Are there colleges in any country that won't torture my dd with more math?

[cathmom]

She just cannot get math. She will be tested for a math disability and an IEP soon. She is a humanities girl all the way and definitely wants to go to college, but dragging her through high school math is proving to be quite a chore. Is there any college anywhere that won't make her take more math?

[TranquilMind]

She just cannot get math. She will be tested for a math disability and an IEP soon. She is a humanities girl all the way and definitely wants to go to college, but dragging her through high school math is proving to be quite a chore. Is there any college anywhere that won't make her take more math?

 

 

I don't think so, but others may have current information.

 

I am a humanities type myself, but I was forced to take Algebra. So I took it in the summer, by itself, and with the help of a math teacher I know who just happened to need some help in the garden at the time. We traded off and he helped me everyday. I got a B+, one of my only B's in college. But hey, it was over.

[Barbara H]

Yes, absolutely there are colleges that will allow changes in curriculum for students with documented learning disabilities. You are doing the right thing by pursuing testing. There may also be schools where she may be able to substite a logic course for math.

 

This is a bit old but you may find this thread encouraging: http://dyscalculiaforum.com/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=1750

[Laura Corin]

In the England/Wales and in most courses in Scotland, she would not have any required courses outside her major. If she chose to study French and Drama, then French and Drama would be all she would study.

 

Entrance requirements are usually the SAT plus (depending on the level of university) some AP or SAT II exams. This is a good 'league table' of British universities. Each university website will have a page for foreign applicants. I'm happy to help disentangle any unfamiliar jargon.

 

Laura

[cathmom]

In the England/Wales and in most courses in Scotland, she would not have any required courses outside her major. If she chose to study French and Drama, then French and Drama would be all she would study.

 

Entrance requirements are usually the SAT plus (depending on the level of university) some AP or SAT II exams. This is a good 'league table' of British universities. Each university website will have a page for foreign applicants. I'm happy to help disentangle any unfamiliar jargon.

 

Laura

 

 

Laura, that's what I thought about the UK. She would love to go to college there! I will have to look into it further. Thanks!

[In The Great White North]

I met someone who majored in music at the University of Michigan, then got a Master's and her last math course was "Consumer Math" in high school. This was twenty years ago, but I wouldn't rule out regular schools even without an IEP.

[Caroline]

My sister has a journalism degree from Michigan State. She chose her major because it had no math. This is a woman who got a 5 on the AP Calculus exam as a junior in high school, but she really hated math. She has a masters in early childhood education, and she had to take some math for that.

[SharoninTennessee]

Don't give up hope. My daughter also struggled with math. It was so frustrating for both of us, but no matter what curriculum we tried, nothing made sense to her. When she finally finished algebra 2 with a very low C, we were ecstatic. The state schools here in Tennessee seem to only require 1 math for humanities majors and that can be Math for Liberal Arts, so that's what she took her first semester of college. Well, suddenly it clicked. And not only that, but she actually enjoyed it. She ended up with a 97 average and decided to take Statistics just for the fun of it. Now she's working ahead in it and loving it. She's even considering taking Calculus for Business so she can minor in Marketing.

 

So just know. There is hope.

 

Sharon

[Dana]

You can take a look at program and general education requirements at different schools.

I expect all will have a Quantitative Requirement, but as an undergrad, I know students were able to satisfy it with a number of different courses. Maybe a class that wasn't "math" but had more applications would fit her better.

[creekland]

I don't know if her stats make her competitive for the University of Rochester, but one of their selling points is their open curriculum. I specifically remember one of the guys there saying, "so if you never want to take another math class in your life, you don't have to." This will, of course, depend upon which major she chooses, so check the requirements for those carefully.

 

There are other open curriculum colleges. I know Brown is (very tough to get into). You can probably google for others.

[tearose]

I was also going to suggest finding a place with an open curriculum. In addition to Brown, a few of LAC are open curriculum: Grinnell, Smith, Amherst. Some schools aren't completely open curriculum but have more flexible distribution requirements (the ones I can think of tend to be on the LAC end of the spectrum). I remember seeing a list somewhere online that listed the open curriculum schools, as well as those with more flexibility, but I can't remember where I read it off the top of my head.

[tearose]

Here's a list of more flexible schools: http://collegelists.pbworks.com/w/page/16119530/Open%20Curriculum%20-%20schools%20with%20more%20flexible%20curricula

[cathmom]

Thanks, all! We chatted today and she told me something revealing: from the entire semester she just did, she only remembers two things, the slope formula and the pythagorean theorem. Neither of those are written with numbers! It made me wonder if she could finally learn the times tables if we wrote it out in words, like four times four is sixteen. It also reinforces the idea that she has a math disability.

[Laura Corin]

We used stories for all the times tables for Calvin. He learned them instantly after years of torture trying to learn them as numbers.

 

Laura

[TranquilMind]

Thanks, all! We chatted today and she told me something revealing: from the entire semester she just did, she only remembers two things, the slope formula and the pythagorean theorem. Neither of those are written with numbers! It made me wonder if she could finally learn the times tables if we wrote it out in words, like four times four is sixteen. It also reinforces the idea that she has a math disability.

 

I'm exactly like this. I process verbally. I don't have a disability though, just because it makes more sense in words.

 

Directions are the same way. My husband can look at a map and find his way. I need words! He has to translate into words sometimes when giving me directions and it is very difficult for him. People just think differently.

[Jane in NC]

You can take a look at program and general education requirements at different schools.

I expect all will have a Quantitative Requirement, but as an undergrad, I know students were able to satisfy it with a number of different courses. Maybe a class that wasn't "math" but had more applications would fit her better.

 

This is true at my son's college.

[cathmom]

We used stories for all the times tables for Calvin. He learned them instantly after years of torture trying to learn them as numbers.

 

Laura

 

 

We did stories as well (Times Tables the Fun way) but they were too babyish I think. Maybe I should have her write her own stories!

[FLDebbie]

I see New College in Florida is on the list QPalenik linked to. It's very open to the students setting their own classes and class requirements. And, it's been listed many times on top public college lists. A self-directed student who might not fit in the typical college mold can get a great education there.

[cathmom]

She is VERY self- directed! We once counted how many hours she spent per week on things that could be considered school, and we estimated low at over 50 hours a week. She reads extensively, has already completed a credit on basic psychology with a focus on personality testing, and she only just started 9th grade. She's read through her dictionary, highlighting interesting words. She is researching the development of words and studying Swedish. She's no slacker by any means! She just can't get the math to stay in her head!

[Joshin]

I had major math issues. I chose a degree with one math requirement (algebra 1). I took the class as a six week summer term at a local community college. It was a small class and the teacher basically worked with each of us one-on-one to ensure we passed -- which I did by the skin of my teeth. The credits transferred to my 4-year uni in the fall. Many degrees have minimal or no math requirements, and with a bit of creativity she will be able to get through what little math there is.

[LucyStoner]

Do you mean won't let make her take math after she is admitted or will lower/waive their the hs math credits that are part of their entrance requirements?

 

Provided her major doesn't require college math, there are colleges that consider things like philosophy and logic to count as a "Quantitative Reasoning" and 1 such course fulfills the math requirement to graduate. University of Washington for one.

 

As for waiving/lowering math required for entrance, I don't know. It seems more likely at a private, humanities focused school.

[Nan in Mass]

You might want to check a list of test-optional colleges, also, so her SAT scores don't cause problems with admission. Just beware, the colleges I've spoken to were test-optional only for non-homeschoolers. However, the test-optional colleges usually have another way of assessing the student for admissions. The student can take the SATs (she'll probably do well on the verbal half and do very poorly on the math half) to fulfill the requirement and submit the portfolio or whatever it is they want as an alternative assessment method. That might be better than having to get in with just grades and SAT (or ACT) scores. I suggest that you, the mother, speak to some test-optional colleges and some colleges with an open curriculum now, so you know what you are up against. I did this with my "odd" student who doesn't test well and it was extremely helpful. It allowed me to plan his high school appropriately. If I'd waited until spring of 11th grade, it would have been too late to take advantage of some of their suggestions. The other thing I wanted to say is that if you look at some colleges, they have high verbal scores and low math scores or very high math and low verbal (for tech schools). Obviously, colleges are aware that some students are lopsided and accommodate this. You could look at the SAT scores for various colleges and pick one that is lopsided in the right direction.

 

Nan