would it be really detrimental to an ivy applicant not to have taken calculus in high school, even if math isn’t related to her field of interest?
i’m an IB student, currently finishing math studies (as a junior), plan on taking precal in senior year.
i’m of the arts/humanities persuasion, so math is neither my forte nor my prospective field of concentration.
Would schools like HYP see this a major lapse in diligence or ability or whatever? i really don’t know how badly this would affect me.
i have the option of taking precal over summer instead of participating in a 6-week Summerbridge program, but i wouldn’t want to do this unless it were absolutely necessary…
thanks for any tips!
<p>Wesleyan - not even an Ivy - marks their admissions cards on each applicant with a code. The write the word "science" ONLY if the applicant has taken bio, chem, and physics; and they mark it "math" ONLY if the applicant has taken calculus. There was an article in the New York Times about this around a year or two ago. Yes, an Ivy would see the lack of calculus and take it into consideration (I used to interview for an Ivy for many years), but it is not a 100% sure-thing deal-breaker if you have something else they really want.</p>
<p>dont think its even as extreme as voronwe makes it seem. it'd be just that you didnt take the most challenging courseload in math. if you took most of the rest of the hard classes your school offers you should have no problem.</p>
<p>It is going ot be all taken in context of what your school offeres. If your school offeres Calc/ AP Calc then yes, there may be an expectation that you would have or should have taken it, especially if it an indication of the most rigerous courses that your school offers.</p>
<p>By no means. I know people who have gotten into HY at my school without taking AP English, or AP Chemistry, or AP Physics.</p>
<p>I think you should be fine, as long as you have four years of math. You are not pursuing a math or science related field.</p>
<p>If everyone getting into Ivy League schools had done well in AP calculus, then the freshman calculus class would be a lot smaller.</p>
<p>that's a relief. but concerning Encomium and Mr.B's posts, i'm not even talking about AP, just honors calc. I'd basically have alg2 honors, 2 years of IB math studies, and precal honors.
as for science, i have just preIB Bio, honors chem, and IB Bio.
i have the option of taking an elective instead of physics, which i'm sorely tempted to use. According to voronwe's standards, i'd be short of "math" and "science", but have a hell of a lot of history and art electives.</p>
<p>I was simply reporting what top schools do. I did NOT say that you could not get into these schools without calculus - only that the people who DID take it look better than those who didn't. The standards that the NY Times described for Wesleyan (and see the great book, "The Gatekeepers") merely say that there would be NO notation for "math" on the "quickie card" if you did not take calculus.</p>
<p>wait im also doing ib math studies.. and who cares if u havent done calc. I mean if u do good on the math portion of the SAT then its not a prob...cept if u wanna major in math or smthing...but really there are some mathematically demented ppl who r amazing at lots of other things.</p>
<p>sorry about that voronwe. i in no way intended to undermine your observation. it was just easier for me to refer to it as such. i think i'm going to go ahead into ap physics B next year, and perhaps calc, depending on how well i do in precal this summer. Just to be safe.</p>
<p>I'm not really sure what I took exactly, but it certainly wasn't AP Calculus. It was called "Calculus" and I took it junior year. It was for the less smart juniors and the really less smart seniors who couldn't take honors or anything like that. (I got in to Princeton)</p>
<p>Ontolome - no problem! I wasn't being defensive! I guess that's why they have smilies :) --- so people will get your tone! I should have used one! ;)</p>
<p>Yeah, if you're not a math person, Calc isn't necessary. Thats why Calc. is a possible math course at all the top schools. If you needed calc. in HS, they wouldn't teach intro calc in College would they?</p>
<p>thanks a lot. that's very reassuring.
sorry, i just keep changing my mind 8) filling out course registration, that's why.
After Alg2, 2 yrs IB math studies, and precalc over the summer, would it be advisable then to at least take AP Stat in senior year? Or is that class so completely overlooked that one might as well take a class in another subject that one better enjoys?</p>
<p>You should contact the colleges you're interested in. I seem to remember Brown being somewhat vague about what they were looking for (but did emphasize students should be challenged). We heard at every college we visited that it was strongly recommended that students take the hardest classes available (if Calc was offered, you should take it). Every school said they EXPECTED students to have had at least 3 years of lab science (Bio, Chem & Physics), preferably at the honors or AP level. </p>
<p>I remember one girl asked whether it was better to take AP Bio senior year or reg Physics. The student was behind in her schedule because she had taken earth science in 9th grade (usually bypassed by honor students; doesn't count as a lab science). She wanted to show that she could handle AP level work and liked Biology. The admissions person said it could hurt her chances to NOT have had Physics. She was told to double up with both science classes her senior yr. They also preferred to see Calc if it was offered and said most top applicants have HS algebra (and sometimes HS geometry) while still in middle school. That leaves time to take Calc.</p>
<p>I would suggest you read the school's policy on "what they're looking for." Usually they will say they want to see __ # of academic classes and list a breakdown of how many science/math/history classes. # "recommended" usually means "required" if they are offered at your HS. Keep in mind the group of students you're competing against.</p>
<p>My daughter had scheduling trouble in the beginning of senior yr when her Calc class was closed. She contacted RIT and inquired whether she needed Calc as a graphic design major (she would try to take it at the local CC). RIT said it would be ok to have just pre-calc (and have a strong art portfolio). Upon reflection, my D decided to take Calc in case she later changes her major. Luckily, she was able to get a seat in her HS calc class afterall.</p>