<p>
</p>
<p>Actually, my experience as both a math student and a math teacher has been quite the opposite. A lot of students I have known have had trouble adjusting to calculus.</p>
<p>I think there is value in knowing the key concepts of calculus–especially the concepts in first-semester college calculus: instantaneous rate of change, area under the curve, etc. But if a student is not really ready to master them, I don’t see any value in his beating himself senseless trying. And I also think most people would derive more benefit from an elementary understanding of statistics than an elementary understanding of calculus.</p>
<p>As always, ymmv.</p>