If you’re currently taking MATH 152 TAMU, you already know — this isn’t just another math class. MATH 152 (Engineering Mathematics II) is where a lot of Aggie engineering students hit their first real wall. Sequences, series, and improper integrals have ended more GPAs than I can count. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
I’ve worked with TAMU students through every unit of this course. Here’s what actually separates the students who pass from the ones who don’t — and what to do about it.
What MATH 152 TAMU Actually Covers
MATH 152 picks up where MATH 151 left off. The big topics:
The first half of the course is doable for most students who passed MATH 151. The series section in the second half? That’s where the semester gets real for almost everyone.
MATH 152 tests your ability to choose the right technique — not just execute it. That skill only comes from working hundreds of problems, not from re-reading your notes or watching videos passively.
Why Students Fail MATH 152 at TAMU
The course moves fast. You get three common exams and a final, and each one requires you to know a lot of distinct skills — not just one big concept like in some other courses.
The biggest mistake: students study by reading their notes and watching examples. That feels like studying. It isn’t. Math doesn’t work that way. You have to do problems yourself, get them wrong, figure out why, and try again. There’s no shortcut around this.
The second biggest mistake: falling behind in the series unit and thinking it’ll work itself out. It won’t. Series builds on itself, and if you don’t understand convergence tests by week 10, you’re going to struggle with power series in week 12.
⚠️ Don’t Let Series Sneak Up on You
Series is typically the second half of the course. Students who are keeping up feel fine until week 8 — then it hits. Treat the series unit like a new course within the course and start it fresh, even if you’re comfortable with integration.
What Actually Works — Free Resources
Amy Austin’s Videos
If you haven’t found these yet, go find them now. Amy Austin is a TAMU math professor who has put together video lessons for MATH 151 and 152 that are genuinely excellent. The approach she uses works for a lot of students who don’t connect with how things are explained in lecture.
The way to use them: watch a section, pause when she gets to a problem, try it yourself before she works through it, then compare your approach to hers. Passive watching won’t help much — you have to engage.
The Old Common Exams
The Department of Mathematics posts past common exams on the MATH 152 course page. These are gold. The exam format is two parts: multiple choice (no partial credit) and worked problems (partial credit possible). Closed book, no notes, no calculator.
Do the old exams under real conditions. Sit down, set a timer for two hours, and work through the whole thing without looking anything up. Then check your answers and dig into every mistake. This is more valuable than any other single thing you can do.
One important note: specific topics on each exam can shift semester to semester. Your instructor will tell you what’s covered — use old exams for problem practice, not as the definitive guide to your exam.
Week in Review Sessions
TAMU runs Week in Review sessions for MATH 152. These are worth going to. They’re run by instructors or TAs and walk through problems similar to what you’ll see on the exam. If you’re going to skip something, don’t skip Week in Review.
The Math Learning Center
The MLC offers free tutoring for MATH 152. The tutors know the material. If you have a specific problem you’re stuck on, go in and work through it with them. Don’t wait until you’re completely lost — go when you’re slightly confused. That’s the right time.
All of these are free and built specifically for this course. Use them before looking for paid help. Most students who fail MATH 152 never used any of them consistently.
Integration Techniques: A Quick Roadmap
Most students struggle with picking the right integration technique. Here’s a rough decision process to build into your instincts:
Building this instinct takes practice. The first few times you do mixed practice sets where you don’t know which method to use, it’ll feel chaotic. That’s normal. Keep going.
Make a one-page decision flowchart for choosing integration techniques. Drill it with mixed practice sets until choosing the right method feels automatic — because the exam won’t tell you which one to use.
Surviving the Series Section
Here’s the deal with series: you have to know your convergence tests cold, and you have to know when to use each one. The tests you’ll use most:
Divergence Test — do this first, always. If the limit of the terms isn’t zero, the series diverges. Done.
Geometric Series — know the formula and when it applies. Converges if |r| < 1.
p-Series — know the rule: converges if p > 1, diverges if p ≤ 1.
Integral Test — useful for series where the terms match a nice integrable function.
Comparison / Limit Comparison — for series that look like things you already know how to handle.
Ratio Test — very useful for factorial or exponential terms. This one saves a lot of time on exams.
Alternating Series Test — for series that alternate sign. Don’t forget to also check absolute convergence.
Make yourself a study sheet with each test, what it applies to, and an example. Drill them with practice problems until choosing the right test feels automatic.
📊 The Convergence Test Trap
Students memorize the tests but freeze on exams because they don’t know which to apply. The fix: do 20–30 mixed series problems where you decide the test yourself. That decision-making is the skill the exam tests.
The Week Before Each Exam
Day 7: Do a full old exam untimed. Write down every problem type you struggled with.
Day 5: Focus review on exactly those weak spots. Watch Amy Austin videos on those topics, do extra problems.
Day 3: Do another old exam, this time fully timed under real exam conditions. Grade yourself honestly.
Day 1: Light review only — go through your formula sheet and do a couple of problems to stay warm. No cramming new material.
The night before: sleep. A tired brain on a math exam makes careless errors on problems you actually know how to do. That’s the worst kind of lost point.
If You’re Struggling Right Now
If you’re in week eight and you feel lost, it’s not too late. I’ve helped students go from a D to a C+ with three weeks of focused work. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s possible if you put the time in.
What it’s not possible to do is cram three months of calculus into the last two weeks of the semester. The window for passing closes gradually — which means the best time to get help is always right now, not after the next exam.
Quick Summary: How to Pass MATH 152 TAMU
MATH 152 is hard. But it’s very learnable if you approach it the right way. The students who struggle most are the ones who studied by re-reading — and that just doesn’t work in calculus.
Do Amy Austin’s videos actively — pause, try the problem yourself, then compare your approach.
Use old common exams early and often, under real timed conditions. That’s your best exam prep.
Go to Week in Review and use the MLC — they’re free and built specifically for MATH 152.
Build an integration decision flowchart and drill it until choosing the right technique is automatic.
Learn convergence tests cold — know each one, what it applies to, and when to reach for it.
Start exam prep 7 days out, not the night before. Two timed old exams beats ten hours of re-reading.
Struggling with MATH 152 TAMU?
I work with TAMU students in College Station and online. Let’s find exactly where you’re losing points and fix it before the next exam.
📅 Book a Session with Alex →
