Harvard Requirements

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shanequin

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How strict is their Calculus requirement. I have taken a full year of "Math for Life Sciences" that was all Calculus, but my class name wasn't calculus. I've already been invited for an interview and with the invite they have this sheet that has you list the classes you have taken that are required by them, full year of Calculus included. Will a simple explanation do, or do they really expect me to take a full year of math again if I'm going to go there. Thanks all
 
You should be OK since you took calc, regardless of the name of the course, but I'd call or email the admissions office just to be sure.

Incidentally, I was going to apply to Harvard but ran into a similar problem. They explicitly state on the website that the biology requirement can not be fulfilled with AP credit (although the calc, physics, and chem requirements can, at least for one semester). I took 2 semesters of lecture but only 1 semester of lab - I used 2 of my 8 AP credits so I could get out of lab and take more interesting courses. I emailed the office to ask about this, and they said they're pretty strict about the AP credit policy, but it can be waived if you can prove you have taken college courses or had research experience that would be equivalent to intro bio. I haven't (my research is completely different), so I wasn't eligible to apply, even though the AP credit was accepted by Cornell and appears on my transcript.

Moral of the story: if anyone is planning on going to Harvard, TAKE INTRO BIO!!! Also, I know some of the SUNY schools have this kind of requirement as well.
 
keep the syllabus or textbook to show to them at some point in time to demonstrate you covered calculus topics. I can NOT imagine them really caring what your course is called.

Sonya
 
i only took one semester of calc. harvard requires a full year. does anyone know if it is possible to take this class the summer after graduation and before entrance into medical school?
 
Originally posted by PianoGirl04

Moral of the story: if anyone is planning on going to Harvard, TAKE INTRO BIO!!! Also, I know some of the SUNY schools have this kind of requirement as well.

So they will not take upper level bio courses like genetics or molecular biology in place of intro bio? That is nuts!
 
what you need to do is this....

get your school to write a letter or something to say that that class is a calculus class.

some of my schools are asking about my english requirements and saying how i havent completed it yet.

those fools. i told them berkeley has a english requirement that i need to take a year of it to graduate and even tho they knew that and its been a year since i graduated....since the course isnt named English XXX they dont believe me. Goodness. Not everyone takes actual classes in the English req. to fulfill their R&C requirement....there are other forms of literature....sheesh...

so i have to get cal to write a letter saying that the lit classes i took fulfill the english requirement.
 
What I recommend you do is have your school registrar contact the admissions office whether it be through phone, email or a letter, explaining the situation on behalf of you. This should take care of the problem.
 
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