VU dropped the trig based class it appears. The life sciences physics class targeting pre-meds and bio/neuro majors is the lowest for STEM majors and has: 130 this semester and is calculus based.
They have 3 tiers of calculus based
https://as.vanderbilt.edu/physics/undergraduate/introductory-cources.php
https://physics.wustl.edu/courses/undergraduate-courses#117
Goes no lower than calc. based
These are NEAR peers. Do you think the schools that rank far higher have ultra high enrollment of STEM majors (even life sciences) in non-calc. based? I doubt it.
Time for Emory to get with it on that one especially considering the number of students coming in with at minimum a calculus AB credit.
128 were enrolled in 101 at P’ton and like 200+ were enrolled in 103…think about that. P’ton isn’t that big and as good as its physics program is, it doesn’t have tons of majors. A majority of people taking the lower 2 courses are likely life sciences and the advantaged is in favor of calc. based for enrollment.
Emory: 14X: 340ish , 15X: 140. That is a sad ratio my friend. They should phase that downward so that overqualified students do not enroll. Trust me, tons of overqualified and others who should take calc. based take 14X. P’ton allocates upwards to 160 seats to 101 and 500 (between 2 lectures) of 103…go figure. 103 is the equivalent of 15X based upon the book (however, I would rather stay in an ignorant bliss about the difference in the level that the course is pitched at each institution. I’ll optimistically pretend they are similar though I know usually some duds teach 15X and they do not remotely challenge the class. I pray Bing is doing it differently).
I am less concerned about actual requirements so much as enrollment patterns. Enrollment patterns at Emory and some schools at its level concern me. When VU had the trig based, its numbers were skewed in favor of the trig based course as well. I use the enrollment trends to gauge the attitude and ambition of each class. As P’ton, VU, and WUSTL demonstrate, you can “forcefully” push the STEM students by either not making a certain type of course available or restricting the enrollment of the less rigorous and allocating more seats to the more ideal option.