STAT 2120 1st Semester or STAT 1000 Level in the Summer

Colleges & Universities University of Virginia
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<p>Hello, I’m an upcoming 1st year at UVA on a pre-comm track. I want to do accounting but just in case I don’t get into McIntire, I want to have statistics as a back up major. STAT 2120 is a prerequisite for McIntire, but many people recommend to not take it 1st semester.
Currently, my schedule includes CALC 1310 (Calc I) and STAT 2120. I took AP Calc BC and AP STAT senior year in high school. I got a 5 for CALC BC (4 for AB sub-score and a 4 for AP STAT.
I heard STAT 2120 curriculum is similar to AP STAT curriculum, but a lot of people still say STAT 2120 is pretty messed up at UVA.
So my questions are the following:

  1. Since I might major in statistics instead if I don’t get into McIntire, should I just take STAT 1*** level (it’s only offered in the summer) first so I can have a better statistics foundation and then take STAT 2120 2nd year? or am I O.K with my AP STAT foundation? Will I have enough time to fulfill my statistics major requirement if I take STAT 1*** level the summer after 1st year?
    Thank you so much!</p>
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<p>Why are you taking calc 1 if you got a 5 on bc?? You already have credit for calc 1 and calc 2.
You should take stat 2120 first semester so that you can remember your AP stat, you already got 3 credits for a 100 level stat class so why would you take another one??
<a href=“http://college.artsandsciences.virginia.edu/ap-credit”>http://college.artsandsciences.virginia.edu/ap-credit&lt;/a&gt;
What is the rest of your schedule? You could just take stat and not take calc if you’re worried about the course load.</p>

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<p>@hazelorb‌
I got a 4 for ab sub-score so I was thinking my foundation is probably bad (I skipped calc ab). If I want to do accounting or statistics, don’t I need better math foundation because I will be going onto higher level math course?
My schedule right now is:
MATH 1310
STAT 2120
COMM 1800
DRAM 2020
Marching band (color guard)
I wanted an easier course load first semester so I can have enough time to explore, make new friends, and have a good GPA. Marching band takes a lot of time, especially for color guard.
Also, it’s a good idea that it’s better to take STAT earlier so I can remember my AP stat.Thank you! </p>

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<p>Stat 2120 has been the most unpopular class at UVa for many years, even with changes in professors. Take a look at thecourseforum and you will see what I mean. Hopefully the dept. has found someone who can teach. If not, other departments should offer their own stats class, like bio did. My son received AP credit for stats and then took 2120 and hated it. He said it was nothing like AP stats. I’d wait until your second semester, to give yourself a chance to adjust to the college workload before you take an irritating and very difficult class…</p>

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<p>ab subscore means nothing if you have a 5 on BC… it just means you forgot 1 or 2 of the topics that don’t apply to any other version of calculus besides ab. most of the calculus you will do in higher level stat (such as the calc-based prob/stat sequence) is actually entirely calc 3 (double integrals). you’ll never see those AB topics again. i would understand if you had a 2 or something on the subscore, but a 4 is perfectly fine. that’s like saying a B in a class means you should repeat it.</p>

<p>Do you not need a foreign language? Or some other elective? Once you get into McIntire, you won’t really have any electives in the College left, so if there is something you are intersted in, take it now.</p>

<p>Did you notice on the prereqs for McIntire that your AP score qualifies you to not take stat 2120 at all? <a href=“http://www.commerce.virginia.edu/undergrad/admissions/Pages/Prerequisites.aspx”>http://www.commerce.virginia.edu/undergrad/admissions/Pages/Prerequisites.aspx&lt;/a&gt; You could take Econ or something else that you would enjoy more, especially since the stat major doesn’t use that class at all (they use the 310/312 calculus based statistics sequence I described earlier which requires calc 3 because of the double integrals). You could take calc 3 (a great course at UVA) to get you started on that sequence, then take math 310 and then math/stat 312.</p>

<p>You really should do some more research on your AP credits and prereqs so that you make the most of your 2 years in the college of arts and sciences by taking courses you actually enjoy.</p>

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<p>@Charliesch‌ thank you!! I’ll take your advice into account.
@hazelorb‌ I placed out of Chinese 2*** level course because of AP Chinese, so I fulfilled the language requirements already. Thank you for the advice on taking electives in the College first!
OMG I never noticed that * before…Thank you!</p>

<p>I want to take ECON but they’re all closed or waitlist right now. I want to take Korean but it’s on waitlist, too. </p>

<p>So if my AP score qualifies me to not take STAT 2120, what STAT class should I take that will benefit me for both McIntire and/or statistics major?</p>

<p>Also, do you have any recommended intro level classes (MATH, STAT, ECON, etc.) for first semester to kick me off on a statistics major while still going on a pre-comm track? I want to take easier courses first semester first to first adjust to college life. Thank you so much!</p>

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<p>For the stat major: take calc 3, then math 310, then math/stat 312. Stat 312 is the first course for stat majors and requires calc 3/double integrals.</p>

<p>It’s very frustrating first semester when it’s hard to get into things you want. If you can get into calc 3 your schedule could be:</p>

<ol>
<li>calc 3</li>
<li>???</li>
<li>comm</li>
<li>drama</li>
<li>marching band</li>
</ol>

<p>So find something super easy for the ??? class, something you’re interested in that’s not on waitlist. You could try one of the “___ in translation” courses in the east asian languages department, they don’t have korean but they do have chinese, japanese, and you don’t need to know the language to take the course. they have other ones for german, etc also.</p>

<p>UVA has so many classes, I’m sure you can find something interested. I took a few astronomy courses and those were always easy and interesting. For example if you take one of the 121/124 classes, you can then take the UFO/black hole class or the archaeoastronomy class (both winners). I also took classes on bioethics, child psychology, rural poverty, and even a course called history of UVA, two languages, computer science, etc. There’s just so much out there, find one that is easy (the course forum .com will help you out there) to fill the gap and have a great first semester.</p>

<p>Google Lou’s List to see listings of courses and just explore.</p>

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<p>You are headed down a tough road if you seriously want to set yourself up for a STAT major AND apply to McIntire w/o taking STAT 2120. The reason for this is that you’ll need to take STAT 3120 (instead of STAT 2120), a course that requires MATH 1310 (Calc 1), MATH 1320 (Calc 2), MATH 2310 (Calc 3) and MATH 3100 (Probability), before the end of your third semester in order to fulfill McIntire’s pre-comm STAT requirement.</p>

<p>To realistically do this you don’t have time to retake MATH 1310 or MATH 1320 and should adopt one of the following schedules I have outlined.</p>

<p>Option 1:</p>

<p>Fall '14</p>

<p>MATH 2310: Calculus III </p>

<p>Spring '15</p>

<p>MATH 3100: Probability or APMA 3100: Probability</p>

<p>Fall '15</p>

<p>STAT 3120: Mathematical Statistics</p>

<p>Spring '16</p>

<p>MATH 3551: Linear Algebra</p>

<p>OR</p>

<p>Option 2:</p>

<p>Fall '14 or Spring '15</p>

<p>MATH 2310: Calculus III</p>

<p>Summer '15</p>

<p>MATH 3100: Probability
STAT 3120: Mathematical Statistics (or you could delay this to the Fall)</p>

<p>2nd Year</p>

<p>MATH 3551: Linear Algebra</p>

<p>Finally, if the goal is to major in accounting please know that there is no heavy math in accounting…taking extra math will not prepare you for your accounting classes or accounting career. Your time would be better spent studying harder for the COMM pre-reqs that you haven’t completed yet, taking extra COMM classes pre-COMM school like COMM law or leadership, or building technical skills through CS classes (Highly recommend CS 1110 at the very least). Extra math will only help if you plan on going down the finance route (as in your end goal is to be a quant, i-banker or an actuary). </p>

<p>Final Opinion: Unless you have a serious interest in STAT, I say just take STAT 2120 and be done with it. Taking the extra math you’ll need to set up the STAT major is only worth it if you really, really want the STAT major.</p>

<p>^ Opinion of an undergraduate math major.</p>

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<p>110percent, every single stat major option requires stat 312, so if the OP is seriously considering stat as a back up, they need to take that class before applying to the comm school to decide if that is the right back up major.
<a href=“http://www.stat.virginia.edu/degree_undergraduate_major.shtm”>http://www.stat.virginia.edu/degree_undergraduate_major.shtm&lt;/a&gt;
If OP does not get into the comm school, and has not taken stat 312, then they won’t be able to complete the stat major in time or even know if it’s a good fit for their major. With a 5 in BC, I can’t imagine Calc III going badly.</p>

<p>The OP has already fulfilled the stat requirement with their AP score.</p>

<p>Why do they need to take linear algebra before applying to the comm school? They would only take linear if they don’t get into the comm school and want to major in stat.</p>

<p>CS 111x is a class to only take in the fall for non-engineers and definitely not 1st semester… Just advice as a former TA for that class.</p>

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<p>Thank you guys for the advice!
@110percentwahoo‌ like what hazelorb said, my AP score gave me credits for the pre-comm pre-req. Though, if I take STAT 2120. I should take it right before STAT 3120, right?</p>

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<p>No, your score of a 4 on the AP Statistics exam does NOT satisfy the Comm school requirement for statistics. A 4 earns you STAT 1120 credit, not STAT 2120 credit. You need either STAT 2120 or (realistically) STAT 3120 in lieu of 2120 for the comm school application.</p>

<p>If you plan on taking STAT 3120 during one of your first three semesters you will not need to take STAT 2120. STAT 2120 is meant to be a terminal course and not a gateway to the STAT major. STAT 3120 is the gateway course to the stat major.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.commerce.virginia.edu/undergrad/admissions/Pages/Prerequisites.aspx”>http://www.commerce.virginia.edu/undergrad/admissions/Pages/Prerequisites.aspx&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://college.artsandsciences.virginia.edu/ap-credit”>http://college.artsandsciences.virginia.edu/ap-credit&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>The linear algebra suggestion was because every stat major requires linear. It’d be wise to take linear early to stay on pace with the potential stat major.</p>

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<p>100percent, OP does have the requirement fulfilled. Of course they recommend taking a higher level course if fulfilling a prereq with a non-graded class/credits/AP/etc, but it is fulfilled. There’s a little asterisk on the page with the prereqs, we discussed it earlier in the thread.</p>

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<p>Ah…missed the asterisk, apologies haha!</p>