Retake Calculus or Jump Into Calc 3?

[mcally12]

Hi all,

I'm at a state school majoring in biochemistry (I LOVE CHEMISTRY) and looking to go to medical school. My school requires that I have three semesters of calculus for my major, and I did well in Calculus BC as a junior in high school. As a result, I received credit for both Calc I and II. The only Calc class left for me is Multivariate Calculus and Matrix Algebra. However, calculus is a little foggy now (it's been a while since I've taken it) and I am worried. Under any other circumstances, I would retake both I and II... but I have a burning hatred for mathematics. I am looking for opinions on what I should do. I want to show medical schools I am a quality applicant and maintain my GPA. I think that these are my options (but please correct me if I am wrong):

1. Suck it up and retake Calc I & II before moving on to Calc III at my university (risking my GPA)
2. Take Calc III during the semester at my university along with other classes.
3. Take Calc III at community college over the summer (I also work full-time) and transfer it as credit to my school.

Thoughts? Criticisms? I'm just trying to figure it all out.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

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[DNC127]

Take calc 3 at community college (or where ever it is easier) and transfer. Don't need to add on 3 hard classes to an already hard path. I doubt taking calc 3 will make or break anything (unless you score poorly).

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Hi all,

I'm at a state school majoring in biochemistry (I LOVE CHEMISTRY) and looking to go to medical school. My school requires that I have three semesters of calculus for my major, and I did well in Calculus BC as a junior in high school. As a result, I received credit for both Calc I and II. The only Calc class left for me is Multivariate Calculus and Matrix Algebra. However, calculus is a little foggy now (it's been a while since I've taken it) and I am worried. Under any other circumstances, I would retake both I and II... but I have a burning hatred for mathematics. I am looking for opinions on what I should do. I want to show medical schools I am a quality applicant and maintain my GPA. I think that these are my options (but please correct me if I am wrong):

1. Suck it up and retake Calc I & II before moving on to Calc III at my university (risking my GPA)
2. Take Calc III during the semester at my university along with other classes.
3. Take Calc III at community college over the summer (I also work full-time) and transfer it as credit to my school.

Thoughts? Criticisms? I'm just trying to figure it all out.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Got my degree in math. I took an eight year break between calc 2 and 3. Just needed a good reviewing first.

You should have a good understanding of calc 1 and 2 before going onto calc 3. That said, if you did well in those courses, you probably don't need to retake them. Reviewing using Khan Academy and Paul's Online Math Notes should be enough if you actually put some effort in. You can still take it at a community college and transfer, but that probably won't be necessary if you understood the calc 2 material.

http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/Classes/CalcI/CalcI.aspx

 

[mcally12]

Thank you both for the help!!

 

[TheBiologist]

Calc 3 is easier than calc 2; just take calc 3 and move on