Honors Calc I Woes

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TheInstitute

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Hey guys,

So both the regular Calc I and honors calc I course use the exact same textbook (Stewart Calculus) and the same syllabus. So should the discrepancy in the difficulty between the regular and honors not be that high? Also, the cutoff score for honors is only 5 points higher than for regular on the ALEKS scale. you need 70 to take Calc I, and you need a 75 to take calc I honors. I am just really scared because of all the negativity surrounding honors courses on these forums. I scored a 770 on SAT math level 2 and got the highest grade in my last math class, so I think I am decent at math. Also would taking honors calc I give me an advantage for Calc 2? I really want to get a 4.0 this upcoming semester to start off freshman year with a bang.


Thanks

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Take easy classes, get a high GPA, go to med school. Don't take honors unless you KNOW you can get an A becuase the label means jack****
 
There isn't any difference between an honors class vs a regular class med school admissions.
 
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Hey guys,

So both the regular Calc I and honors calc I course use the exact same textbook (Stewart Calculus) and the same syllabus. So should the discrepancy in the difficulty between the regular and honors not be that high? Also, the cutoff score for honors is only 5 points higher than for regular on the ALEKS scale. you need 70 to take Calc I, and you need a 75 to take calc I honors. I am just really scared because of all the negativity surrounding honors courses on these forums. I scored a 770 on SAT math level 2 and got the highest grade in my last math class, so I think I am decent at math. Also would taking honors calc I give me an advantage for Calc 2? I really want to get a 4.0 this upcoming semester to start off freshman year with a bang.


Thanks
Take honors. Adcoms love it.
 
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Take easy classes, get a high GPA, go to med school. Don't take honors unless you KNOW you can get an A becuase the label means jack****
I am willing to literally work my ass off for the class. I want to challenge myself intellectually and, I find calc to be very interesting. How do you know if you will get an A in the class? I am not taking honors calc I at a very hard school; I am going to a state school.
 
I am willing to literally work my ass off for the class. I want to challenge myself intellectually and, I find calc to be very interesting. How do you know if you will get an A in the class? I am not taking honors calc I at a very hard school; I am going to a state school.

Question answered.
 
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I am willing to literally work my ass off for the class. I want to challenge myself intellectually and, I find calc to be very interesting. How do you know if you will get an A in the class? I am not taking honors calc I at a very hard school; I am going to a state school.
You can never know, but if you know your abilities that's good. Also I wouldn't underestimate a state schools difficulty. If you're taking an honors class the majority of the kids may be going to the state school to save money and may be around the same level of intelligence as you are, hence the risk of getting scaled out of an A even at a lower ranked school.
 
You can never know, but if you know your abilities that's good. Also I wouldn't underestimate a state schools difficulty. If you're taking an honors class the majority of the kids may be going to the state school to save money and may be around the same level of intelligence as you are, hence the risk of getting scaled out of an A even at a lower ranked school.
is essentially everyone in the honors class a gunner? I think around 80 percent of people in the honors classes make A's
 
is essentially everyone in the honors class a gunner? I think around 80 percent of people in the honors classes make A's
It depends on how you're graded. If there is no scale or designated percentage of As you're fine. I know classes that only allow 10 percent of the class to get an A
 
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Take easy classes, get a high GPA, go to med school. Don't take honors unless you KNOW you can get an A becuase the label means jack****
I hope you relate that to admissions. I bet they love hearing it.

"I took easy classes just to get good grades. I didn't challenge myself in undergrad but I think I will excel in medical school"
 
I thought I already answered. Honors calc isn't that hard but if you're this worried, take the easier version. The only difference tends to be the pace at which the material tends to be covered (some profs may add in some advanced topics near the end of the semester)
 
is essentially everyone in the honors class a gunner? I think around 80 percent of people in the honors classes make A's

No. Some of the people who take it just like math and want to challenge themselves
 
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I hope you relate that to admissions. I bet they love hearing it.

"I took easy classes just to get good grades. I didn't challenge myself in undergrad but I think I will excel in medical school"
Just a way to play the admissions game (which I'd say works better than challenging yourself heavily and getting a 3.3)
 
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Just a way to play the admissions game (which I'd say works better than challenging yourself heavily and getting a 3.3)
I'm challenging myself by switching to a physics major and have maintained my 3.8, and I enjoy school more by doing it.
 
I'm challenging myself by switching to a physics major and have maintained my 3.8, and I enjoy school more by doing it.

Your experience is just one. It means nothing. More challenging classes means it is more challenging to maintain a high GPA for the vast majority of people. That isn't to say that it is impossible, but unnecessarily taking more challenging courses puts your GPA at risk, simple as that.

I majored in math, so obviously I think that if you really enjoy a subject and are willing to work hard, you should got for it. But saying that because you switched to a more difficult major and are doing fine, everyone should be able to do so is fallacious.
 
Your experience is just one. It means nothing. More challenging classes means it is more challenging to maintain a high GPA for the vast majority of people. That isn't to say that it is impossible, but unnecessarily taking more challenging courses puts your GPA at risk, simple as that.

I majored in math, so obviously I think that if you really enjoy a subject and are willing to work hard, you should got for it. But saying that because you switched to a more difficult major and are doing fine, everyone should be able to do so is fallacious.
I didn't say everyone should, nor do I think everyone should. OP wants to do it, I'm relating an experience to him, to combat the opinion of the other poster. Make sure to read well, it will help on the MCAT.
 
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I didn't say everyone should, nor do I think everyone should. OP wants to do it, I'm relating an experience to him, to combat the opinion of the other poster. Make sure to read well, it will help on the MCAT.
I am actually really interested in physics. I will be taking calc-based physics courses. Also, are you a fan of particle physics?
 
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I am actually really interested in physics. I will be taking calc-based physics courses. Also, are you a fan of particle physics?
Physics is awesome. I switched majors while I was taking calc physics. The application of calculus to real world problems is beautiful and fun. I guess I'm a fan of all physics. Right now I'm more focused on learning the building blocks of physics and continuing to upgrade my math and problem solving skills. I enjoy more of the type of physics where I can follow the math, and particle physics will most likely always be out of reach mathematically for me since I'm not planning on getting a Phd. Plus I don't have all the building blocks of other branches of physics to appreciate particle physics like it should be.
 
I didn't say everyone should, nor do I think everyone should. OP wants to do it, I'm relating an experience to him, to combat the opinion of the other poster.

You directly quoted a poster claiming that takin challenging courses and not being able to maintain a high GPA would look worse than taking standard ones and maintaining a high GPA, then provided your own experience of an example of taking challenging courses, being fine, and enjoying it. I was simply pointing out that your experience isn't guaranteed, but that challenging yourself is definitely something to go for if you can handle it.

Make sure to read well, it will help on the MCAT.

Since you don't know my background, I'll give you a pass on the "advice."
 
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The difference is probably the professor. Calc 1 is some pretty basic stuff.
 
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You directly quoted a poster claiming that takin challenging courses and not being able to maintain a high GPA would look worse than taking standard ones and maintaining a high GPA, then provided your own experience of an example of taking challenging courses, being fine, and enjoying it. I was simply pointing out that your experience isn't guaranteed, but that challenging yourself is definitely something to go for if you can handle it.



Since you don't know my background, I'll give you a pass on the "advice."
.

edited to end the argument
 
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Calculus can be super hard.

FoxTrotMathTest.jpg
 
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I'm challenging myself by switching to a physics major and have maintained my 3.8, and I enjoy school more by doing it.

I think taking rigorous courses is important for the MCAT, and it probably helps prepare you for med school as well. But I think it's also good to keep in mind that more time spent on classes means less time available for EC's. Stats get your foot in the door, but beyond a certain point it's the "soft" factors that actually get you accepted (or so I gather from reading SDN).

Which applicant is going to be more attractive: 3.8/520 physics major with bare bones EC's, or 3.9/517 basketweaving major who had time to work 20 hours/wk as a scribe, volunteer a lot, etc?

I think calculus is awesome and would definitely vote for OP to take the honors class, but I think it's worth considering these factors. Not everyone is going to have the intelligence and time management skills to excel both inside and outside the classroom. I'm not saying "don't push yourself".... Just be smart, I guess.
 
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