Top Economics & Applied Math Schools

cghen
Fri, 17 Mar 2006 06:10:37 +0000

ihateCA:

Well, MIT’s just as hard or harder than CalTech

Though I’m sure it varies on a degree by degree basis, I’m going to generally disagree with you if only because Caltech’s Core requirements are ridiculously difficult for non math/physics majors.

Caltech requires of every graduate (yes - even (the few and the proud) lit majors):
note: term=quarter (i.e. 3 per year)
5 terms of math: incredibly difficult single var calc, linear algebra, multivariable, diff eq, and probability/statistics
5 terms of physics: newtonian mechanics, special relativity, e&m, waves, quantum mechanics, statistical physics
2 terms of chemistry: general chemistry and intro to organic chemistry (both far past the level of IB HL Chem (or consequently >> AP Chem)
1 term of biology
1 term of chemistry lab
1 other lab course
1 menu science course (this part is easy)
4 terms humanities
4 terms social sciences
4 terms humanities/social sciences
3 terms of physical education

MIT requires:
note term=semester (i.e. 2 per year)
8 terms humanities/social science/art
2 terms of calculus
2 terms of physics
1 term of biology
2 elective science classes
1 lab course
1 term physical education

So I guess what I’m saying is that if MIT’s Core were to get in a fight with Caltech’s Core…

Anyway, I think the fact that every graduate has to take almost two years of math and physics is pretty indicative of the level of difficulty at Caltech, and why I at least would argue that MIT is not harder than Caltech, and I believe it’s harder to get a degree at Caltech than MIT. Maybe you think that’s a bad thing, and many people do - hence the low yield.