The math department's website says that there are ASE's for 18.01, 18.02, 18.03, and 18.06. Is there anyway to test out of further classes (specifically 18.100b and 18.701)? Specifically, is it possible to test out of these classes after independently studying them?
If such ASEs exist they seem to be a closely guarded secret. I know it's possible to get transfer credit if you took a college class on those subjects in high school but I don't think there are actual ASEs. I have heard that you can generally ignore prereqs though and neither 18.100B nor 18.701 are actually required for the math major.
No, I'm pretty sure you can take an ASE for basically any class at MIT -- the ASEs that are listed on websites/scheduled are just the most popular. You just need to contact the department.
@mollie I stand corrected. Do you know if it is easy to take such ASEs? Do they require considerable amounts of homework problems or can you just take the exam?
I don't think the math department offers ASE's for 18.100B or 18.701, or at least, I've never heard of anyone taking them. Most people I know of that want to skip out of these classes don't do anything besides signing up for more advanced classes, which is what I would suggest you do too. They are required for the theoretical math major, but I don't think that matters, since you can always show grad schools and employers your transcript which would show you've taken more advanced classes. If the theoretical designation really matters, I'm sure you could petition to have an extra analysis and algebra class replace 18.100B and 18.701.
I'm just curious where it says that all classes offer an ASE? 18.701 doesn't even have a final so I'm not sure how such an ASE could even be written.
An examination for advanced standing may be taken by an undergraduate student during the scheduled examination periods, provided that the student has never been registered for or attended class in the subject concerned. A request to take such an exam must be filed with the Registrar at least three weeks before the first day of the examination period. An advanced standing examination shall be given only upon the approval of the Faculty member in charge of the subject, who may require evidence of competence in addition to the examination if the subject normally involves measures of student performance qualitatively different from the examination.
Don't bank on being able to take even the popular ASEs, let alone others. There are too many schedule conflicts! If you assumed that you will be able to take those ASEs based on the other posts here, you will be setting yourself up for disappointments. I wonder why would it be so difficult to arrange the schedules of the popular ASEs such that there are no schedule conflicts among them.
Last edited by GandalfTheGreat; 08-14-2012 at 04:42 PM.
I'm under the impression that the schedule conflicts for 8.01 and 18.02 and 8.02 and 18.01 can be resolved so you can still take all of the GIR ASEs. I'm not exactly sure what the seven common ASEs are [the 6 GIR ones are the most common and 18.03 and 18.06 are roughly equal in popularity and there don't seem to be any other ones regularly offered].
And they scheduled the Bio ASE at the same time as the class picture. My son is definitely taking the bio exam but I'm a bit disappointed that he won't be in the picture (one of 3 times the whole class is together!) that I already paid for!
