Getting Credit...

<p>So I am taking Multivariable calculus this year(junior). I am also taking Linear Algebra right now via EPGY(from Stanford). Some time in the next few months I will take Differential Equations(also via EPGY). Next year I'm not sure what math courses I will take. Probably a bunch, something like Chaos and Fractals, complex systems, etc. My multi teacher discussed today how we need to keep track of everything in our class to get credit in college. What is the process of getting credit for math courses beyond Calc BC? I've heard stories that you have to do an entire year of MIT hw in 2 weeks to get credit for differential equations...</p>

<p>So information about advanced standing exams, which are usually taken during Orientation, can be found [url=<a href="http://web.mit.edu/registrar/www/schedules/advst.html%5Dhere%5B/url"&gt;http://web.mit.edu/registrar/www/schedules/advst.html]here[/url&lt;/a&gt;].&lt;/p>

<p>I can't find the page I'm really looking for, which talks about credit for math classes other than 18.01 (stupid Academic Resource Center and their unnavigatable website)... but I know that completed problem sets are required for credit in 18.03 (differential equations) and 18.06 (linear algebra). It sucks, but there you have it.</p>

<p>Information about transfer credit is [url=<a href="http://web.mit.edu/firstyear/2009/subjects/trans_cred.html%5Dhere%5B/url"&gt;http://web.mit.edu/firstyear/2009/subjects/trans_cred.html]here[/url&lt;/a&gt;] -- relevant if EPGY is considered college coursework (which I think it is?). I'm not sure whether advanced high school coursework could be used for credit (since the transfer credit webpage is pretty specific about being for college credits), but a) I'm pretty sure you can take advanced standing exams in most subjects, and b) when in doubt, email the transfer credit examiners. Oh, and c) keep all your syllabi and the name/author of your textbook, just in case.</p>

<p>Can I do the problem sets for this year? Surely they would not make you do psets on the spot, especially for 2 subjects.</p>

<p>my son did multivar. and linear algebra thru a different distance learning program. He also used OpenCourseWare for diff. eq., and audited some grad courses. MIT did not award credit for any of it, but he passed the multivar exam at orientation. There was no linear alg. exam at orientation, but it isn't a required course for the type of math major he is planning anyway so there is no strong reason to pursue credit for it. Ditto some other subjects he covered, did not get credit for, but isn't going to bother testing out of. </p>

<p>Diff. eq. is a required course. The P-sets are extensive, and will require significant time even for someone who knows the subject perfectly. You don't have to do them "on the spot", but they were not released until fairly late in the summer so there was a limited amount of time. If you don't have time to do the p-sets during the summer, doing diff eq. as an independent study is also an option for someone who has already covered the material.</p>

<p>Ahh, I knew texas137 would have some relevant info. Thanks for backing up my flailing -- I came to MIT with single variable calculus (just barely) under my belt, so I never had to consider these sorts of quandaries.</p>

<p>Just to underline one thing -- you don't have to do the problem sets "on the spot", and you are given some time to get them finished. (I get the feeling this is partially a tactic to reduce the number of people who take the advance standing exam frivolously -- since first term freshman year is pass/no record, enterprising freshmen could putatively take every advanced standing exam possible since failure wouldn't be recorded. But that tactic is less useful when you have to finish a semester's worth of problem sets.)</p>

<p>I also have a friend who self-studied 18.06 and did the psets over IAP freshman year, then took the ASE at the end of the month. She got credit and it was still pass/no record.</p>

<p>I should note that it's not really too much of a tragedy that MIT doesn't award much credit. If you know your stuff in multivariable but aren't able to pass the ASE, you can take more difficult/theoretical versions of the courses like 18.022/18.024 (for 18.02) or 18.034 (for 18.03) -- catalogue descriptions [url=<a href="http://student.mit.edu/catalog/m18a.html%5Dhere%5B/url"&gt;http://student.mit.edu/catalog/m18a.html]here[/url&lt;/a&gt;].&lt;/p>

<p>woo hoo! pass/no record pwns!</p>