<p>I'm planning on either majoring in Mathematics or Statistics either at UCLA or Berkeley.</p>
<p>Anyone here have any tips for me? I'd like a 4.0 GPA or something close before transferring to UCLA or Berkeley. Like, how should I pace out my courseload? I plan on transferring in no more than two years and I think some of my AP credit ought to help that be possible. Like, is it okay intensity wise to take two quantitative classes in one semester? For example, let's say I take Calculus I and some intro Chem class or a general Physics class in the same semester. Would I be off okay? What about Differential Equations and Linear Algebra in one semester?</p>
<p>Oh and, anybody prepare for the Putnam examination?</p>
<p>Oh well, any tips in general? Like, should I join a mathematics club on campus or something like that?</p>
<p>two math classes in one semester is not too bad. often, the classes complement each other quite well. and getting involved w/ professors and clubs is never a bad thing, unless you end up burning down someone's house.</p>
<p>CC classes arent too bad. I took Bio, DE, Physics 2 & 3 in the same semester. I got 2 Bs and 2 Cs but I dont blame that on the difficulty of the classes. I had to miss 3 weeks of classes because of jury duty:( I still did alright. Dont worry about GPA either. For math majors, as long as you get a 3.0 or higher, you should be fine.</p>
<p>Wow, that really sucks man. I hope that jury duty crap doesn't happen to me.</p>
<p>I'm going for a 4.0 so that I can prove to myself that I am indeed ready for UCLA or Berkeley. I want that GPA as high as possible for grad school admissions.</p>
<p>not to be an a-hole, but lower division math is a completely different animal than upper division math. If you really want to feel prepared, get a book on Real Analysis and start wrapping your brain around that.</p>
<p>the texts I've had experience with are:</p>
<p>Elementary Analysis by Kenneth Ross (which I feel is poorly laid out and isn't rigorous enough)</p>
<p>Principles of Mathematical Analysis by Rudin, a.k.a. "Baby Rudin" (which, frankly, will beat you soundly around the frontal lobes. I strongly advise against trying to teach yourself out of Rudin. Let me rephrase this: I will not be held responsible for any and all damages incurred if you try to teach yourself out of Rudin. That said, surviving a quarter of this book gave me my math cajones)</p>
<p>Real Mathematical Analysis by Charles Pugh (unfortunately, this is the book I have the least interaction with, although I think it would be the best to teach yourself out of. The professor who ended up using Rudin said he was debating this book but at the end considered it too "chatty" and "californian" .. when flipping through Pugh to try and understand Rudin, I can see where he's coming from, although I think it would be helpful for self-study. To reinforce how hardcore Rudin is, one of the sections in Pugh flat out states that it is following conventions from Rudin)</p>
<p>as far as the Putnam goes, study old problems and have fun. Don't assume a correlation between your performance on the Putnam and your ability to be a mathematician. When I took the Putnam, after the morning session, I thought I needed to rethink my major. I ended up being in the top-third.</p>
<p>Yeah i'm another math major who have been accepted to UCLA and UCB and I will be attending UCLA next Fall 2006! </p>
<p>For planning your courseload, you might wanna do 1-2 major courses (math/sciences) plus 1-2 general courses would be a good way to go with because you can maintain a better GPA as well as have some "life". If you don't have a life then, take 3+ math/physics/chem/any science courses at the same time! :D hahahaa warning: calculus-based physics and differential equation are TOUGH (well, it also depends on the professor)! Last note, you should always try to truly LEARN while maintaining your good GPA! I bet you do and that is why you choose this difficult major.</p>
<p>Don't teach yourself upper division math materials if you haven't done some calculus or beyond because you gonna change your major if you do so :D</p>
<p>I'm applied math major.
Accepted to many other places like USC (electrical engineering major though), UCSD, UCI, UCR, Cal Poly Pomona and so on...
well...why UCLA over UCB, long story, anyways, UCLA is my dream school so GO BRUINS!</p>
<p>Definitely take Linear Algebra before DE. I'd also recommend Calc III as a pre/co-requisite for Linear Algebra. Plus, get as far as you can in math before taking calculus based physics. Intro Chem is easy.</p>
<p>Honors program is an option to transfer to UCLA; UC Berkeley has no such program. Honors program does give you some advantage if you plan to transfer to UCLA.</p>
<p>Oh yes, lets say for example I have to take two hard quantitative courses in one semester. Would it be okay if I only took one other course making it three courses of work for that semester? I ask this because I have some AP credit so I think I'll have a semester or two where I'll be able to take only three courses instead of four courses. Will this look bad on my transcript or will it be okay?</p>
<p>some people take less than the average course load and i dont think it looks that bad on a transcript unless you're applying to really top grad schools...but i would recommend doing it when you're taking REALLY difficult classes and those two classes or three make that semester the hardest out of any other. you can always look for an easy intro class to take as a filler.</p>
<p>im a math major and ive only taken up through calc II, linear alegbra, and a proof/logic class. im taking stat, differential equations, and multivariable calc (calc III) next semster, along with a religion class. i know differential is supposed to be hard...im good at calc and linear algebra, how does differential and multivariable compare to those?</p>
<p>i have a question, i'm apply this upcoming fall as a math major and i'm wondering if i will be taking multi variable calc during fall and will be finished with igetc...but i still have yet to take linear algebra and differential equation</p>
<p>so should i take linear algebra along with multi variable calc this fall or leave both linear algebra and differential equation to spring (so their decision is based only on the calculus sequence)</p>
<p>which choice would maximize my chance at cal/ucla if i'm sure that i would end up with a B in linear algebra?</p>
<p>the reason why i'm scared of linear algebra is because i dropped it previously since the professor who taught the class (also works at JPL) was insanely difficult</p>
<p>even one of his transferred student who now goes to cal tech tells us that the professors at cal tech is no more difficult than he is!</p>
<p>Dr. Wang....he's a great professor, but he's just really harsh on grading. I missed a sign on a problem and he took off 10 out of 15 points. I'm sure I would be able to get a B in the class if I didn't drop but I just wanted to get straight As for all my math courses.</p>