<p>Hello everyone, I have come to you for advice in regards to my education and transfer for my major.</p>
<p>I have been at community college now and completed one semester with a second semester in progress. I have almost completely decided I would like to major in Mathematics with a minor in physics. </p>
<p>I currently have two options in regards to how I want to transfer, and in 2 or 3 years.</p>
<p>Option 1:
I take Calculus I over the summer in a eight week course. I have talked to my pre calculus teacher and he (with a PHD) is confident in my ability to complete the course well and also believe I will go very far in the mathematics field. He believe I have a knack for Pure Mathematics and the questions I ask are far beyond the level of any student at the community college. Anyways, I would have to take calculus over the summer and then next fall I would take calculus 2 and physics 1 and then next spring Calc 3 and Linear analysis (LA and DE) as well as physics II. Or my other option is;</p>
<p>Option 2:
Do not take Calculus over the summer and instead take more GE and then stay at community college taking my time with the courses and finishing all of my GE in a timely manner. But, money is not a factor for me due to free tuition both here and any University of California I go to. </p>
<p>What else would you do over the summer if you WEREN’T attending summer school? What about a job or internship–can you do that while taking a course over the summer? Those opportunities can be a good way to try out some different fields and get to be known at a place you might want to work down the road. </p>
<p>Is there any particular rush? Which path is your CC instructor recommending for you and why? Personally, I think you miss things when you take an important course like math or science over the summer–it’s so condensed that everything happens so fast and if you blink you could miss a chapter or more. If there’s no urgent time pressure, I’d suggest you slow down and complete everything in 3 years and start your transfer apps the the fall of your 3rd year.</p>
<p>@HImom I took Precalc over the Summer and felt it was a good choice since I was ready to dive right into Calculus. I don’t feel like I lost anything. It was the only class I had so I felt I probably learned even more since it was the only class I needed to focus on.</p>
<p>In response to TC, you didn’t mention any of the schools you’re thinking about, or what you’ve already taken. Your best shot at transferring is probably completing IGETC and it’s not that uncommon to take 3 years to complete that in addition to major prep courses.</p>
<p>Summer classes tend to move fast, and sometimes they cover less material than other courses… if you haven’t done any calculus before, it might leave you with a few holes in your next class… remember that you’re entering a new kind of math, with new rules and stuff. It’s still a CC math class, so I doubt you’ll have much trouble, but that’s just something to think about. If you have done calculus before (self studied or related classes) go for it.</p>
<p>GE classes: Is one year vs. two a question of how many GE classes you’ll take, or just how many you’ll take at once? I think the usual rule is that you should try to do all your GE classes before you transfer, so you’re not wasting time/money/effort on the UC versions of them.</p>
<p>GPA: Careful not to take on too much! Even if you’re smart and it’s CC, a wrong schedule can destroy your GPA, and your sanity. As a second semester freshman, I took Multivariate, Linear Algebra, and Discrete Math… plus chem 1 and psychology. Bad idea. Got As in all the technicals in the end, but I had so little time that I got a B in the psych class. It was an easy class, an easy A, but my grade slipped because I had so many classes at once. So, make sure you don’t take on too much. That only really applies if you’re looking at 18+ credits in a semester though.</p>
<p>Random side note: Does your CC offer discrete math? It’s usually seen as more of a CS class, but it’s one of my favorite math classes. Very out of the box, some basic probability, and you should learn how to do proofs. It’s a really fun and useful class if you’ve got time for it.</p>
<p>As for actual advice: Take a look at your schedule. Do all your classes (except maybe Calc 1) fit comfortably? Can you take the recommended transfer prep with 14-17 units per semester? You might also want to explore some other classes while you’re at CC. It sounds like you love math (hooray!) so you might end up really loving some of the other STEM areas as well. But if it all fits nicely in two years, there’s no reason to drag it out to three.</p>
<p>I took and passed AP Calc AB in HS, but I again took it over summer for the 5 unit semester grade and relearn the material (Finished all math classes my HS offered Jr yr and had a gap). If you think you can really dedicate your summer time to the class, I would say go for it. Finishing Calc I will allow you to have more freedom with your schedule during the regular semester/ quarter. </p>
<p>Its a tough decision. I would take the 3-year plan, myself. That way you could be sure to finish IGETC, which will help you out at any UC you end up at. Also given that you are aiming at fields (math and physics) where you will actually using calculus and it isn’t just a screening requirement for the major and not something that will be used that much once you’ve passed the class, taking it during a regular semester will give you more time to practice and learn it. BTW I highly recommend getting the “Calculus Problem Solver” book and using it work out extra problems related to the topics covered in class until you are easily solving them. They have Problem Solver books for other science and math classes as well.</p>
That only really applies if you’re looking at 18+ credits in a semester though.</p>