Some students are required to be on remedial class based on their SAT or ACT performance. The school system defends this move to provide the student with good foundational coursework to allow them to survive college-level coursework, especially in Math and English. But this has been opposed by some saying, the remedial class is the curse on student’s mental health.
Stigma Of Attending Remedial Class
Being called a college student, yet, attending classes for high school levels is quite shameful. Some students try their best to do well in high school as preparation for the course they would want to take in college. But there are numbers of them who feel frustrated after taking their placement test.
My niece has been dreaming of becoming a space engineer one day. She is always giving her best in school with this goal in mind. But the somewhat discouraging result of her placement test put her in intermediate algebra level. That means she has to take a remedial class. That result made a significant impact on how she feels about herself. The once confident girl I knew now felt inadequate, thinking she’s not good enough to be an engineer. She lost her confidence and kept on saying that she will never become an engineer.
Help And Support From Parents And The Educational System
As a person in the academe, I need to explain to her what the placement exam is for. I, myself, took a remedial class during my college days. She couldn’t believe it. Yes, the remedial course is not a new thing. It already exists during my time, and I took it. Believe me, it helped me improve my math skills significantly. Math may not be for everyone, but it can be learned by those who really have the heart for it.
Taking a remedial class in math does not mean you are not good enough or smart enough, or you’re level of intelligence does not fit a course that’s in the math field. It’s just kind of serve as an indicator of what level you should start in Math when you get to college. If you think about it, it’s for your advantage. College environment can be overwhelming, and being in a math class way above your level can cause you just to give up. So, it is better to enter college math at the level that fits your understanding, be good at it, and then slowly go up the ladder to higher math.
ACCUPLACER
If you feel anxious about your ranking, ACCUPLACER might be able to assist you in seeing your coursework level and even helping you improve through practice tests.
Accuplacer is an online assessment tool that aims to evaluate students’ preparedness to college by assessing their skills in writing, English, and Math.
It is free for students to practice. Tests are modified to each student because of its computer-adaptive design.
ALEKS And EdReady
There are more similar programs designed to help students do well and have confidence as they enter college.
EdReady and ALEKS can help assess remedial placement of high schoolers. They even offer a summer program to equip the incoming freshmen with adept skills to meet the demand of their college-level tasks, assignments, and projects.
Learning that you failed at something you work hard for or you don’t fit could really be frustrating, especially for hardworking students.
Knowing precisely the reason why you should take a placement test or what’s the need for a remedial class would lessen your worry and anxiety that could affect your mental health. Looking at remedial class with a positive point of view could strip away the cloud of doubt you have on yourself that could hinder you from giving your best and enjoy college life.