Calculus or Statistics? Please vote, and tell why.

[ThePreDentLife]

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Hi everyone! I'm planning on signing up for summer school soon, and I wanted to get members opinions.

Well, I'm not a strong math student, I really have to struggle to maintain a B in Pre-Cal, I can manage my sciences well, but for some reason math isn't my cup of tea.

I'm currently in Pre-Calculus, and I plan on going on to either Calculus or Statistics. What would you recommend?

Is Calculus a subject admission committees look for? or could they care less?

Will statistics be sufficient?

Please let me know, Calc or Stats?

Thanks everyone! I really will appreciate your response. 🙂

 

[already954]

statistics is more useful on the QR section of the DAT (probabilities, permuations, etc.)

 

[bodiddely]

I second the above, but I think some schools have calculus as a pre-req. What's your state school?

 

[UNR.Grad]

Whichever you'll do better in.

 

[haisha ni narou]

Whichever you'll do better in.

I got an A in both, I swear every other undergrad math class I took I got a C or a D in. Math is one foreign language that I just couldn't remember the grammar to. Both were way better than algebra but I would probably take statistics because it is probably more applicable to life. I don't think I am ever going to design a crazy bridge or arches in my lifetime but I may want to know my chances of winning some killer prize someday.

 

[Amalgam4U]

honestly i think the only reason to take calculus is if your undergrad major requires it. I guess it is helpful in physics and stuff...but who needs that? Calc can be hard to understand if you're not graphically or theoretically strong.

Stats is nice in that stats is easy. More straight forward, less theoretical, more practical. If you know which formulas to apply, that's all you have to know.

Thus: Stats for higher grade and practicality, calc for pre-reqs if needed.

 

[blankguy]

I took a stats course in college. It was a bitch. It was a statistics course in economics. Royal pain. 👎 The next level would have been econometrics. Which is quite a challenge from what I hear.

I would suggest taking both because calculus seems to be part of the basic prereqs. Then take statistics. If you have to choose take calculus.

 

[ThePreDentLife]

I'm from Illinois.

I UIC, SIU and Marquette don't require Calculus.

I get the chills when I think about taking Calculus.

I really think Statistics will be better for me.

 

[32pearlywhites]

I took Calc I and Stats and now I have to go back and take Calc II so I can apply to Harvard. Make sure the schools you are applying to don't require a full year of calculus, because taking Stats was just a waste of time for me. Go with Calc even though it's a bit harder! Good luck.

 

[Crentist]

My answer is both if possible. Statistics is more practical for everyday use, but you'll need some calculus for physics a required dental pre-req.

 

[crazy4clana]

Calculus is not that bad, honestly. It looks better on your transcript over stats even though stats is more useful.

 

[SonicMD]

ThePreDentLife 09:12 PM: "...I'm planning on signing up for summer school soon.."

Uhm, not to be rude, but I think you should wait till Fall to take whatever classes you're going to take. I know you want to get pre-med done as fast as possible and move on to med-school, but I don't think shoving a semester of Calc. or Stats. into a small summer course is the best thing to do, it'd be rushed, the workload would be crazy, and you'd miss a lot of things because of how rushed it would be. You might even wind up taking it again once fall rolls around. So I'd suggest that you wait and also find out what your school(s) require and plan out from there. n_n

 

[caffeinehigh]

Since it appears that neither of them are 100% required for you to enter dental school, why don't you take whichever will give you a better GPA, which IS required to get into dental school. 😕

 

[ThePreDentLife]

Blank Post.

 

[ThePreDentLife]

Since it appears that neither of them are 100% required for you to enter dental school, why don't you take whichever will give you a better GPA, which IS required to get into dental school. 😕

Thats why I'm leaning toward statistics,

Hoping for more responses.

 

[drdeeeena]

I think most schools require Calc as far as i can tell. However, I personally prefer calc because it makes more sense to me and once you know the theory u can basically apply it to anything just like orgo.

Whether you like calc or stat, i think it depends on the prof method of teaching, when i took calc i did really well on it b/c i had an excellent prof, however when i took the stat i still did well but not as good as calc.

I think if you have strong background in chemistry (ie, physical chem, comp. chem) then def. calc is ur buddy😀

 

[TheWiredNerv]

Most schools do not require calc.

That being said, stat is the way to go.

Though if I were you, I would take both.

Admissions committees could care less.

 

[Regmata]

If it isn't required, why the hell would anyone want to take calc? Stats has some practical applications, especially for research and interpreting the research of others. If you really want one of them under your belt, go with stats.

 

[Orgodox]

Stats- I took stats and it comes up ever here and there when you wouldnt expect it. It can only help dont he DAT and I dont see calc being as helpful. Also all studies have n and degrees of freedom, what percentile.... and this brings us back to stats.
Also in case you are going to take genetic its also good (not necessary but helpful) to have some stats background.
GOOD LUCK!