<p>just how hard does math get?</p>
<p>I got a B on Calc I, might take a calc II, or i might major in something on the IST side, IDK..</p>
<p>lol..</p>
<p>Calc I and Calc II are baby maths compared to what the real math majors do (analysis).</p>
<p>yeah if you can't even get an A in Calc I and haven't even done Calc II (which are both high school math anyway) how do you expect to major in math in college?</p>
<p>Calc I and II ARE NOT HIGH SCHOOL MATH</p>
<p>And the user can Major in what ever he pleases. It is that user future, with hard work and good study habits one can succeed. I hate the elitism on this site.</p>
<p>We are not trying to discourage him or anything. However, we thought he should be aware of what's waiting for him if he decides to be math major. To math majors, calculus materials should be as easy as adding and subtracting and if he can't master it, he's gonna have a hellish time in the upper-division courses.</p>
<p>just wondering....what is the calc II equivalent in high school terms if it is taken in high school (BC?)</p>
<p>Calc AB is Calc I and BC is II, roughly. Usually math majors get AP credits in those and start with multivariable in freshman year of college--that's a weed out class. About a quarter go on to linear algebra and diff eq. So, if you can't breeze through calc I and II consider youself already weeded out without even having touched the official weedout course. </p>
<p>Besides to major in econ you need to know a bit of multivar (although to math majors the stuff is pretty lame). Looks like you'll have to rethink your decision to do econ too.</p>
<p>Oriam--sure it's easy for you to tell him to do whatever he wants. But we're the one here giving him real concrete advice, your advice is illfounded and could make him miserable pretty soon down the road. If English is my third language and I can barely write a 1 pager without horrid grammar errors, but I'm really passionate about language-- you'd advise me to go major in English, anyway?</p>
<p>I am done with Calc I, II, and III. DE, Linear, and Discrete. I don't know about upper div
But CalII is the most annoying math I've ever taken. >__<. Hate it.</p>
<p>You don't need to be brilliant to minor in math. The most important thing (assuming you are at least moderately clever) is discipline, since mastery of most fields of mathematics has more to do with practice than genius. If you are not already great at math you will get great at it, and pretty quickly too. You need to be relentless, never give up, and most importantly never, EVER listen to people who try to discourage you with their incessant BS.</p>
<p>Just do it. That happens to be one of the few minors/second majors out there that will actually have an impact on your job prospects and grad school prospects. If you put in the work, the As will come.</p>
<p>"Just do it"-- are you a NIKE spokeswoman? </p>
<p>That is probably the most irresponsible advice in the history of giving advice. If the OP one day has a C average as a math major in the middle of his junior year, who is he going to turn to blame? Ideally the uninformed poster from three years ago who told him to "just do it" on a message board but "oh noes, she ain't there anymore." </p>
<p>Don't label others' advice as "incessant BS" when you are offering nothing but vague qualifiers. "Don't need to be brilliant"-- just how brilliant do you mean? AIME level? USAMO? IMO? And just how clever is "moderately clever?" None of your abstract descriptions of being a math major is remotely helpful-- "discipline," "mastery," "genius"-- how disciplined? how much mastery? how genius? Yeah, "if you're not great at math you will get great at it"--but those people who major in math are ALREADY GREAT AT IT. Why else would you major in it--to make your college experience as miserable as possible?</p>
<p>I agree that if the OP (as would anyone) worked to death and was relentless to the point of reading math texts ALL day and wrote proofs as a daily routine, and studied next to little else-- he might be okay. But is that really a smart use of his time? I am sure he has strengths elsewhere and would be much better off developing those areas. </p>
<p>And OP, just for the record, NOBODY is discouraging you. I or anyone else on this board could give a damn what you, an anonymity on the internet, majors in in whatever college you attend at whatever state you're from. Just giving you the heads up.</p>
<p>OP: Could you verify that we are, in fact talking about a math minor here, not a math major?</p>
<p>Anyway I had a D in Calculus in high school as a result of lack of motivation to actually learn the stuff. Went on to major in econ with a minor in math, and did extremely well despite the doubts of my teachers and other people who judge a person only by the number of As they get in high school. Now I've got offers for several excellent UK postgraduate econ programs. I started my degree at the bottom of the class, and through practice, some determination and a genuine interest in what I was learning, ended up near the top. Only the OP knows whether he or she is truly lousy at math, or is fully capable but just hasn't been putting in the work for top grades. Sergio, I can't believe based on a B you are recommending the OP shy away from not only math, but economics altogether. And you claim to not be discouraging the OP? Laughable.</p>
<p>
[QUOTE]
So, if you can't breeze through calc I and II consider youself already weeded out without even having touched the official weedout course. </p>
<p>Besides to major in econ you need to know a bit of multivar (although to math majors the stuff is pretty lame). Looks like you'll have to rethink your decision to do econ too.
[/QUOTE]
</p>
<p>^Sadly OP, you will come across a few people in your studies with arrogance not unlike that displayed above. After some trial and error, I found that my best strategy was to ignore them, and it's worked out pretty well for me. Listen too long and it's easy to get discouraged or intimidated.</p>
<p>By the way Sergio, way to call me irresponsible. LOL. Who is the one speaking positively from actual experience of having completed an undergraduate degree in econ with a math minor, and who is the one advocating giving up before even trying, based on who knows what? ;)</p>
<p>To the OP: If you want a near-guaranteed A in every university course without any risk and without ever having to work hard, don't do econ with a math minor. If you are motivated, interested, and willing to work, don't ever let anyone tell you to give up before you've started. In my experience as an econ major with math minor, I've found that some people like to intimidate others to make themselves feel better about their choices, to make themselves seem more clever and special for studying what they study (particularly students and a few profs in quantitative disciplines). Only you can know your true ability. Anyone who tries to dictate yours for you is chatting fart.</p>
<p>WALL OF TEXT.</p>
<p>I started to read it anyway but I stopped here, "Anyway I had a D in Calculus in high school..."</p>
<p>Thank you for giving your credentials and proof of your ability. I don't think from this point on anyone on this board will find what you have to say about mathematics remotely useful.</p>
<p>I think the OP might find it useful to know that even though I bombed calc in high school, I improved immensely through hard work at university, did very well in an econ major/math minor, and in the end gained admission to excellent graduate schools. Since the OP also has less-than-stellar grades in high school math (but still much better than my D) he or she might be interested to know that not all successful math minors had As in high school math. He or she might also be interested to know that some math minors can actually be encouraging rather than being needlessly negative.</p>
<p>High school may seem like the world to you now, but when you apply for graduate school or for jobs after undergrad, nobody asks what your high school grades were because nobody cares.</p>
<p>OK, so I am finance and math major and I am about to graduate. Yes, calc 1 and calc 3 is joke. However, calc 2 is somewhat serious, since it involves integrals which is the base for diff. equations. Linear alg. and adv. calc if fun too. If you like math, then do it . I am thing about going graduate in math.</p>
<p>you don't really even need calc 1 and 3 i heard they don't even hep you ot that much.</p>