I Failed Data Structures. What Can I Do To Pass?

I remember the days when taking Data Structures in college. It was a lot of material and very abstract at first. I felt overwhelmed, and frustrated at times. The semester flies by when you are taking the course. I remember when I learned what a stack, a queue, a linked list was for the first time. Sometimes I understood a concept at the first try, but other times I was lost. Yes, Red-Black trees, I am talking about you. However, I worked hard and managed to pass it with a good grade. Moreover, I strived to understand these concepts profoundly and thoroughly as they are among the essential ideas in the field of Computer Science.

As an educator, I have had the opportunity to work with students that are taking the course. Through the years I have seen the common mistakes that they make, and I did as well, that keep them from thriving and succeeding in the Data Structures course. So, today I am going to share what I did and what advice I give my students that fail this important course to pass it and continue in their Computer Science degree.

Make sure you understand the prerequisites

A common mistake I see my students make is that they start taking Data Structures without understanding the concepts from the previous programming course. This is a BIG MISTAKE. Many of the concepts they don’t dominate are essential to succeed in the Data Structures course. These concepts include, but not limited to decision structures (if-else statements), loops (for, while and do while) among other fundamental ideas. Thus, when they start applying these concepts to implement the data structures themselves, they have a tough time. Which leads to frustration and failing the course.

So, what can you do about this? My recommendation is to make sure that you understand these concepts without no hesitation. Be honest with yourself and admit the concepts you haven’t mastered yet. This is a crucial step. Write them down on a piece of paper and start reviewing them. Go on the Internet, search for tutorials, online courses, there are a lot of resources out there that can help, even for free. Just do a Google search and you will find several options. Moreover, do practice problems from your textbook of the introductory to programming course. Ideally, do this before retaking Data Structures. Summer is a great time to do this because you don’t have the same amount of pressure as a regular semester when taking 15–18 credits.

Don’t take Data Structures if you failed the previous course (Or barely passed it)

This one goes hand-to-hand with the previous tip. A common mistake I see that most of the times they start taking Data Structures when they barely passed the prerequisite course. I had seen students that begin taking Data Structures when they received a D on the previous course. This is another big mistake. What I recommend is that if you obtained a D on the previous programming course, don’t go on and take Data Structures. Repeat the course, get a better grade and move on. I know this is better said than done, but it will save you a lot of headache and frustration in the future. You are going to thank me later if you follow this advice.

The reason I suggest retaking the previous course is that Data Structures is based on these concepts. The professor will assume that you know these concepts on the top of your head, that is why the Computer Science department names these courses “Pre-Requisites” with all the good intention in the world. Pre-requisite means that is required before you take the desired course. Not after you take the course, before. This idea applies to the Data Structures course as well.

Consider changing your study strategy

Another reason I have seen students fail that have taken Data Structures is that their study strategy is not the most optimal to help them succeed. That is, they don’t dedicate the time necessary to study and prepare for the exams that are taken during the semester. Data Structures is a course that demands a lot of time, energy and attention to pass. The ideas shown in this course are abstract and take time for your brain to understand. Furthermore, the ideas you are going to see in class are not things that were taught in High School (most of the times). So, it is normal that you may take some time to understand them. Sure, some students understand the underlying idea at the first time, but others don’t. That is normal; it’s part of the learning process.

My recommendation is to allocate a significant amount of time to study and prepare for this course. Don’t settle for just going to class and taking the exam with just that. Take time to study, understand and apply these concepts outside of the classroom. Do a lot of practice exercises assigned in your textbook, or even on the Internet. I know I did this and it helped me pass this essential course.

Don’t re-take it with a lot of time-demanding courses

This is a common mistake. I have also seen students take Data Structures alongside other time-demanding courses. This is another fatal mistake. Like I said on the previous tip, Data Structures is a course that demands a lot of time, inside and outside of the classroom. Not only you have to go to class, but study outside of the classroom and do the homework assigned. When designing your class schedule for the semester, consider the amount of time you have during the week inside and outside of class.

Remember, you are human, you need time to sleep, eat, spend time with family, participate in extracurricular activities and so on. That being stated, manage your time wisely and choose the courses you take alongside Data Structures based on the amount of time and effort you are going to dedicate to each of them. If you are a Computer Science major, Data Structures is vital for graduating and your professional career, so design your schedule around Data Structures. That is, being in the highest of your priorities.

There you have it, some of the most common reasons students fail Data Structures in college and some actionable tips so you can use to succeed when taking this course.

For more on this topic, check out this video where I talk on some of the things you can do to pass Data Structures if you are struggling.

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Disclaimer: The tips I give in this article are based on my experience as a student and educator. Everyone is different; I am just sharing what has helped me on my journey.

Originally published at yadielcabrera.com on July 12, 2018.