Pre-med math...confused

[bigbad]

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I tried searching but the stuff I looked at didn't seem to answer my question..

For my 1st quarter freshman year I was placed in college algebra, so then I would have trig the next quarter and calc I for my 3rd quarter.

Some med schools say they require a year of calc so what would that mean for me? Am I supposed to be taking Calc II and III later on to give me the full year?

Also, I was under the impression that most pre-meds started Calc I as their first math class. Am I doing what I should be?

<---- typical neurotic pre-med smiley for answers pl0x

 

[tennisball80]

<---- typical neurotic pre-med smiley for answers pl0x

pl0x?

LOL

 

[TexasFight]

I don't know of any schools that require a full year of calculus. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that the math requirement for most schools is one semester (or one third of a year for you) of statistics OR calculus. Some schools require that it be calculus, and others require statistics. You can always check the MSAR or school websites. I haven't seen any schools that require a full year.

 

[dmblue]

A year of calc is Calc I and Calc II most likely.

That's what 2 semesters is. Calc II is usually multivariable calculus, so stop 1 before that one.

 

[bigbad]

A year of calc is Calc I and Calc II most likely.

That's what 2 semesters is. Calc II is usually multivariable calculus, so stop 1 before that one.

well my school goes on a quarter system so in order to get 2 semester's worth, I would need calc I, II and III?

I really didn't want to go that high, but if I want to go to a school that requires a full year do I have a choice?

I googled and got HMS:

4. Mathematics: one year of calculus. Advanced placement credits may satisfy this requirement (Calculus AB - 1 semester, Calculus BC - 2 semesters). A course in statistics does not meet this requirement.

I know that its not representative of most schools, but I've seen others that require this.

 

[Compass]

Calc I, Calc II

Calc III is usually multivariable. Calc I and II are fit into Calc BC

 

[MacdaddyDaniels]

If you have a science major chances are it requires more math then most med schools. I would look there first.

 

[Narmerguy]

Generally a full year will complete the single variable calculus sequence (typically Calc I and Calc II)

 

[adeline]

ask your math dept which course = 1 yr of calc (ie calc 1 and 2 on a semester system)


and a bunch of schools do require/recommend 1 yr of calc

 

[bigbad]

Alright guys thanks for all the replies, I'm gonna ask if calc I and II is equivalent to a full year of calc.

 

[dmblue]

Sorry I had a typo in my post.

Calc III is typically multivariable. You should probably take calc up until this course. My guess is you only need to take Calc 1/2 at your school. But yes, call up HMS

 

[Mattabet]

I was on quarters as well - a year of calculus is three quarters (I, II, & III).

That said, one year of calculus (and probably a semester/quarter of stats) gets your math covered EVERYWHERE. Most of the schools I applied to were happy with less. Requiring stats seemed much more common. Check out the reqs for a few of the schools you might be interested in.

 

[JJMrK]

I took Calc I and Stats and have only found one program where this didn't cover the requirements. I'm on semesters, though.

 

[SoftwareKevin]

You need 3 quarters of calc for a year when on a quarter system. In a quarter system, multivariable calculus is usually not covered in calc III or at least only slightly covered.

When in doubt, call the school.

 

[shiftingmirage]

I took Calc I and Stats and have only found one program where this didn't cover the requirements. I'm on semesters, though.

Worth noting. Most schools will allow you to use Stats for a math class.

 

[BlueAether]

Virginia Tech requires a year of Calc.

 

[EyEnStein 07]

Calc 1 + 2 will give you the full year...im not even sure if all schools require two...i think just some (like harvard)...but Calc 3 is unnecessary unless you are a math or engineering major.

 

[pharmacy85]

I tried searching but the stuff I looked at didn't seem to answer my question..

For my 1st quarter freshman year I was placed in college algebra, so then I would have trig the next quarter and calc I for my 3rd quarter.

Some med schools say they require a year of calc so what would that mean for me? Am I supposed to be taking Calc II and III later on to give me the full year?

Also, I was under the impression that most pre-meds started Calc I as their first math class. Am I doing what I should be?

<---- typical neurotic pre-med smiley for answers pl0x

In my school I was required to take Pre-calc and trig both as pre-req's for calc I. And college algebra was a pre-req for the former.

 

[bigbad]

In my school I was required to take Pre-calc and trig both as pre-req's for calc I. And college algebra was a pre-req for the former.

Isn't pre-calc and trig the same thing?

The dealio is that at another undergrad I was planning on attending they placed me in calc I but I decided to go elsewhere and they've placed me into college alg.

Apart from not wanting to take so much calc, I was concerned that I'm behind by starting out in alg rather than just putting I, II, and III out of the way. But I'm not gonna complain because it should help out my sci gpa.

 

[Mayday]

Unfortunately, it seems a lot of people responding are coming from a semester system rather than from a quarter system. I went through the exact same thing as the OP. You will probably to go through both pre-calc and trig (which, yes, are two classes in the quarter system) as well as Calculus 1,2, and 3. Calculus 3 is NOT multi-variable calculus in the quarter system. The multi-variable calculus people are talking about is a separate class that is not part of the calculus series.

Don't worry OP, you are doing exactly what you should be doing if algebra is where you were placed.

Edited to add - I just re-read your reply post. If another school placed you in calc, and you think you would be ok starting out there, ask to re-take the placeement test.

 

[rockaction]

Only Harvard, WashU, some UCs, and a couple other top schools require more than 1 semester of Calculus. WashU even says a semester of Calc and a semester of Stats works for them. That's what I did, I'll only have 1 semester of Calc and 1 semester of Stats before I would matriculate. Research the schools you're interested in. You'd probably do ok with two quarters of Calculus and a quarter of Stats. Most state schools (besides the UCs) don't require much.

 

[bigbad]

Edited to add - I just re-read your reply post. If another school placed you in calc, and you think you would be ok starting out there, ask to re-take the placeement test.

The placement test for the previous school just seemed SO much easier (it was a UC actually) and I didn't think I missed more than a few questions.

Would it be beneficial for me to go ahead and take these math classes and pad my gpa before I start taking more advanced math? Math was never exactly a strong subject.

What math do most pre-meds start out with? My only concern is that it will look bad to see that I started out so low.

 

[Mayday]

I don't think using lower level math classes to pad your GPA would be all that helpful. I don't think taking them will hurt you - other than the fact that it will take you much longer to get through your math classes, and it could take you longer to get through undergrad.

If you honestly feel that you need the lower level math classes, then you will be much better off taking them - it would be much better to take a few lower level math classes and then get an A or B in calc than it would be to not take them and risk a C or lower.

I tutor math at my school, and a lot of times I get students asking me for advice on their math classes, and what to take, and weather they would be better off in a higher math class, etc. My advice to them is the same that I would give to you.

If you HONESTLY feel that you could take a higher level math class without hurting your GPA, then study for a few weeks on your own, and re-take the test. I don't know about your school, but at my school, you can re-take the test within 60 days for free. It certainly won't hurt, and could very likely (assuming you diligently study before hand) place you in a higher math class.

One thing to consider: How high did you get in math in high school? If you never took anything beyond algebra, you will definitely benefit from taking some of the lower level math classes; especially trig. Trig is essential to calculus (at least it was in my classes.) So, if you've never taken it, you will be as a huge disadvantage. If you only took a lower level algebra class in high school, taking the college algebra will also be a huge help. Not understanding things like logs would be a huge road block to taking calculus successfully. If you don't understand things like e, rates of change, roots of polynomials, and inverse functions, you definitely need to take a pre-calc class.

If I had somehow managed to place into calculus instead of college algebra like I did, I would have been COMPLETELY lost.

As far as which math most pre-meds start with? I have no clue. It does seem like a lot of pre-meds graduated high school with a really good grasp of math and science, and are able to start out with the higher level classes. For those of us who didn't, we need to take a longer road.

 

[bigbad]

Well I actually did take Calc in high school but I bombed the AP test. I might be able to do fairly well in it now but I don't know if I should risk it. Like I said, its not exactly my best subject...

Also Pharmacy85 said he took both trig AND pre-calc before taking Calc I. I really thought those were the same class and my adviser even said I'd be finishing calc I before next year. Who's mistaken?

If that's the case, its only 2 quarters before I start calc. Is that so bad?

 

[Mayday]

I can't speak for other schools, just for my own. But at my school, which is on the quarter system, pre-calc and trig are two different classes. I suppose it is possible that the "college algebra" you are talking about is actually what my school calls pre-calc. Without knowing your school, I can't know for sure.

 

[pharmacy85]

To better explain

Semester 1: college algebra

Semester 2: trig
Pre-cal

Semester 3: calc I

There were three separate pre-reqs for calc, two which were able to be taken at the same time (semester 2)

Hope that helps, O and I'm a girl 🙂

 

[Mayday]

To better explain

Semester 1: college algebra

Semester 2: trig
Pre-cal

Semester 3: calc I

There were three separate pre-reqs for calc, two which were able to be taken at the same time (semester 2)

Hope that helps, O and I'm a girl 🙂

See? this is the difference between quarter and semester systems, and why people get confused. This was from when I took the classes:
Quarter 1: college algebra
Quarter 2: pre-calc
Quarter 3: Trig
Quarter 4: calc 1 - included what derivatives were, and how to calculate them. (chain rule, quotient rule, le hopital's principal, etc)
Quarter 5: calc 2 - integrals
Quarter 6 - calc 3 - haven't taken it yet, so I don't know what is in it.
Quarter 7 - multi-variable calculus

My quarters 2 and 3 are the same as a semester of pre-calc in the semester system, quarters 4 and 5 are roughly the same as 1 semester of calc on a semester system, and my quarters 6 and 7 are roughly the same as the second semester of calc on the semester system.

 

[bigbad]

I can't speak for other schools, just for my own. But at my school, which is on the quarter system, pre-calc and trig are two different classes. I suppose it is possible that the "college algebra" you are talking about is actually what my school calls pre-calc. Without knowing your school, I can't know for sure.

That's probably the case. There is another class called applications of math that comes before alg and I placed out of it.

I don't suppose taking 2 quarters of "easier" foundational math will look bad?