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climatelurker t1_j9hsdxz wrote

Also, not being wonderful at math in high school doesn't mean you won't do well at it in college. It depends on how much you are willing to work at it.

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YesWeHaveNoTomatoes t1_j9i36ow wrote

In some Asian countries kids are taught that everyone can learn any amount of math just by putting in however much effort is required. And anyone can learn piano, basketball, etc. Natural talent helps by making it easier, but everyone can learn it; no one is incapable.

On the other hand for a competitive job OP would probably be better served by focusing their effort on things that are easier for them to be really, really good at. NASA isn't hiring satellite engineers to design educational programs or sweet talk congresscritters into more funding or etc.

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TheLit420 t1_j9jg1i5 wrote

This is the right attitude to have. Not too many are born with a smooth brain. You just need to apply yourself as much as you can to become what you what to become.

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Imlurkskywalker t1_j9i5hur wrote

Honestly this. I made a D in chemistry in high school whereas every single other class were straight A’s and then in college ended up falling in love with it and graduating with honors with a degree in chemistry which is now utilized in operations at a nuclear plant. Bad teachers can make you think you’re not good at something.

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RadiantHC t1_j9k6urw wrote

Also college's entire structure is much different from high school's

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Fukkinchilll t1_j9ibf9m wrote

I second this. Might not even have to wait until college! I didn’t do phenomenal at math my freshman or sophomore year either, but when I took physics in my junior year, a passion was born, and it just clicked

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DJOldskool t1_j9ju0ns wrote

Always stated as soon as you get to algebra, it should be mixed with physics. It makes it so much more interesting.

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Mrbaker4420 t1_j9jx3fc wrote

I dropped out in the 10th grade. I'm an engineer. It all depends on how bad you want it.

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stuck_on_the_vine t1_j9i30db wrote

Become a janitor.

Start solving math puzzles in the hallways.

🤷

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joyofsovietcooking t1_j9ic0ep wrote

This is the plot of Gattaca.

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bkupron t1_j9ihc78 wrote

It's the plot of Good Will Hunting. Gattaca involved assuming someone's identity and lying to get on a rocket. The janitor was a way to scope out the building in Gattaca and included zero unsolvable hallway puzzles.

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CptHammer_ t1_j9jlowa wrote

I always said Gattaca would have been a better movie if it had a few hallway puzzles.

The Labyrinth was probably the peak hallway puzzle movie. It was nice that Good Will Hunting gave it a nod.

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TechWorker_AI_Maybe t1_j9hrxew wrote

My buddy is the art director. He makes all the badges.

There are other ways to get involved. All businesses have the same functional needs, just varying degrees of them.

There are accountants, creatives, lawyers, and a ton of scientists at NASA. Keep your chin up. Get creative about your career path.

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smittyis t1_j9hs5te wrote

Yes!! So many different needs at a large institution

Great sentiment here....well done

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Ok_Boss_6438 t1_j9jywnx wrote

Lots and lots of metal workers, welders, and other types of fabricators. The folks that build and maintain a lot of the infrastructure at the launch sites. Many are now retiring, and I don’t think those jobs require college degrees let alone math skills.

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rebtilia t1_j9jsf4b wrote

How does one get a job like that?

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TechWorker_AI_Maybe t1_j9jwg8d wrote

Connections. Experience. The thing I wish I learned earlier in my career: if you want to be the creative at an engineering company, or any non-core critical function at any org (sure you can argue you are critical but if you have to argue your job matters then, well) then you are likely needing to start somewhere else. Not a lot of entry level positions for creatives at nasa. Go start at an agency. Then go in-house somewhere else. Then, try nasa.

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DreamJD89 t1_j9jw76m wrote

Research, and usajobs.gov if you want to go into public sector work. Research, and .com if you want to go into private sector work.

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_Abe_Froman_SKOC t1_j9ht7qd wrote

Not everyone at NASA is a rocket scientist. There are people that manage the rocket scientists and keep them within budget. There are people that assemble and fuel the rockets. There are administration people that write letters and emails about the rockets. There are historians that write about the old rockets and public relations folks that talk about the new rockets.

If working at NASA is your goal, you have an incredible amount of options. Also: math is stupid.

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jiraiya_myoboku OP t1_j9hu48d wrote

damn u right i gotta broaden my horizons

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_Abe_Froman_SKOC t1_j9huy45 wrote

So, quick story, I was a UAV operator for 14 years. I spent five years flying for the Army and the rest as a contractor. Anyway, I used to fly with a guy that absolutely hated our job. Eventually he got so fed up with it that he sold his house and moved to bumf**k Texas to get his A&P license to become an airplane mechanic.

His first job out of A&P school? Reassembling Falcon 9 rockets for SpaceX.

You just never know where life is going to take you. Just enjoy the ride.

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beiman t1_j9imwqn wrote

Take this with a grain of salt, but I worked for JPL/NASA as an electrical engineer and I failed math 3 times in college. Unless you decide to go the PhD route and do alot of R&D for them, anything beyond Calc 2 is overkill.
It was the best job I ever had, and the only reason I do not work there now is because I was a contractor and I ran out of full time work from them, so had to move jobs.

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TheLit420 t1_j9jg3nk wrote

Become the drug dealer for NASA engineers. I hear they really really like stimulants.

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BaconMiester007 t1_j9i0bkq wrote

Dude what an amazing comment even in general. People always compare the hardest jobs to working at NASA or being a ‘rocket scientist’

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rodney_furnival t1_j9hvgf1 wrote

Lots of different options at Nasa: https://www.nasa.gov/careers ... and just because you're not strong at math now doesn't mean you can't be. Sometimes it takes the right teacher or solving a particular problem for someone to "get it." but keep at it.

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CFCYYZ t1_j9hudtt wrote

Like you, I did not have the heavy math skills to be a space scientist, or even an engineer. But I did have enough skills and luck to work in satellite electronics. Not design, but assembly. Later I moved to training and facility duties. Learn what you can and do what you can. Luck!

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p0k3t0 t1_j9hz8aq wrote

Work hard at math. One of the best skills you can learn at a young age is mental stamina. You have to be willing and able to keep working on hard problems long after they've become frustrating.

I didn't learn this until I was way too old, so please take some value from my advice. Keep working on the problems that challenge you.

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mrsonji t1_j9hsqcb wrote

Quality of the math teacher and how they teach makes a huge difference!!! Don’t give up!

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csamsh t1_j9hts6x wrote

There are a lot of people who work at nasa who aren't engineers and scientists. There are people who build things, finance people, PR people, business management, HR, contracts, facilities, legal, maintenance, environmental, health&safety, pipefitters, plumbers, electricians, probably even carpenters- you name it. You'd be hard pressed to find a career that isn't applicable to a giant company like nasa. Find what you're good at and make it work.

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analytic_tendancies t1_j9hzj0a wrote

I barely graduated high school and only took algebra but then ended up with a BS in Math

Sometimes it’s just your environment and your passions will get you through the courses you’re actually interested in

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tberetz t1_j9hw6cy wrote

I live near Cape Canaveral, the gift shop employees get NASA benefits, there are plenty of jobs that don't require math or science

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OkMacaron493 t1_j9hwrcf wrote

Get good at math. Achieve your dreams. You have so much room to grow before making a negative statement like that.

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dreadpiratew t1_j9i6eb7 wrote

They need janitors and secretaries, like most businesses

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ObscureName22 t1_j9i79j0 wrote

I don't know anything about the math requirements for NASA, but I think the obvious answer is for you to just get better at math. I refuse to believe that doing so is beyond someone if they truly dedicate themselves to it and are passionate.

Also you're only in high school. You likely don't even know what you are capable of yet. In astronaut Scott Kelly's book he talks about how he was a pretty mediocre student in high school, but one day he joined a military academy and randomly became super motivated after reading a book about pilots. From that point on worked his butt of to get into the field. You don't need to be a genius now to one day work for NASA, but you should develop a plan now with steps to help you get there eventually if it's something you really want to do.

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Own_Praline_6277 t1_j9ij054 wrote

I sucked at math in high school, still suck at it! I'm a physicist tho! The trick is to accept you suck and that it's going to be hard. Don't get discouraged by those who find math easier than you do. We're all different, and you don't have to be the next Einstein to be a scientist, you just have to be motivated and able!

In case you think I'm exaggerating, I scored in the ~40 percentile in the Quant section of the SATs, 40-50 percentile on the GRE. Failed linear algebra the first go round (dropped it after the first midterm when I scored a 15%). Still went to grad school for physics. I'm now a successful physicist working on some really interesting projects, with a ton of opportunities, and with just a master's!

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mega_douche1 t1_j9k54m9 wrote

Depends how bad at math you are. If you struggle to pass high school math do not attempt to get a physics degree...

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Own_Praline_6277 t1_j9k66vr wrote

I struggled at every level of math and I have a bs and ms in physics.

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mhendry t1_j9iq9rb wrote

I'm not someone who posts on Reddit often, but this caught my attention.

I worked on missions like Curiosity, SMAP, and Mars Sample Return for 15 years at JPL right out of college, and I'm far from a math expert. Case in point: I almost failed my college ordinary differential equations class and my math GRE, and I was still hired. There were other things going on my life at those times that contributed to the poor results, and I put in a lot of work to recover (got a B in partial differential equations!), but still: grades aren't everything.

I had the privilege of going to a really good school in my small hometown, but, even there, I hadn't taken physics or calculus by my sophomore year. I did get to take both my Junior year, followed by AP Physics and AP Calculus as a senior. It took some convincing and extra assignments to get me into those classes, and I definitely wasn't the best in the class once I was there.

Through all this, what got me to JPL was that I really, really wanted to be a rocket scientist. Without natural genius, I turned to the next best skill I had: grit. I had to work twice as hard (or more) as my peers for a fraction of the result, but it came together in the end.

The best piece of advice I can give you about math is this: math is just a means to an end.

No offense to the mathematicians, I truly envy your skills, but to an engineer, math is a tool. Just like a wrench or a hammer. You do not have to love it, you do not have to like it, but you do need to know where to find it when a problem comes up. You use math when you need it, and you use just enough of it to get the job done. Any more and you're just wasting time (the planets wait for no one).

More important than knowing a lot of math is to understand the principles and relationships behind the physics. You can always look up an equation, reach for a calculator, etc. I can count on two hands the number of integrals I had to solve on the flight projects I mentioned above. You know what I did end up using a bunch that I never thought I would: Taylor series expansion. I definitely had to relearn those when they came up...

The point I want to make is that even with all the education afforded by a BS and MS degree in Astronautics, you still won't have all the answers at your fingertips. There is no solution manual when you work on advanced spacecraft. You often have to invent. That means constantly returning to the fundamentals and being willing to learn (and relearn) the math to pull it all together. Once you've solved that one critical equation, the rest is "just" execution, like any other job on this planet.

Keep your head up and stick with it. Seeing something you designed and built sitting on another planet is well worth it! Also, as many have said, if engineering isn't your path, there are still many ways to contribute!

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o0joshua0o t1_j9hyrnf wrote

I'm sure they need project managers, IT support, logisticians, facility managers, financial managers, accountants, lawyers, etc.

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GentleGrappler t1_j9i5616 wrote

I started over at pre algebra level math in college. Stuff we learn in middle school. I was always in what was called the slow math classes in school. I passed differential Equations and linear algebra last semester with flying colors. Not to mention all the core math leading up to it. You just need to practice and not fall behind. Everyone can do it

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Afexodus t1_j9i82s8 wrote

As a sophomore in high school who hasn’t taken Calculus or Physics yet I would try those first before deciding you are bad a math. If you have a goal in mind and work hard I bet you can do well. You have a long way to go with math if you want to be a physicist or an engineer but don’t count yourself out before you even start. Calculus sounds scary but it’s not really much harder than algebra, it’s just a new set of rules.

I didn’t think I was that smart in high school and now 10 years later I research and develop magnet retention methods for electric motors in aerospace as a R&D mechanical engineer.

P.S. NASA has low pay from the postings I have seen. Not a reason to not go for it but always something to keep in mind.

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JungleJones4124 t1_j9i923m wrote

NASA, and the entire space industry for that matter, isn't made up of only people who are good with math. They have PR people, they have budget people (not as math intensive), logistics, scheduling, contracting, etc. so don't just sell yourself short. I've run into people who are theater majors and love space - there is stuff to do with that too. If you want it - you'll find a spot for yourself in the industry somewhere.

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HereForFun9121 t1_j9i92ch wrote

I was far better at math in college than HS. Aced calc, trig, and physics. It’s all about how you apply yourself because math is factual but there’s lots of ways to come to the same conclusion and you’ll find what works best for you. Also, rate my professor is a god send. I never went with the easiest professor, I went for the ones who were great at teaching!

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nomadic__madness t1_j9i9425 wrote

  1. Math is not some innate ability. If you practice and apply your learning you will get better and 2) you don't need to be amazing at math to get a job at NASA. Also, there are a ton of companies involved in space now, so lots of options. I work in the space subdivision of a govt contractor as a software engineer and almost never use math! There are also tons of non-engineering/science jobs.
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joyofsovietcooking t1_j9icz8z wrote

Stay with it, mate. Stay on target. The kind of math you have been exposed up to the 9th grade is not like calculus or physics! Not at all. You need to learn a completely different way to think, and who knows? Maybe this is your time to shine.

Also, you don't need a 4.0 for anything other than medical school or law school–stuff like that. Don't over stress on what you think your grades should be. Work hard, pass your classes, train your mind, gain the knowledge you want and put it to work. There are an awful lot of people who have been successful with 3.0 or 2.0 GPAs. I am one of them.

A career involving the cosmos is not a 100% overlap with NASA. There are a lot of paths to the stars.

Keep at it!

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KreeH t1_j9irx9k wrote

So much of what we learn is a function of our teacher and where we are mentally when we attempt to learn. Seek out teachers who peak your interest and explain things in a way you can understand. Math can be dry as hell and seemly impossible or really interesting. I would even suggest looking online or YouTube for added guidance. Just don't give up!!

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adamtheskill t1_j9ixabg wrote

It's almost impossible to do university level math/physics unless you at least somewhat enjoy the subjects or at the very least have a clear goal you're working towards. If you enjoy a subject and are willing to spend time on it you will eventually become good at it.

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MrBean1512 t1_j9izv31 wrote

Sometimes all it takes is finding a way to apply it to something you are passionate about. Math in a classroom is usually boring as hell. I took Calculus classes twice, hated it both times as I dropped out the first time and barely passed the second (first in high school and then in college). Now I'm doing it again in software development and it's making perfect sense and I'm really enjoying it.

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HitsWifey t1_j9j7zlg wrote

Had to give you an award for setting your sights high, even though advanced Mathematics is going to be required to work at NASA. Wishing you the best of luck and thanks for inspiring me also with some personal situations i have ahead of me at 4a.m.

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MountainBean3479 t1_j9j9ko9 wrote

For most jobs but I have a friend that's a nasa lawyer - our undergrad had no distribution Req s and the last quantitative course she took was a freshman Econ course. So there are jobs that are required for the agency itself and are vital and cool but not math-y

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ToManyFlux t1_j9jfju2 wrote

I sucked at math in high school but doubled down in college and aced calc 2 probably the most relevant math in engineering school aside from diff eq. Set yourself up for time to go to the tutoring lab to do your homework immediately or close to immediately after class. There wasn’t a tutoring lab for calc based physics but everyone was bombing physics so the class average got bumped up and a solid foundation in calc usually translates well to physics. If you’re at an average college this will be the case. If you end up somewhere like UofM and above this won’t be the case. If you can get a tutor in HS it will help a lot. Khan Academy was very helpful for learning math. Their YouTube videos were helpful. The key to math is practice practice practice practice.

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ZEFfersonZ t1_j9js5zd wrote

Just how badly do you want to work for nasa? If you want muscles you go to the gym. You want math skills you apply yourself with studies and exercise your brain. Of course this could just be a fantasy of yours and you just don’t have what it takes to be a part of nasa. Time will tell.

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slickrickATL t1_j9ju8s7 wrote

I work HR for NASA… DM me and we’ll set a time to talk

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121853marty t1_j9jub2w wrote

A custodian isn't a high math skills job. The dust...isn't space dust and swelling a brush in a toilet isn't orbiting Uranus butt it is close.

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Buford12 t1_j9hxii4 wrote

Getting a job with the Feds is all about filling out the paper work and passing the tests and back round check. Here is the website. https://www.nasa.gov/careers

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KilgoreTroutPfc t1_j9hzkxa wrote

You don’t have to be a scientist you can be a project manager or something. Most NASA employees are not doing orbital mechanics calculations all day.

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churdson t1_j9i062e wrote

You're a sophomore in high school, you have time to make math your strongsuit instead of just saying you're not good at jt

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Beneficial_Cold8729 t1_j9i1rhm wrote

I’m a dumb ass electrician. Spent 6 months in cape Canaveral building the blue origin project. I’m on a naval weapons base now. NASA hires everything just about. You’d be surprised.

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Inappropriate_Piano t1_j9i2c1t wrote

Have you tried watching math YouTube? I find that the key to learning math well is to be genuinely interested in it. If you find a good math communicator to watch/read, it helps to motivate your learning and make it easier to get through the parts that are (even if you end up loving math) just boring.

Also, if there’s a past math class you’ve taken and passed but didn’t feel you really got it, try to find a way to get those ideas to sink in. Math builds on itself. If you don’t have the foundations, you will struggle with what comes later.

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CreamyKisses94 t1_j9i3o96 wrote

Don’t stress.. work hard and try to get an internship. Work your ass off there. The right people will notice. Also, good people and good personality traits go far. A skill can be taught but you can’t teach someone to be a good person or hard worker.

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Blvck_Cherry t1_j9i52tb wrote

A graphic designer and video producer/editor (or production in general) managing social media(s) working at one of museums as a guide, photography from a distance of launches or big events, an writer. There is a multitude of things

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JayJayAK t1_j9i5k5l wrote

Get a tutor (or tutors), especially when you get to college, if the way the profs teach doesn't mesh with you. Many colleges have student assistance centers where you can find a tutor, possibly at no additional charge from your tuition. For that matter, consider getting one now, if it's feasible, to bring your scores up and improve your chances at getting into the best school possible.

I'm assuming that you're wanting to work in the technical/science side of NASA.

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channgro t1_j9ia9q3 wrote

it’s okay bro, i barley passed high schools with all D’s

i didn’t glow up in Math until my first semester of college

failed Algebra with an F, passed Calculus with A’s

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A_Random_Lantern t1_j9ipxbk wrote

if it's any consolation, most mathematician majors are psychopaths. They either grow up to work in government positions, or they're the unabomber

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A_Random_Lantern t1_j9iq79w wrote

also not taking a physics or calc course in sophomore year isn't really that unusual, there are people who are still taking algebra 2 in their junior year.

just stack those ap classes in your junior and senior years

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birdandsheep t1_j9iv8cb wrote

You can get better at math. It's not set in stone.

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RackOffMangle t1_j9j8dcz wrote

I'll probably get shot down for this, but if you aren't good at math, at least be good at written English by using capital letters at the start of your sentences. Anyone employing sees that kind of thing, it's going to be an automatic no.

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Skellyinsideofme t1_j9jc7g1 wrote

There's a plethora of non-technical jobs at NASA. Have a look around their careers page - check out legal, HR, corporate, marketing etc.

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Dempsey64 t1_j9jewgm wrote

Don’t give up on math! It’s cumulative. You will get much better at it if you don’t give up.

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TheLit420 t1_j9jfyp8 wrote

You can always apply as human resource or custodian. You need to be good at math. It's not even that hard. Math is algebra, even the more advanced math is mostly algebra. Become really good at algebra, like really really good. It sucks they took down zlibrary, there were so many books available for you to become really good at math. And poof! All of it is gone in a day's time.

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Disera t1_j9joma4 wrote

If you have a positive attitude about it and make it a priority, I'm sure you can improve your math skills. The most important thing is genuine passion and knowing you can't fail if you don't give up.

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hadj11 t1_j9jonrz wrote

I am no rocket scientist but have a masters in engineering. I was pretty poor at math coming out of high school. Highest level math class I took in high school was trig. First math class in college was Calc 1. I struggled a lot for the first 2-3 semesters. First exam in calc 3 I got a 23%. That was when I realized I need to get serious. Started studying a lot more, and by the end of calc 3 I was acing the exams.

So while I haven’t gotten to the high level math you may need to work in Astrophysics, the point is that it wasn’t I couldn’t do it, but I just wasn’t prepared to put the work in to do it. You can do it, it’s gonna be a ton of work and suck for a while. But if you really want it, I believe you can do it.

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cemeteryjosh t1_j9jotkz wrote

Just takes more practice like anything else. Possibly ask for a tutor at school. With most math, once it ‘clicks’ you’re good. And the way to get it to click is a good teacher/tutor. Your school should have some type of extra support like tutors, wether a student or a teacher.

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vibingjusthardenough t1_j9jpyv2 wrote

>sophomore year of high school

just how do you feel about math and how are your grades in it? Plenty of engineering or physics students are ambivalent at best about math until Calculus, which is where it starts to get fun. And if your skills aren’t outstanding but still solidly hovering around a B, then you probably have nothing to worry about.

I say this not to discount what others have said about working in a non-math area, just to provide my own take on your supposed inability to study engineering or physics.

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Pharisaeus t1_j9jqd3o wrote

What do you mean exactly by "work at NASA"? Because the range of jobs there is most likely pretty large. What exactly you want to do actually do there? Focusing on a particular place is a bit weird, you should focus on a job instead. Otherwise what happens if you realise you actually don't like the place?

If you want to do some engineering or astro-science then it might be hard without math and physics. But there are lots of other jobs - you could be a janitor there, or drive the crawler which moves rockets into the launch pad, or be a technician or a lawyer or a firefighter...

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LiCHtsLiCH t1_j9ju4q4 wrote

Airplane maintenance. You'll still need to know some math, but a couple years of experience performing structural QA, reading schematics, and getting familiar with sealants, bolts, materials, tubing and protocol could make you an attractive candidate.

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DreamJD89 t1_j9jvs98 wrote

Depends what you want to go into at NASA, there's jobs for everything, though I'd be looking into the private sector not the public for space flight... probably pays more, like SpaceX or one of those other private space companies.

Regardless, you can find everything from engineering, to cooking, food science, fitness, design, electronics, plumbing, maintenance, etc. You name it. There's probably a job posting somewhere for it.

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the_original_Retro t1_j9hrfzi wrote

Be more flexible with your dream.

Sorry, fam.

Look for other things you are interested in. Space can be a super-fulfilling hobby as much as a career.

0

Laaari t1_j9jibxt wrote

Your local hippie drug dealer could be more involved with the cosmos than NASA with their oversized fireworks though.

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vibrodude t1_j9jofld wrote

If you can run PowerPoint and excel you can work at NASA.

0