<p>Hello! :)</p>
<p>I'm currently a sophomore who loves Dartmouth, so I thought you guys might be able to help me with my questions. There was a meeting about course selections for next year today at my school. So, now I'm trying to plan what to take, plus they're saying to think about senior year as well.</p>
<p>For admission, how important is it to get to Calculus? Honestly, I dislike math with a great passion. I'm currently in Geometry Honors, so unless I do some serious schedule juggling, it would be hard for me to get to Calculus. I figure it would be hell for me anyway. I can handle one math course in the school year, but doubling up or taking classes in the summer would neither be good for my other grades nor would it be convenient. Would you suggest taking Pre-Calculus or AP Statistics as a senior? I'm thinking of majoring in Psychology, if that matters at all.</p>
<p>Other than that, my course load should be strong- all Honors/Accelerated and a couple APs. Now if only there wasn't the math part, lol. ;)</p>
<p>Thanks for any help! :)</p>
<p>Well...I'm not exactly mathematically inclined, but I knew that taking the hardest possible math classes would reflect upon me favorably. And looking back, I'm glad that I took BC Calc AP and got a B+ in it. I'd have been bored as hell in a math class that teaches you how to write checks...and I wouldn't want to be one of those girls who drops math and science as soon as she possibly can. </p>
<p>But I'd say that if you think you'll get less than a B, take the next-hardest course. No reason to bring down your GPA lol</p>
<p>Notes about the transcript:</p>
<p>From Dartmouth First Year Admissions</p>
<p><a href="http://www.dartmouth.edu/apply/admissions/firstyear/components.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.dartmouth.edu/apply/admissions/firstyear/components.html</a></p>
<p>Although there are no specific subject requirements, applicants are urged to undertake the strongest course of study available in their secondary schools. Most applicants to Dartmouth present very strong secondary school transcripts that include **four years of English and mathematics (usually through calculus), three years of social science and laboratory science, and at least three years of a foreign language.*</p>
<p>While we have no minimum grade point average or class rank required for consideration, approximately 90% of those admitted rank in the first decile of their high school class.*</p>
<p>The short answer is yes, Dartmouth would like to see you take calculus.</p>
<p>Admissions committees at any selective school would like for you to take the most rigerous curriculm that your school offers and to do well in those courses. I would advise you to get a copy of the school profile which goes out to the colleges from your guidance counselor. The profile is going to have a wealth of information</p>
<p>Average SAT score
% of students that graduate
& of students that are admitted into 2 and 4 year schools
Colleges which students from your school are accepted
GPA's -weighted and unweighted and the scale which the GPA is based on
list of courses offered at your school including AP's (your grades and the rigor of your curriculum will be evaluated against what your school offers )</p>
<p>No one is going to make you like math and you don't have to like it, just do well in the course. If you feel that this is going to be a challenge, face it now, line up tutors, go to the book store get a Calculus Made Easy type book that can take you step by step.</p>
<p>all the best</p>
<p>Thanks! :) </p>
<p>Obviously, I'm not much of a math person, but really, I'll try to take Calculus if it would be best. The thing is, actually getting there is the tough part as I'm a year behind (by colleges' standards). I don't think my school allows students to take Algebra 2 and Pre-Calculus at the same time. Even if I did do that, I'd have to drop another subject- History, Science, or French. I don't want to do that and it probably wouldn't be good for college either. It looks like this a scheduling problem I need to meet with my guidance counselor about. </p>
<p>Also, is a certain combination of sciences preferred? I took Biology last year and I'm in Chemistry this year. I'm probably taking AP Biology next year, but then I can choose from AP Chemistry (supposedly really hard at my school), Accelerated Physics, and AP Environmental Science the next year.</p>
<p>Chem, i'm told, is held in higher regard than AP Enviro. But um, at my school I did this thing with Spanish where I studied Spanish II over the summer and took a test in September to get into Spanish III, so I kind of skipped Spanish II. Maybe you can do that with one of your prerequisite math courses? Esp. since if you're not strong in math, it'll look good that you're going out of your way to work on it. Kinda like how science isn't my forte, but I did chem and physics teams</p>
<p>There's a reason why every college out there (including, of course, Dartmouth), has intro calc classes. Of course, it will certainly help your app to have calculus on it. But, if you really think it will mess up your grades you might focus on something else that you are better at (while still going as far in math as you can, just maybe not calculus), and I think that would be fine.</p>
<p>Well, on one hand I'd say sure, it's important for everyone to have learned some calculus by the time they get to college if it's offered, even if it's not AP. But one girl I know adores humanities and the classics, finished honors precalculus in ninth grade, and never looked back. For the next three years, she immersed herself in advanced Latin, Greek, history, and English classes, won a number of prestigious awards for her work, and was accepted to every college she applied to (the usual suspects).</p>
<p>If you are absolutely about passionate about a certain area, can't stand math, and know you don't want to do that kind of thing, then it's better not to take it than get a C in a class you don't even care about. However, if you're more ambivalent, try taking calculus- it's not as bad as it sounds for most people. At the very least though, you should finish precalc/trig.</p>
<p>Is calculus required when you're at Dartmouth?</p>
<p>I think you only need one math course to fill your distribution requirement. All depends on your major, engineering - you know you will not be able to by pass it. Pre-med track, (minimum math 3 or math 1 * and * 2). Math 3 or math 1 & 2 would be a pre-requisite for chem 5 and physics. Most other majors you could successfully by pass calculus</p>
<p>There will be placement test during orientation then you can find out which math you will be placed in . In addition there is placement/credit based on AP</p>
<p><a href="http://www.math.dartmouth.edu/first-year-students/ap-info/%5B/url%5D">http://www.math.dartmouth.edu/first-year-students/ap-info/</a></p>
<p>Calculus really isn't that hard. I find it much different than other maths, and MUCH more enjoyable. I never really liked Algebra or Geometry although I was good at them, but once I got to Calculus I really started to enjoy math. I've been doing some independant research in Mathematics, etc and it's really opened my eyes and I'm now planning on majoring in math. Give calc a chance. ;)</p>
<p>Maybe you should take Calc senior year so that just in case you do horrible--Dartmouth will only see the first semester of it. I was a year behind in math, so I doubled up, and ended up taking calc and stat (AP's ). I am not mathematically inclined, but I did extremely well. So don't underestimate yourself, calc was hard the first 9 weeks, but I made straight A's thereafter. Mmm, in retrospect however, I don't think Dartmouth would have kept me out b/c I did not take Calc. I'm glad I took it tho.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input.</p>
<p>I talked to my guidance counselor today and it's not possible for me to get to Calculus at school. I'd have to take Algebra 2 during the summer and that would complicate things with the course levels, so I wouldn't be able to get into the necessary Pre-Calculus class. </p>
<p>However, I'm considering taking classes at the local community college through their program for high school students. I have to talk to someone there to see when I can actually start, but I'd definitely be able to get in Pre-Calculus and Analytical Geometry & Calculus I by the end of senior year. Do you think this would be close to taking AP Calculus in high school? Their tiny course description says: "Presents fundamental ideas of calculus including the derivative, integral, and their applications. Topics include fundamentals of analytical geometry and transcendental functions." Would it be a good idea to take the AP exam after this?</p>
<p>Calc I should be similiar to AB Calc. There isn't a point to take the AP for it unless you'd get the credit and want to be able to have it when you get to Darthmouth.</p>