who has taken Statistics?

[cepmom]

registering for fall classes next week and I need "Statistics or higher" for my program. I am math challenged so I really dreading this...math just does not come easy for me. How hard is Statistics?

Thinking about also taking pyschology and wasn't sure if I'd be able to balance the workload if I need to spend a lot of time dedicated to stats. I need to get a B or better (would prefer an A)to better my chances of getting accepted to the (highly competitive)Radiologic Tech program. I could take psychology in the spring...I only have these 2 classes to finish up my prerequisites so I don't have to take both in the fall, but maybe I should try to take more than one class at a time so I can be a little better prepared to go full time if I get accepted to the Rad tech program

So tell me...how difficult is stats?

 

[rchristiansen]

Me! Me! I'm taking my second semester of it right now. I also took 2 semesters as an undergrad.

I absolutely hated statistics as an undergrad because I took it in the "stats" department. Statistics in the "stats" department is pretty crazy. The ones I took was calculus based and very math theory intensive. I hated it, it was really difficult and I think I only got B/Cs or even a C in that class.

However, I'm in the Educational Psychology Department taking Statistical Methods courses and I LOVE it. I really LOVE it. It's not really math based at all. It's quite a bit of logic and understanding how the "numbers" are presented. I have solid A's in these classes.

See if you can take it in the Ed Psych department within a quantitative methods group. Even if you are an undergrad they might make an exception if this is your last semester.


--- In fact, I love these Ed Psych classes so much I'm considering a minor in statistics/quantitative methods. So from going from LOATHING Stats to minoring in it - I think the Ed Psych department had a major impact on that (ok, now I'm going to get really dorky But I don't have any statistical evidence to prove that ha ha!

 

[cepmom]

thanks Becky...it's a math requirement. here is the school's course description:

This course provides a basic introduction to statistics. It is recommended for students in business, social science, human resources, allied health, and criminal justice, and provides an excellent preparation for any career. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability, probability distributions, the normal distribution, hypothesis testing, estimates and sample sizes, the chi square distribution, correlation, and regression

 

[LuvOrlando]

Anytime Math is put on solid ground with examples it's easier IMO. Statistics was pretty easy as far as college math goes, it is fairly concrete and rooted in words... or at least I thought so. If you are nervous about being in the class that alone can be your undoing so I would suggest taking it by itself over the summer. Psych is more writing intensive so it will be demanding of your time. I don't think it is a good idea to mix thinking intensive with writing intensive if you are feeling insecure. Just go slowly, read ahead of the classes, stay on task and you'll be fine.

 

[wvjules]

I am taking Stat 200 right now. It isn't that bad. I think my average right now is 79.87, not good but not as bad as I thought it would be either. And,
it is totally online so it might be a lot easier in a classroom.

Course description:

STAT 200 (GQ) Elementary Statistics (4) Descriptive statistics, frequency distributions, probability, binomial and normal distributions, statistical inference, linear regression, and correlation.

 

[cepmom]

Anytime Math is put on solid ground with examples it's easier IMO. Statistics was pretty easy as far as college math goes, it is fairly concrete and rooted in words... or at least I thought so. If you are nervous about being in the class that alone can be your undoing so I would suggest taking it by itself over the summer. Psych is more writing intensive so it will be demanding of your time. I don't think it is a good idea to mix thinking intensive with writing intensive if you are feeling insecure. Just go slowly, read ahead of the classes, stay on task and you'll be fine.

thanks...summer courses here are only 4 weeks long so it's a bit too intensive for my liking! Plus after conquering Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2 this year, I need to shut my brain off for a while

 

[Cinderella94]

I took AP Stats in high school last year. I am sooooo not a math person, and I got straight As. Much less math-y than calculus.

 

[ajwomic]

I teach it and it is not very mathy. Much more concept based and vocabulary oriented. You have to know the concepts of what to do and when. A Ti-84 graphing calculator with do almost all the actual math for you. You plug in the data and it wall do the formulas, etc. A whole lot of logic too! Hope this helps!

 

[WDWisTheBest]

thanks...summer courses here are only 4 weeks long so it's a bit too intensive for my liking! Plus after conquering Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2 this year, I need to shut my brain off for a while

Do NOT take Statistics as a summer course in 4 weeks. If you get behind for one day, you are lost. The course can be tough enough for those who do not do well at Math, without the pressure of taking it as a short course.

I would purchase a Statistics book now at your local bookstore or get one from your local library and start getting yourself familiar with terminology. Statistics for Dummies can be purchased used from Amazon for $5.18.

In effect, ease into the subject matter, but learn the vocabulary first.

 

[cepmom]

Do NOT take Statistics as a summer course in 4 weeks. If you get behind for one day, you are lost. The course can be tough enough for those who do not do well at Math, without the pressure of taking it as a short course.

I would purchase a Statistics book now at your local bookstore or get one from your local library and start getting yourself familiar with terminology. In effect, ease into the subject matter.

Do the psychology requirement first, if possible, and then take the Statistics.

thanks. I need to take statistics in the fall; the application deadline for Rad Tech is February 1 and prioroity consideration is given to students with A&P 1 and 2 as well as Statistics completed. I want them to see that statistics has been completed already (hopefully with an A). Psych can be done anytime and if I get into Rad Tech,those classes don't start until Fall 2012, so I can take psych Spring 2012 since I won't be able to take any other classes at that time.

 

[brerrabbit]

I was a Finance Major and took 4 semesters of it in my undergraduate program and 2 semesters of it in my graduate program. If it's a basic stat class you should be okay, third and fourth semester stats turns into calculus so be aware that if you have to go very far with it, it becomes very much a math class.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

It's not bad.

 

[Ephany]

I actually just took a stats test an hour ago. I've taken two different courses so far, stats for biological majors for my undergrad and now I'm taking a stats course on evaluating drug literature and drug research. Neither one is math heavy really, although I heard that the calculus based stats is much, much worse if you're not a math person. I'd check the pre-reqs for the course, if it requires calculus personally I'd stay away for now, but if it's algebra or below it shouldn't be too bad. I got an A easily in my undergrad course with minimal effort and I'm carrying a solid B right now (darn true/false questions, oh how I loathe them) in my current class.

 

[FireDancer]

Stats are pretty math intensive but I didn't find them hard. It is more about memorizing formulas than it is complicated math like differential equations.

I will say though that it is one of those classes that really depends on getting a good teacher. I had to take 2 stats classes in college and had one great teacher and one terrible teacher. Even though the class with the good teacher had harder material I found it easier because I had a better teacher.

 

[LilyWDW]

I am fine with stats when I can open up excel or SPSS and allow it to do the work for me! I am also good at interpreting the information after it has been run.

But ask me to do the math myself... no thank you!

 

[rchristiansen]

Stats are pretty math intensive but I didn't find them hard. It is more about memorizing formulas than it is complicated math like differential equations.

I will say though that it is one of those classes that really depends on getting a good teacher. I had to take 2 stats classes in college and had one great teacher and one terrible teacher. Even though the class with the good teacher had harder material I found it easier because I had a better teacher.

You had to memorize your formulas? We got a nice formula sheet and note card for the exams And we actually wrote more words than numbers. Each department is different. I'm an engineering grad student (and I know others in nursing) and we took it in the school of education, a department that focuses on how people learn. Very good teachers.

 

[shortbun]

thanks Becky...it's a math requirement. here is the school's course description:

This course provides a basic introduction to statistics. It is recommended for students in business, social science, human resources, allied health, and criminal justice, and provides an excellent preparation for any career. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability, probability distributions, the normal distribution, hypothesis testing, estimates and sample sizes, the chi square distribution, correlation, and regression

Have you taken Calculus? I wouldn't even attempt statistics until I had some calculus under my belt and had done well. I took four calc classes and then took statistics. I got a B and it was tough, very tough. Also, talk to someone in the math department as it says, 'basic introduction.' Get their opinion. Is this a math major's stats course or just one they have developed for people like you?

 

[wvjules]

I'm doing stat then calculus. I wonder if calculus will be easier now? God, I hope so! I'm scared of calculus!

 

[RitaZ.]

thanks Becky...it's a math requirement. here is the school's course description:

This course provides a basic introduction to statistics. It is recommended for students in business, social science, human resources, allied health, and criminal justice, and provides an excellent preparation for any career. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability, probability distributions, the normal distribution, hypothesis testing, estimates and sample sizes, the chi square distribution, correlation, and regression

That doesn't sound like a basic Stats class. It sounds like Experimental Design and Statistical Inference (Inferential Statistics). Psychology, Psychobiology, Nursing & Biology majors (maybe others ?) have to take it.

It is a challenging class, but not because of the math aspect of it. As far as the math, you do basic math operations and a tiny bit of elementary algebra. ANOVAs require a lot of steps, formulas and just a lot of work. The professors at my university don't allow the use of graphing calculators for this class. As my professor put it, you can write a book in a graphing calculator. I had to buy a simple Casio calculator for under $20 (Fx-115, I think).

Ask other students for recommendations, check out the professors' ratings on ratemyprofessors and check your school SPOT (student generated) evaluations. One of the professors that teaches this course at my university teaches the lessons with PP presentations. That's insane and I wouldn't recommended that. You have to do the work and practice to really understand it.

You'll do fine. Good luck!

 

[Denine]

I took the psych stats way back when. It wasn't bad at all. I too, am math challenged.