First Lessons from College

Lesson 1:  Pay Attention

Several weeks ago I went and got the study packets when I was finding out about returning to school.  The lady at the admissions desk was very kind, I was my usual charming self (not flirtatious, but charming in that Southern Way I’ve picked up over my adult life), exchanging pleasantries, blah blah, she gets the packets, writes a note at the top of the math packet, highlights some stuff up there, gives me the English packet, explains that I don’t need an appointment, take the exams by the 27th, blah blah, transcripts, blah.

Lesson 2: Read the Instructions

I bring the pile of papers home, set them on my desk, fetch all my old math texts, fold the cover page and the introductions over  to open the math packet to the first problems and start diving in.  First five pages is elementary school/ middle school math, no problems, then some very basic algebra, some geometry, nothing I don’t still master, ’bout page 20 I start seeing secants and quadratics and irrational numbers and radicals, and I start working and referencing, and looking up and trying to remember, and working sample problems.  I’ve been working at getting enough of a handle on enough of the material that even if parts of it escape me, I can come back to it over the summer and give it my full attention, and in the meantime still get enough questions right to pass the test.

Fast Forward to today.

(Continued below the fold)

I’m thinking I’ve got maybe a 50/50 shot at hitting around 80%, depending on what escapes me during the exam.  I prepare for the worst, hope for the best.  I finally fold the packet closed, content to roll with the punches, I’ve done what I can.

Remember the little note and highlighting on the cover?

Study these pages:

MAT 50 – pages 1-5
MAT 60 – pages 5-14
MAT 70 – pages 14-19 and 21
MAT 80 – pages 20-29

Go to math lab for HELP

Lesson 3:  I am an idiot.

From whence came the art:

That image is titled I Thought We Were Supposed To Get Answers, by Cayusa, and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 2.0 license.