Math Whiz I Am Not

OMG. I have completely forgotten just about everything I every learned in school as far as math is concerned. I am kinda freaking out a bit here. The reason is that on February 23rd, I take my college placement test. That's right. You are looking at a new college student. I have decided to take advantage of my employer's tuition reimbursement program and enrolled in Edison State School. Well, I haven't exactly enrolled. I have to send in my application and application fee next week....but I already applied for federal student aid and got my placement test date.

Anyhow, I pulled up a few examples of what would be on the test, little practice tests. I did okay in the reading and comprehension sections but boy, oh, boy...math. YUCK! I did not get one single answer right in the algebra section and got maybe one or two right in the other math section.

I have a feeling I am going to be in the very bottom math class. I don't mind so much, that's probably best, but it means that its going to take that much longer to get my degree since I will have to work twice (triple?) the time on my math credits to make it to the math courses that are required for the degree. Put it this way, if its adding or subtracting I am okay, multiplication and division are harder (forget about long division!) and I am clueless when it comes to fractions or those problems with the numbers with integers?? Is that the word I am looking for??

Anyhow, I just know I am going to be a wreck on test day. I found a Developmental Algebra workbook my friend Peggy gave me years ago, but all it contains are problems (more mini tests) but doesn't teach you HOW to do the problems.

Looking back to my high school years, I was pretty bad in math then too. I took the same basic algebra class twice because I failed it the first time. I think I was the only senior in a class of freshmen. Okay, perhaps that is an exaggeration. I might of been one in three seniors in a class full of freshmen. I almost couldn't graduate because I didn't have enough math credits. I passed the class, and made it to graduation, by getting a "D" on my final exam. I literally graduated by the skin of my teeth.

I think the difficulties I had in math alone was what made me decide, up until now, that I had no interest in going to college. I guess I figured if I couldn't pass the math I was given in free public school, there was no sense in wasting someone else's money to fail math in college. But now I realize its important to have a college education. And who can pass up their employer paying their way? LOL!