Calc Survey or Calculus?

[Mercurial]

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Hi there! I'm not concerned with the pre-med requirements of bio and chem and physics, but I'm concerned about math courses. I've never been very good at math. Not good enough to earn an A or even a high B anyway. I earned low Bs in my high school math courses, and that took significant effort.

I'm waiting until second semester of freshman year to take any math course because I want to adjust to college standards and familiarize myself with new study habits --and also, I'm hoping I'll know how to utilize office hours, make friends with the math nerds, and take advantage of tutoring opportunities should I need them.

My anticipated major requires one semester of statistics and either one semester of calculus (4 cr) or two semesters of a brief survey of calculus (6 cr). I've taken a statistics course before, and I'm not concerned about that so much. I am a little worried about the calculus though.

The difference between brief survey and calc is that brief survey is supposedly easier. I think I'd be able to pull off a C in regular calc, and probably a B in brief survey. Generally, business majors are advised to take brief survey and physical science majors are advised to take regular calculus.

I know most medical schools dont specifically require calculus, but some top-tier schools do and almost all (if not all) of them recommend it. I am working like I am going to apply to top tier schools, not necessarily because I think I'll get in --more because of that "shoot for the moon, land among the stars" adage. Would I be considered a weaker candidate to schools if I took a supposedly weaker course --even if that weaker course wasnt a requirement, only recommended? Or do medical schools truly not care about what courses you take, only your performance in them?

And if that's the case, that medical schools generally dont care about the content of the course and just the grades earned, then I need to consider: do I want a lower grade in one course or higher grades (but still not likely A's or even high B's) in two courses?

Any advice?

 

[gettheleadout]

Well what is your major? And as far as applying to med schools, someone correct me if I'm wrong but I think AMCAS only sees letter grades not +/- so I would go for low B's in two semesters of Survey of Calculus than a C in one semester of full Calculus

 

[Dreaming big]

Not good enough to earn an A or even a high B anyway. I earned low Bs in my high school math courses, and that took significant effort.

The difference between brief survey and calc is that brief survey is supposedly easier. I think I'd be able to pull off a C in regular calc, and probably a B in brief survey. Generally, business majors are advised to take brief survey and physical science majors are advised to take regular calculus.

I know most medical schools dont specifically require calculus, but some top-tier schools do and almost all (if not all) of them recommend it.
And if that's the case, that medical schools generally dont care about the content of the course and just the grades earned, then I need to consider: do I want a lower grade in one course or higher grades (but still not likely A's or even high B's) in two courses?

Any advice?

If you are shooting for the stars, dont be content with a B...set all your goals as an A, its not that hard once you get used to college classes/

 

[PreMedder]

Well what is your major? And as far as applying to med schools, someone correct me if I'm wrong but I think AMCAS only sees letter grades not +/- so I would go for low B's in two semesters of Survey of Calculus than a C in one semester of full Calculus

AMCAS "sees" ALL +/- grades. HOWEVER, they weigh an A+ as equivalent to an A, both = 4.0. They weight the other grades as follows:
A+/A = 4.0, A- = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0, B- = 2.7, C+ = 2.3, C = 2.0, C- = 1.7.

And @ OP, don't waste your time in the two semesters of the survey class. If you have to, just lighten the rest of your load during the semester when you take calc.