I’m considering taking three 4-unit calculus level classes in one semester. Is that bearable or should I do only 8 units?
Depends on what the classes are and what else you’re taking.
Analytic Geometry and Calculus II, Probability and Statistics, Discrete Mathematical Structures.
Oh, completely forgot to mention I’m doing work study.
This depends greatly on how the prob/stat and discrete math classes are taught. At my college our discrete math for math majors has linear algebra as a prereq (which has calc 2 as a prereq) and is quite intense, while the discrete math for CS majors has no math prereq. The prob and stat are two separate courses at my school, where prob is a prereq to stat, and has calc 3 and linear algebra as a prereq. Probability is considered one of the hardest courses in the entire department.
If you are able to register for all three, then obviously your university has the courses structured differently. Do you have access to the course descriptions? If you could post them, we might have a better idea of how rigorous each of those courses is.
At my university, students generally don’t take more than two math classes at a time.
Discrete:
Basic concepts of set theory, symbolic logic, counting methods, permutations and combinations, discrete probability and elementary statistics, graphs, graph theory, Euler circuits, and trees. Lecture (45.00). Equivalent to MAT104.
Probability:
Discrete and continuous random variables and their probability distributions. Mathematical expectation and moments. Chebyshev’s Theorem, the Bernoulli, Poisson, Geometric, and Hyper-geometric distributions; the Uniform, Exponential, Gamma, Chi-Square, and Normal distribution. Multivariate probability distributions. Functions of random variables. Central Limit theorems. Lecture (45.00). Equivalent to MAT307, MAT415.
Analytic:
Families of sets, countable and uncountable sets, metric spaces, the space of continuous functions on a compact set, the Stone-Weirstrass theorem, measure and measurable functions, the Lebesgue Integral, and dominated and monotone convergence theorem, Lp Spaces. Lecture (45.00). Equivalent to MAT411.
Discrete definitely shouldn’t be a problem. You may want to hold off on probability if you can.
Math courses tend not to be inherently high workload, but some students find them to be intellectually difficult, particularly those which emphasize proofs.
Is this your college’s math department, and are the courses you intend to take 1104, 4411, and 4415?
http://www.sfc.edu/page.cfm?p=3653
I’m confused because if it is that department, then you’re trying to take real analysis, not calc 2 (although it has calc 2 as a prereq), by the course description. The probability class from that department also has calc 3 as a prerequisite.
That’s the department. I’ll try for discreet and calc 3.
“Math courses tend not to be inherently high workload”
I disagree with this statement. But to each their own.
Uhmm… Like guinea said, 4411 is Real Analysis I, not Calc 2. I’m very confused too.
You mean Math 3304 or 2203? Because if you are planning to do Math 4411, 4415, and 1104 at once, then it’s going to be immensely challenging because Analysis by nature consumes lots of time (add on with probability theory and oh my, a head ache).
However, if you mean Math 3304/2203 with 1104 then yes, this is 100% possible and often done by math and comp sci students. <note i="" excluded="" 4415="" in="" this="">
And just a quick question, how are you going to take 4415 when the pre-req is Calc 3? Are you going to take it concurrently? Does your school allow this (I never tried so…)?
Anyways, saying that you are taking Math 3304, 1104, and 4415, uhmm… it’s going to be pretty challenging.
Math 3304 and 1104 is perfectly do-able and not really a problem for many math oriented students. However, Math 4415 from my experience is a tricky one. If you don’t get probability… it’s going to hurt a lot. This is theory and it’s pretty hard to first understand.
That said, hey, if you are up for the challenge, then ya, it’s perfectly do-able. Just make sure if you are taking any other classes that it is going to be a course that doesn’t take much time away from your math life. Theory of probability is pretty… hard.
So to sum up my opinion: Is it impossible? Heck no. I seen some insane students tackle 21 credits of math/science advanced honors courses. (Just why!!! though? Why!!!? Those students usually never have any extracurriculars or anything outside their studying + part time)
However, oh my, Discrete + Calc 2/3 is pretty common. But Discrete + Calc 3 + Probability theory… I kinda would stay away from. And if you meant Analysis I instead of Calc 2/3 (hope not), then no, don’t even think about it. 
The statement was to distinguish between time commitment and intellectual difficulty. High workload courses tend to be ones with labs, music performance, large projects, etc., even though they may not be that difficult. For example, while real analysis is more difficult for most students than most or all CS courses, many of those CS courses can have very time consuming projects that result in a much greater time commitment, even if they are not intellectually as difficult.
I agree with@ucbalumnus . Math courses do not have a high workload. The bulk of my time is spent doing CS homework and labs, at music rehearsals, and reading and writing for whatever writing-intensive class I might have (believe it or not, that’s my dance class this semester). My math homework is one of the least time consuming things I do.
OP, I think you need to sit down with an academic advisor for the math at your school. The courses you are trying to take together don’t make sense. I don’t think you can do that because of the prereqs. An advisor might be able to help you figure out how to plan your courses better.
The bulk of my time was spent reading the same two sentences for hours like a paranoid trying to decipher what the definitions “meant”. Most people would consider that act as being a psycho. However, in math this is considered normal :3. And the best part, your wording of the understanding is almost always similar to the book’s definition as the book’s definition is already simple and elegant enough. Weird… very weird. I’m sure most people would consider this a lunatic behavior.
Anyways, I support Calc 2/3 + Discrete Math.
OR
Analysis 1 + Discrete Math
BUT, I really don’t support Calc 2/3 + Discrete Math + Probability Theory
OR
Analysis + Discrete Math + Probability Theory
Probability theory is one of those things that not everyone gets a “click” early in the semester. And add on with Discrete Math which is also the type of math that some have trouble understanding the first few weeks and… wallah, hectic first exam (not saying discrete math is hard. Na, it’s just that it’s a different type of math. It’s a pretty dramatic turn from continuous math like calculus. I personally thought intro discrete math was the easiest math course in college but hey, some people struggled first few weeks due to the dramatic change of view of ‘mathematics’)
That said, from my experience, subjects like math consume time but those times are usually while walking around the campus or eating as you hope for some miraculous inspiration. Subjects like Computer Science requires quite a bit of desk hours due to projects (1 line of code could be like AHHH added on with fact that your partner doesn’t even participate)