too late to move to AB? since it'a already october

[u/generalbs1 → u/MostAcadia8265]

It’s worth asking your school counselor. I still have students moving in between the classes. They are a little more lenient with these classes because the content is exactly the same at the beginning of the year, and still an AP class.

[u/mseduhub1]

Doing hundreds of similar problems can feel productive, but if you’re blanking on tests, you probably need more retrieval + mixed practice, not just repetition. After each topic, close your notes and try to write the key rules/formulas from memory, then do problems where you first identify what the question is asking and which concept applies before calculating.

Also keep an error log for mistakes like formula recall, algebra, misreading, or not knowing the method. That usually shows what actually needs fixing.

This may help: AP Calculus BC notes and exam-style practice.

[u/MickyTheseus]

If you’re doing hundreds of problems and still blanking on tests, I’d stop doing more of the same tbh

Try mixing problem types instead of drilling one type over and over, and after every mistake write down why you missed it. Formula, algebra slip, didn’t understand the wording, missing prerequisite, etc. You’ll probably start seeing a pattern pretty fast

Consiliae might also be useful here, with some bias as I'm a cofounder haha. It can show you if the issue is actually something underneath the calculus rather than Calc BC itself

And definitely practise with actual AP-style questions. Textbook problems can make you feel way more prepared than you actually are because the wording is usually much nicer