I'm too dumb for college algebra and its killing me.

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I didn't pass college pre algebra in the summer. So I had to repeat it in the fall semester. Now I passed it with a d. I'm worried about how I'm going to take it again and even farther disappoint my parents who helped me pay though half my college classes. I'm getting depressed as I've worked my ass off to get though all of these computers electronics classes with A's and Bs only for this to happen to me. I want to try again but at same time, I feel a bit drained and with me having autism, quite unintelligent.

What specific areas of algebra are you having trouble with?

pre algebra

Yes, but what aspects of pre-algebra specifically are you having trouble with? Solving equations? Learning theorems? Systems of equations?

I have joint degree in physics and math, if you are struggling with algebra, me or another member will be thrilled to help you.

You might have dyscalculia, it's like dyslexia except with numbers instead of words. I have problems with conceptual math, I simply can't do algebra or anything above that, I had to take algebra repeatedly to pass it. Pre-algebra is fine, but I simply can't handle anything above it. If you are in the US you should go to your college's disability advocacy center and get tested for learning disabilities. Learning disabilities are a fairly common comorbid among aspies.

Tutoring is great. So is testing for learning disabilities. Having difficulties with one subject doesn't make a person "dumb". You might just need to learn it in a different way. Or simply having a tutor explain it in a way that makes sense could be enough.

I knew someone terrible at math who improved greatly after getting tutored.

And, although this is going far back, when I was in the upper grades of elementary school I remember helping kids with math. They didn't understand it when the teacher explained it, but when another kid explained it differently, it all made sense to them.

Don't give up.

If it's any cnsoluation I was too dumb to pass grade 11 algebra.

You got a D. You passed. I got an F.

Do you have one of those teachers that relies heavily on PowerPoint slides? If so, tutoring might help a lot. I'm lucky I had an old school Algebra teacher that whiteboarded everything.

I also used a tool like MyMathLab to interactively do drills on the concepts I was studying.

What kind of computer courses are you taking? Any programming? I think being introduced to programming logic might help a person appreciate Algebra a little bit. You can even try writing a program to solve problems. Just a thought that maybe Programming might make Algebra and Computers a little more complimentary and feeling like Algebra in pointless mental torture.

There is a very nice and completely free math program on the khanacademy website. It has short video lessons to explain the concepts and a forum for people to help each other. You can work your way through the lessons and problems at your own pace and figure out what is tripping you up. Needing to spend more time on a concept does not make you dumb, but it can have disastrous effects on the rest of a math class where so much depends on building on concepts you are "supposed" to have mastered already.

I strongly urge you to give this a try and seek out as many resources as it takes to get confident in your math skills. There is absolutely nothing wrong or dumb about needing to put in some extra effort to learn something, so don't do the dumb thing and give up on learning it at all.

Like others said don't be too hard on yourself, there aren't many people that are good at everything. I don't know if you have used your schools disability resources, but I have used my schools and it is great. Right now I am going between 2 schools (to access specific classes), and the other school is much smaller, they don't have disability resources per se, but I have had other teachers help and I have an awesome tutor that helped with certain aspects of my electronics last year. This year I was taking a prerequisite math and physics class in preparation for mechatronics next year. I was having trouble in physics and the guy who is my tutor was really good at explaining it (same guy I had for electronics last year- he has a masters in engineering, so he hopefully will be able to help me next year if need be), for stuff I don't understand I need it drawn, so you may just need it explained a different way. The other thing about my tutor- he doesn't make me feel stupid about asking a question or asking it over and over (part of ocd- helps to have it repeated, especially if repeated and drawn in different ways- I think it is showing me how to apply one concept to different questions/situations). Anyway don't worry too much, sounds like you are doing great, hope some of the ideas will help.