How importance in calculus in high school?

anon94785555
Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:06:56 +0000

Many students who do well on the AP calculus test often start over with the first semester calculus course at UW-Madison or struggle with second semester calculus. Son the math major started over with the rigorous (proof/theory based) honors calculus sequence and is now applying to grad schools having taken many high level courses. UW is ranked in the top 15 for math grad schools and the beginning regular calculus courses are more rigorous than the AP course. Presuming you have a talent for understanding higher mathematics you should do just fine- or you will change your major. Currently economics and business majors are required to take some calculus- and at UW it needs to be in the same sequence others (math and science majors) take, not the terminal two semester one. General math placement tests are used for precalculus knowledge- UW still has a university wide competency requirement for math and language skills (they don’t rely on having passed a HS course, most people will pass the test and not need remedial no degree credit courses).

Short answer- don’t worry. You have plenty of time in college to start with any major freshman year and take enough courses even for grad school.