Vanderbilt first semeseter course load too hard?

bernie12
Wed, 11 Jul 2018 01:18:34 +0000

@fdgjfg : Yeah, I am just trying to look out for them because if they are trying to do something that exposes them to lots of math/favors those with a strong quantitative background, it is adding bigger hurdles having to go through the whole math curriculum as opposed to starting where your competence lands you. Hell, even they were a pre-health STEM major (I think all require some form of calculus), I would want them to get out of it, as they could maybe get those for the major, and then take some type of statistics course that many med/allied health schools like to see.

I mean, it looks like most math, physics, CS, and maybe quantitative focused economics majors, come in with calculus 1 credit of some kind and start no lower than calc. 2, and most start at MV, LA, or Diff. Eq. Usually there are very few advantages of retracing steps if you plan to take higher level maths. If anything, those accelerating will have the advantage over those who took the college version of calc. 1/2. You see this a lot at places like Georgia Tech, MIT, and the STEM institutes. Those who go through the intro. series on the way to higher level math regret it either because it puts them behind/costs them space to explore other courses late or b) the grading schemes/styles of beginning calculus classes end up yielding lower grades than expected and then end up affording no advantage in the intermediate courses. The only time one retraces when they will pursue higher level stuff, is if their training was bad which is unlikely for either a 5 or anyone who took up to MV. Retracing in non-math STEM courses is more reasonable as the college version (especially at an elite) is more likely to be different as a whole, and simply have instructors who write harder exams than in HS.