<p>I'll be attending Wash U next year and I'm kinda nervous about the calc exams. I have taken IB Math HL, so would that be enough to pass the calc 3 placement test?</p>
<p>Also, if anyone has taken calc 3, do they ask for only calculus-based questions or some other concepts too, like complex numbers, vectors, matricies, etc.?</p>
<p>I'm hoping to get placed into calc 3 because I'll be in engineering and they recommend I complete calc 3 before my soph. year. But I'm hoping to complete calc 3 ASAP so I'll have room for other classes because I wanna taken some science courses to build up my background so I can find some good internship opportunities</p>
<p>the calc placement exams are really just for recommending which level you should be in. If it says you should be in calc II and you desperately want to be in calc III then you can still take it. that said, i definitely think you should take whichever level it recommends for you. calc III is much harder than calc II (in my opinion) and i wouldnt want to rush into it. and it does deal with essentially all new concepts involving vectors.</p>
<p>I’d recommend visiting the math webpage (math.wustl.edu) and click on undergraduate studies. You’ll be able to see sample placement exams, and also contact info for professors that are in charge of Calc 3/placement exams/etc.</p>
<p>Also, if you browse to the course syllabi section you’ll be able to find previously offered classes for the past sixish years, as well as midterms and finals. Look at some Calc 2 finals - if you’re able to answer most of the questions, or at least understand the concepts, you should be good to go.</p>
<p>The placement exam for Calc 3 tests Calc 1 and 2 content…it tests for integrals, derivatives, as well as some of the other things you mentioned. But like I mentioned, check out the practice placement exam to get a better idea.</p>
<p>I think I read somewhere on the engineering department site that getting a 6 or 7 in Math HL, a 5 in AP Calc AB, or a 4 in AP Calc BC will get you credit for Calc I. Getting a 5 in AP Calc BC will get you credit for Calc II. You can still get placed higher though (Calc III with Math HL for example), but you’re not guaranteed the credits unless you successfully get a C+ or higher on the course you got placed in.</p>
<p>Personally, I think I’ll go with Calc II so I’ll refresh my memory a bit before going into Calc III. Gotta find those practice placement exams first as Marcdvl mentioned :P</p>
<p>You are correct can. Scores on the AP/IB will give credit. Similarly, completing Calculus 3 with a C+ or better will give credit for Calc 1 and 2, C+ or better in Calc 2 will give credit for Calc 1. </p>
<p>Click readiness for Calculus 1/2/3 link. It will give you information about the exam, a couple practice questions. When you decide you are ready to take the exam, you can enter your student id number and info, and take the exam.</p>
<p>My teacher told me that IB HL Math is much harder than AP Calc AB or BC, and that the class you take in high school will affect what math class you can take in college</p>
<p>That is true (I can personally relate), but you gotta think of Math HL for IB as not only calculus based (in fact, it’s more like 1/3 of everything). AP Calc BC, although less harder, is more focused on calc and therefore can obtain more credits.</p>
<p>Take both placement exams if you want.
I know people who’ve been in your place and took calc 3 and bottomed out and failed. I know people who did perfectly fine. You won’t know where you’ll be until you’re in that position.</p>
<p>As stressed out as you seem to be about taking more than 4 classes, I’d personally start out in Calc 2. But that’s just my opinion. See what the placement tests say.</p>
<p>I think I’ll probably end up with calc 2, but I kinda want to take calc 3 so I can be ahead of most other people and try to make myself distinguished; I don’t wanna make the same mistake I did in high school: I didn’t take AP classes my sophomore year when I could have and easily gotten 5s.</p>
<p>As far as how many classes to take, I’m not stressed, just confused: many people, including some of my teachers, told me we’re only suppose to take 4 classes in college. And even some of my friends in college are taking only 4 classes a semester; one of them is studying engineering at the university of michigan (which also very prestigious and rigorous)</p>
<p>^
In regards to the course-load, I’ve been wondering the same myself. Apparently, we’re supposed to average 15 units of credit per semester which comes out to approximately 5 classes. However, my school counselor told me to start with 3, maybe 4 classes my first semester (not to over-do it, I guess). Confusing indeed</p>
<p>ahh, now it makes more sense: it’s about the credits, not the # of classes.</p>
<p>But still, I’ll probably end up with 5 classes a semester, or 6 in the fall if I take calc 2.</p>
<p>Also, what’s the specific difference between general chemistry and laboratory chemistry? And exactly do they put these as separate courses? If they weren’t, I would probably be taking 4 classes a semester.</p>
<p>Gen Chem and Chem Lab 1 (chem 111 and 151) are two separate classes. However you have to take both (well, at least you do in your case).
They compliment each other (although not so much first semester), and I generally thought of it as one large 5 credit class.</p>
<p>111 meets three days a week (mwf) with a mandatory recitation on thursdays (you can typically leave after the quiz, or stay for the full hour if you like).</p>
<p>151 meets once a week for an hour, with a 4 hour lab once a week. And yes, the lab component of gen chem is actually a fair bit of work. It’s graded out of a point system based on labs, 2 exams, and a few other small things.</p>
<p>I technically took 6 classes my first semester, but I only ever thought of it as 5 because of 111/151.
Generally, it is more about the credits than the number of classes. However, there are always exceptions. Bio 3058, a 2 credit course, had a workload 10 times the size of my intro language class last semester, which was 5 credits.</p>
<p>You really do not want to take more than 15 credits your first semester under any circumstance. Yes, people have done it in the past and will continue to. It’s not needed though. 12-14 is probably what 95% of first semester students take.</p>
<p>On another note, other sciences such as Physics incorporate the lab sections in the main course.</p>
<p>There is no way that it’s 95%. I’m calling bs on that. The only people I know who took less than 15 their first semester weren’t science or engineering majors, except for one or two outliers. The vast majority of people I knew took 15/16. Of my freshmen floor, I know for a fact that nearly 3/4 were taking at least 15- and the other 1/4 I am unaware of their course load.</p>
<p>If you’re a bme (and that’s ~ 1/14th of the freshmen class), and cannot test out of chem or physics (and you shouldn’t, if you’re premed), you’re essentially required to take at least 15 credits your first semester. If you start in calc 3, rather than calc 2, it’s 16.</p>
<p>I’m not suggesting take 18 like I did. It worked for me, because I’m the kind of person that will put the same level of work into her classes regardless of how many I take (if I have a 12 credit semester, I’ll just waste more time on facebook than I already do).</p>
<p>My 14 was supposed to be a 15. My point remains that the most mportant thing the first semester is meeting people, learning to be independent, learning your study habits, etc. You have 7 more semester to pile on the classes.</p>
<p>ok at this rate I think I’ll end up taking 6 classes in the fall and 5 in the spring, or 5 for both if I decide no to take calc 2, which is probably not likely</p>
<p>it sounds rough but if it is for all BMEs and WashU has a successful BME program, then it can’t be as bad as it sounds, right?</p>
<p>You say 6 classes- what’s the 6th you’re planning on taking?
(besides bme 140, chem, chem lab, physics, calc)</p>
<p>That also makes a huge difference. My 6th was an art class. While it was by no means easy (I worked my butt off), it was relaxing and the work was therapeutic. Art classes are considered humanities for the purpose of the 18 ss/h credits you need, btw.</p>