<p>Just curious. Love Princeton, wondering what an Econ major there would look like as a freshman.</p>
<p>If I had taken AP Econ in high school as well as BC Calc and passed out of Eco 100, 101, and Mat 103, what would my Econ courses probably look like at Princeton as a Freshman?</p>
<p>It seems like Eco 300, 301, and 302 would work but one of them said “not open to freshman”…</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>You could take whatever you wanted … the only required course would be a writing seminar - which everyone has to do.</p>
<p>By that you mean a Freshman seminar right? (probably same thing but I wouldn’t know…)
Thanks for the reply.</p>
<p>Nope … good question though. Everyone is required to take a Writing Seminar - you will be assigned either fall or spring semester and the class focuses on the process of academic writing. Freshman seminars are classes on a topic that is unconventional, quirky, or otherwise interesting. The professors that teach freshman sems are usually some of the best that Princeton has, and they get to teach about a topic that they choose. Enrollment in freshman sems is by application. </p>
<p>I’m in both a writing and a freshman seminar this semester. My writing sem is “The Art of Adventure” - which focuses on the process of writing, and uses adventure just as the topic. For writing seminars, it isn’t the content that matters, but rather the process. </p>
<p>My freshman seminar this semester is “Soccer and Latin America.” The professor is an avid fan (he’s from Brazil) and the class is focused on the the content, that is soccer and Latin America, instead of the process of writing. </p>
<p>Generally freshman seminars can be some of the most fun, rewarding courses. Writing seminars are useful and necessary, but not necessarily ‘fun.’</p>
<p>If you’re coming in with Calc AB and not BC, here’s a possible course load for you, for your first year:</p>
<p>1st semester:
MAT 104 (Calc II)
<p>2nd semester:
MAT 175/201 (Math for economists/Calc III) - Personally, I suggest MAT 201, as it will provide a more rigorous foundation for your upper level classes
ECO 202 (Statistics for economists)
+2 to 3 other classes</p>
<p>This will allow you to start taking upper level economics classes by the start of your sophomore year, although you might want to wait to take math 202 if you want to go math track economics. If you had Calc BC, you could feasibly start taking upper level classes second semester. Otherwise, if you’ve already placed out of all of those classes, you’ll be pretty free to do whatever you want freshman year, since you won’t need to take the lower level economics classes and you won’t have enough calculus to do upper level economics.</p>
<p>Actually, I would be coming in with Calc BC, but thanks!</p>
<p>Sorry! I saw you said you passed out of Math 103, so I was thinking you were only taking/took Calc AB.</p>
<p>Since you have calc BC, you can take MAT 201 first semester and then MAT 202 and ECO 310 or ECO 300 second semester. You should take MAT 202 second semester, but you don’t need to take ECO 310 or 300 second semester. You can takes statistics (ORF 245 or ECO 202) either first or second semester.</p>
<p>Classes that say “not open to freshman” are open to freshman… you just have to ask the professor, generally.</p>
<p>I have a quick question.
I took AP macro and micro junior year and got fives on both. However, I honestly do not think I have grasped the concepts because my teacher was so horrible. Plus by the time I go to college, I will probably have forgotten everything. Should I retake the 100 and 101 classes to regain a more solid foundation? (Btw I have also gotten a five on Calc BC).</p>
<p>hahalolk, thanks so much, that’s exactly what I was looking for! That makes so much sense now. I was just afraid MAT 201 and the 300 level Econ might be too challenging for me, but I feel like I could handle it.</p>
<p>ivymania, in my opinion, it’s really up to you. If you don’t understand it at all or completely forgot it, then it would be a good idea to take it again. But if you got 5s on both, you probably understand the basics at the very least…anyways, it’s your choice!</p>
<p>A bit of a caution…a score of 5 in AP Calculus AB is minimally equivalent to a C in MAT 103, and a 5 in AP Calculus BC is minimally equivalent to a C in MAT 104. My son got a 5 in AP Calculus AB and is still finding MAT 103 (which he decided not to place out of in case of learning gaps) quite challenging. This is because of the way they apply the concepts that you learn and how they appear on an exam. A better way to determine which level to start at is to do some practice exams (actually work the problems…don’t just read through them) from previous years. Here is a link to the page which begins with MAT 103 <a href=“https://web.math.princeton.edu/~adeptrep/lowerdiv/103/MAT103[/url]”>https://web.math.princeton.edu/~adeptrep/lowerdiv/103/MAT103</a></p>
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<p>I seriously, seriously recommend people to listen to this comment. AP Calculus BC is really a joke compared to the classes it lets you place out of. I’m taking an online course as well as some self-learning online and am still not sure I’d want to place out when I get in.</p>
<p>There is absolutely no way AP Calculus is a reflection of the rigor of Princeton courses. Maybe some people can just apply that knowledge much better than I can, but I don’t take my 5 in AP math courses to mean much.</p>
<p>So can one say the same thing about AP economics and AP statistics? are the classes at Princeton much more rigorous, and therefore would it be better to take those introductory classes there regardless of AP scores?</p>
<p>Eh. It entirely depends on the subject and how good your AP teacher was in high school.</p>
<p>I think you’ll be fine if you had good teachers, IvyMania, but the Princeton classes are more rigorous. For example, I’m in intro stats right now, and one of the midterm questions required you to do integration by parts, which I don’t think you learn until Calc BC. However, as long as your math is strong, you should be fine with placing out of those classes.</p>
<p>I skipped into Multivariable after getting a 5 in Calc BC. I don’t think I was poorly prepared per se; but Princeton courses are much more difficult. So you should be fine placing out, but just don’t expect it to be a breeze.</p>
<p>Part of that decision depends on other factors: are there courses you’d rather take than intro math courses? (Almost certainly yes, and you have limited time to do so!) Do you actually want/need a stellar background in high-school-level calculus? (Not usually necessary, and it depends on your major.) Etc.</p>