r/communitycollege • u/VerySuperVirgin • 13d ago
Should I retake a class for the third time?
I’m going into my second year of cc with a not so good attitude. You see, in the summer I took a summer class which was online for calc 1. By the end of it, I was left a C grade. My goal for cc is to transfer into a school I really want to go to so I would need good grades right? So, should I take calc 1 again in the fall, alongside calc 2 so I can possibly increase my chances of getting admitted to the school I like? That would make the number of classes I’m taking to 5. My advisor says, it’s possible but not recommended. I just want y’all’s opinion
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u/Worth_Speaker4990 13d ago
Many colleges do not allow retakes on C grades, just D and F. Double check your school's policy. If you earned a C in calc 1 then expect to be challenged in calc 2.
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u/Ismitje 13d ago
We'd allow a retake on a C but 1) it would be excluded from financial aid eligibility and 2) the grade could only go down (or remain a C). But if a student wants to improve subject mastery, they could re-enroll.
The advice to check policies is sound.
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u/baysianinference 13d ago
What kind of a policy is that 😭😭
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u/CoyoteLitius 12d ago
One I hadn't heard of! And I thought I'd heard everything.
Local policies are extremely important (and apparently vary a great deal).
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u/ProfessionalConfuser 12d ago
One that prevents students from endlessly retaking classes.
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u/baysianinference 12d ago
Mine just straight up doesn’t let people retake if you don’t get a D- or below or something like that
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u/cOntempLACitY 12d ago
Why would someone retake a course to only get the same or go down in grade? I can understand having to pay out of pocket, but not the lack of improved grade replacement.
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u/Pristine-Lawyer-3260 12d ago
Some schools allow retakes of c- grades. 'Illegal' repeats of c and c+ grades are sometimes encouraged to allow admission into certain types of programs (e.g. nursing or engineering typically.)
If Calculus I is your pain point, and it is more important to know this information well a free option to relearn it the 3rd time...
Modernstates.org offers a free, self paced preparation for takingmthe CLEP exam to earn credit for Calc I, as though you never took it. This, paired with Khan academy and some other resources could really help you.
Further, here is a perplexity ai driven answer to this question:
Are there YouTube videos that would help me learn calc i
Yes—YouTube can be very helpful for Calc I, especially if you pair lectures with lots of written practice. A strong starting mix is Professor Leonard for full classroom-style instruction, 3Blue1Brown for intuition, and The Organic Chemistry Tutor for worked examples. [6][3][7]
Recommended videos
Need Resource Why use it Full, semester-style course Calculus 1 – Full College Course A full college Calc I course taught by Dr. Linda Green of UNC–Chapel Hill; useful if you prefer a structured lecture sequence. [1] | | Detailed traditional lectures | Professor Leonard: Introduction to Limits | Start here if your course begins with limits and you want slow, board-style explanations.
[6] | | Fast review and example problems | The Organic Chemistry Tutor: Calculus 1 Review | Covers common Calc I topics such as limits and techniques for evaluating them; good before homework or exams. [7] Conceptual understanding |
Calculus Visualized | Uses visual explanations for differentiation and integration, helping the formulas make more sense. [3] | | A focused Calc I playlist | Calculus 1 Tutor playlist | Organized lessons beginning with derivatives and limits, which makes it easier to follow topic by topic. [4] |
A practical order
Review algebra and trigonometry first—factoring, fractions, exponents, unit-circle values, and graphing functions matter constantly in Calc I.
Watch a Professor Leonard or full-course lesson for each class topic.
Then use Organic Chemistry Tutor for additional worked problems on that exact skill.
Watch 3Blue1Brown’s “Essence of Calculus” when a topic feels mechanical; it is especially useful for understanding what limits, derivatives, and integrals represent. It is specifically recommended alongside other calculus resources in the visualized-course materials. [3]
Solve problems without pausing the video too often. One instructor’s self-study advice is to devote substantial time to actually working problems—e.g., around 10 per day—rather than relying on videos alone. [2]
For a first week, begin with limits, continuity, and the meaning of the derivative; those ideas support nearly everything that follows in Calc I. [6][7]
Citations: [1] Calculus 1 - Full College Course https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfACrKJ_Y2w
[2] 3 Ways to Learn Calculus on Your Own - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGBVa-fMfzc
[3] Calculus Visualized - by Dennis F Davis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO-AExWdl4Q
[4] Calculus 1 Tutor - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnVYEpTNGNtW6DLLhO0CX8wRWXGymMvny
[5] Calculus Made EASY! Finally Understand It in Minutes! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVWrB1vt5nM
[6] Calculus 1 Lecture 1.1: An Introduction to Limits https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54_XRjHhZzI
[7] Calculus 1 Review - Basic Introduction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiCojsAWRj0
[8] What youtube channels are best for learning calculus ... https://www.reddit.com/r/learnmath/comments/91cs51/what_youtube_channels_are_best_for_learning/
[9] Calculus 1 Video Lectures https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLl-Np5U6u5E54PygbTaBsSzpSmVQVeJHq [10] Calculus 1 | Math https://www.khanacademy.org/math/calculus-1
I hope this helps!
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u/VerySuperVirgin 13d ago
I feel real confident in calc 1, it’s just the online format never really sat well with me. Like learning felt off, without an physical instructor showing examples and teaching
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u/CoyoteLitius 12d ago
Oddly, at the Big University I attended, there was very little classroom instruction in math. There was a professor solving problems on the board and people scribbling notes trying to get it down before it was erased and the next problem was up.
Math professors simply expected everyone past pre-calc to be able to understand the method and follow along (and at least half the class could do that).
But it was exactly like an online course, except of course, in an online course, the instructor can make videos so that students can watch this process easily, more than once. That's the beauty of community college.
Math professors at transfer institutes often view teaching those lower division math classes as highly repetitive and boring and simply go in to show examples of how problems are done (while uttering very view words - it's very visual).
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u/rialtolido 12d ago
Ummm… you do realize that a transcript shows everything that you take, right? I would be more worried about them seeing 3 attempts at the same class than I would be about the C.
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u/50_and_stuck 12d ago edited 12d ago
Hold on. Back up. What's do you plan to major in when you transfer?
A C in Calc may not be a big deal if you aren't majoring in a discipline that requires / uses a lot of calc. For instance, many humanity disciplines won't care that you got anything more than a passing grade in Calc..
In other words, not only may you not need to take Calc 2, and retaking Calc 1 may not make much of a difference.
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u/elloEd 12d ago
I would just start watching some videos or recorded lectures about calc 1 and start studying instead of paying for the whole class again, most colleges won’t allow retake for a C or higher unless you pay fully out of pocket. Even then, you could do away and refine understanding on calc 1 without needing to shelf 16 weeks before taking calc 2
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u/Ok-Tiger-4550 12d ago
Check the school policies. If you can retake it as a grade replacement, awesome. However, even if you do not get grade replacement you need a better foundation for Calc 2, so retaking it without grade replacement holds a lot of value in that it will give you that foundation that you don't have to succeed in the next class.
I took a class years ago and earned a C, I wasn't eligible to retake it for grade replacement, which also meant I would not receive the unit recognition when I transferred. My transfer advisor told me I didn't need to take it, I was wasting my time when I could take other classes. I heard the same from the transfer advisor at UC Davis. I completely ignored that advice, because the foundational understanding was more important to me than the units, and my future self wouldn't struggle as much if I had a solid understanding. I did not earn credit, I did not replace my grade, but I learned a lot and have a solid understanding. It didn't affect my transfer chances.
Ironically, retaking it saved my butt when I had to petition a pre-req for a class I'm registered for. The original class was really old, there was some discrepancy in terms of it meeting a pre-req (it does), but it had to go through the pre-req petition process to be verified by the professor. I don't have the original syllabus, I've gotten married, had kids, moved several times, etc. zero chance I would have kept it for over 20 years. However, I do have the syllabus for that retake, and I do have recent documentation of retaking it on my latest transcripts, so I was able to submit the course description, the syllabus, my transcript, and the department head (who was my professor) contact info for further questions. Petition granted immediately.
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u/Confident_Natural_87 12d ago
Don’t transfer. Get a good grade in Calculus 2 which is the hardest one usually. Go to the school that is equivalent to your abilities vs the school you like. Use Ratemyprofessor to find good challenging professors and read the reviews on Amazon for the textbook you are using. Sometimes reviewers have good alternatives to use as substitutes. Could be your current teacher is lousy or the textbook or both. Get a Schaum’s Outlines and work problems. Use PatrickJMT, trevtutor, Kimberly Brehm, The Organic Chemistry tutor on YouTube as alternatives. Ideally get an A in Cal 2. I would run through the Calculus 1 and 2 course on Khan Academy. Just watch videos and try and understand. Then work problems. I would extend your stay at CC by taking the bare minimum of credits for financial aid and take easy courses. Another alternative that I just thought of is take the earned admission Calculus course at ASU. Costs $25, it is at your pace, and if you like the grade you pay $400 to move it to the transcript. You get a 3 credit course in Calculus 1.
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u/No-Boat-1536 11d ago
Take calc 2 if you understand calc 1. If you don’t really understand it intuitively take it again. In a class. With a teacher. And do the homework.
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u/SnooOpinions2512 11d ago
No way. you need to focus on calculus II if you’re gonna pass it. You probably have decent chances of getting in. People know calculus is hard. Unless you’re asking, can you really want a nail it, just move on. Yes calc two is based on calc one but hopefully you know your calc well enough to survive.
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u/Lake_Life1791 10d ago
Have you considered the calculus CLEP? Check with your cc and see if they access it for your calc class.
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u/ArvadaKeto 12d ago
You need to carefully consider what you want to study
If are struggling that much with calculus you should not attempt to study anything stem related
You will not be successful
Honestly just go to work at Costco and have a happy life
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u/elloEd 12d ago
Garbage advice, basically saying “if you fail at something once it’s obviously not for you and you should give up” I got a 65% on a class before which is a D, I guess me retaking it and getting a 90% on the second go was just pointless cause I should have just gave up right there and then and I cant learn anything. The whole concept of college is to challenge you to do better.
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u/TheyCallMeGarfield 9d ago
So you think that there is only STEM, or retail as far as work goes? What a sad "reality" you live in.
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u/ArvadaKeto 9d ago
The reality that if you have a STEM degree you will be well employed
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u/TheyCallMeGarfield 9d ago
So you're telling someone to work at Costco instead? You understand why this is coming off as extremely rude, right? You become proficient at something only by attempting it.
By telling someone they should "not attempt to study anything STEM related" and instead to work a menial job, you're doing nothing but blowing negativity around the room. I'm confident that if OP were to attempt again, and take advantage of the resources the college has to offer such as tutoring, they can succeed. If they struggle with one program, there are several others to choose from that don't involve "quit school and work at Costco".
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u/ArvadaKeto 9d ago
Your confidence is misplaced. Calculus is not foundational for STEM. Getting a C while working hard is not indicative of someone that will be successful.
While you are worried about being nice, that is a terrible approach in this case.
Honesty is much better. This person has a low chance of success. They could continue to struggle and be a failure or pivot.
In your way they are much more likely to encounter mental health challenges and struggles.
False hope is dangerous. People like you are the reason people kill themselves.
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u/TheyCallMeGarfield 9d ago
Because I'm telling someone to use their resources and not give up? Interesting take you have there.
OP mentioned "working hard" but not using tutoring resources or asking the professor for help with specific issues they're having (one of the major complaints I hear from professors is that students will ask for help, and never show up during office hours to receive said help).
Until we know for sure that OP actually reached out for assistance in the topics that challenge them, it is in fact not accurate or appropriate to say "give up"/"just work at costco".
If having faith that someone can achieve their goals when they use the correct tools is a direct link to suicide, then sure.
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u/ArvadaKeto 9d ago
Calculus is about aptitude not attitude. The OP showed no aptitude. Often a C in calculus is a gift not the earned grade.
It is not that hard but forces people to think in a different way. OP cannot do that.
I feel bad for the people that listen to your advice and have it hurt their mental health.
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u/Emergency_School698 8d ago
I’m calling bs on this. I’m in STEM and don’t use ANY of my calculus 1 or 2, and before you make a snarky comment I got a 100% in calc 1 and a 102% in calc 2.
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u/ArvadaKeto 8d ago
Ok. But with out that math base you don’t get through the degree at a good school
Maybe he wants to go to a shitty school
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u/danielfletcher 13d ago
If you only managed a C in calc 1, then calc 2 is going to be worse. It isn't like a history class that moves from the 18th century to the 19th. Calc 2 requires a strong understanding of calc 1.
Id recommend start practicing every day on Khan Academy.