@JemmaSimmons : There is no need to take offense. If advisors give “play it safe advice” and people listen, then a trend is established regardless of what “some” or “plenty” (but nowhere near tons) of students do. Also, if the proofs based math course works like it does elsewhere (I don’t know), 2 semesters, it usually ends up covering the material in ALL of the intermediate courses as well as the typical “foundations” or abstract algebra course most math majors have to take (as in those who take both semesters technically get credit and foundation in all of them). It really wouldn’t be different taking say Diff. Eq, Linear, and Multi separately, which would cost 3 semesters. Now what I do see hosted in physics depts and some math depts at many schools (especially privates) is maybe like a “math methods” class that covers all of those, in which case that single semester may fulfill math requirements and save some folks time (maybe it can be used for an engineering major). There is also the fact that usually if the honors is 2 semesters, one can get off of it after 1 semester if they don’t like it and then just get the MV credit and take the regular math courses for the others.
*Also, no one commented on their EC choices (starting a business and all that stuff). Those things can be claimed at nearly all elite private (as well as the academic exceptions. Again, I am saying that certain advising patterns make certain academic choices less exceptional even, among pre-meds, elsewhere). I am exclusively talking about course selection. There was no need to go towards ECs when that was not really what I was getting at. It is simply noticeable that some curricula designs/rules and advising patterns leads to more conservatism (which you alluded to) in course selection on average at some highly selective schools versus others (and if possible one can look at enrollment numbers for comparisons) and I am merely questions why some choose this structure versus the heavy tiering and rather loose advising about course work at other schools. That is all I meant by “play it safe”. No need to read beyond academics. Also, one of my purposes was just to point out that the med. schools are more lenient than what is advertised, so I think that more should consider accelerated options regardless of what they are told. Believe it or not, some (as in way too many) do sadly interpret advice as something like the following: “You must absolutely have general chemistry on your transcript to fulfill the pre-medical inorganic requirement” and that alone can deter many. I am sorry if you were offended, but I meant nothing about all that stuff. I was just surprised when you seemed to suggest that generally advising there is somewhat conservative (of course advising is personalized like many not so large places, but if there is a pattern, there is a pattern).