Vanderbilt first semeseter course load too hard?

fdgjfg
Fri, 06 Jul 2018 00:12:02 +0000

I think this would probably be fine, unless you really really need to have a 3.9 at the end of the semester. Calc 1300 is is accelerated calc I and definitely tough (well-known as “the most failed class at vanderbilt”) because it serves as the universal weed-out that affects the pathway for most STEM majors. However, the reason it’s tough is mostly because people like you (with advanced math experience who are forced to start here due to lack of credits to place-out, especially international students) eat up the top grades, and the people that come in with only AP calc AB credits or something start here and eat a lot of Cs and Ds.

The question is, how good do you think the quality of your math education has been, if you don’t have college credit? If you took calc 1/2 but don’t have AB/BC AP credits, or credits from a university, it might not be quite up to scratch if you took them from nowhereville high/community college. If you’re from stuyvesant, another elite magnet, or a private equivalent, then you’re good (although I’m still not sure why you wouldn’t have AP credit).

If you think your calc 3 experience is up to par, then I think your schedule is fine as is, although it may be challenging at times. I’d go ahead with it, and think about dropping something if it gets too tough (if you’re not premed there are no worries about taking a W and retaking later, so you have until October to decide). 1300 is just a really annoying class where they try to mess around and trick you on tests rather than fairly challenge you, but if you have advanced math skills and work hard, you should be alright. Physics is very conceptual and math-based (i.e. you’ll use a lot of similar skills, not like bio or chem where there’s a ton of memorization or something), so again, if you think your calc 3 is legit I think you’d be fine doubling up.

If you’re skeptical about your math skills, then you could save physics for later.