nemom

Since Harvey Mudd is quite small, I'm wondering if they are well able to handle scheduling conflicts for freshman with advanced math placement. (By which I mean about two years of university math past calc BC.)

Suin

There are several students every year with one or two years of math completed. They have to take a placement test and if they pass out, they can take a variety of math classes next. Frosh classes are generally at different times from upper division courses so I'm pretty certain scheduling won't be a problem.

braden

There are a fair few students in Math 61 right now instead of the usual courses of 11, 11M or 12 for frosh. They're fine, as Suin said, frosh don't seem to have class at the same times for the most part.

fiona_

I know a girl who's taking Abstract Algebra and other freshman Core classes without a problem. I'm in Multivariable Calc II (Math 61) =))

Blackroses216

I have a few questions.

"the usual courses of 11, 11M, 12 for frosh"

If I have taken Calc BC and get a 5, will I most likely be placed in 11M? (I know there is a placement exam) What is 11M equivalent to? The first part of MV Calc/ Differential Calculus? Is this just an intro to MV Calc I at mudd? Is it really typical for freshman to be in 11, 11M, and 12 or is there a great percentage of freshman in higher math classes? Are those advanced placement freshman usually "smarter"?


@fiona: "I'm in Multivariable Calc II Math 61"

What classes did you take in high school to get placed there/ how were you adequately prepared? Have you already taken Linear Algebra I and Differential Equations I along with some type of intro MV Calc (to place out of 11M)? What will you be taking in the Spring Semester? I hear HMC goes by quarters, so are you taking a different class second quarter or is it still Math 61? Is it hard for you as a freshman to be in upper division math courses with HMC juniors (I'm guessing juniors)?

"I know a girl who's taking Abstract Algebra and other freshman Core classes"

Is this girl a math major? Or is she just a prodigy? What courses in math has she already taken to get there??

fiona_

You will place into in 11M (if you desire so, you may always take Math 11 if you prefer) with a 5 on the BC exam. 11M is two-thirds single-variable calculus (with emphasis on topics not covered in BC) and one-third multi-variable calculus.

Most freshman (>90%) take Math 11/11M/12 in their first semester. Advanced-placement freshmen (in *my* opinion) probably had more opportunities to take higher-level classes in HS, that's all.

I studied multivariable over the summer. I am taking Math 61 first quarter and no math second quarter. Math 61 is with sophomores, and the class is manageable. I had taken Linear Algebra I in HS, and placed out of Math 12 via the placement test. I have not taken any DE at all and will probably take the Math 13 class in the spring.

She had taken college classes in HS and she's really motivated.

threefifthsc

I'm currently in Math 11M. I got a 5 on BC, so that's how I got in the class.
(If I remember correctly, they told us at the beginning of the year that about 90% of frosh take Math 11 or 11M, and about half of that 90% take 11 and the other half take 11M.)

We spent the first half of the half-semester (3 weeks) covering single-variable calc (lots of proofs and things like that...the focus was definitely not on computation) and took a midterm. Now we're doing an intro to multivariable, which began with some linear algebra and is now more multivariable-ish stuff. 11M's a new course this year (people used to just place out of 11 and jump into 12). What's nice about it is that you only have math 3 days a week instead of 4, but you get the same number of credits for the class.