<p>No idea. Neither of my kids took calculus. The issue isn’t calculus in any case, and lots of applicants get admitted to even the most selective colleges without it. But they (or at least the ones I talked with) are concerned about the math thing. And I think I misspoke (wrote): it wasn’t that students were “unable” to do the math - it was more like they were reluctant or unwilling to do so. (Goes with some students at selective colleges being afraid to challenge themselves by taking what they believe will be difficult courses.)</p>
<p>I think no one mentioned this, so I’m just wondering. </p>
<p>UPenn’s Huntsman’s program says,</p>
<p>“Students in the Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business earn both a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the College of Arts and Sciences”</p>
<p>Here, their International Studies somehow is equivalent to International Relations in Poly Science?</p>
<p>If you are looking at the International Relations/ International Studies part of the political science field, I would definitely include W&M in your research (has popped up a few times, but you left it off your list). Very strong program. Established semester in Washington program. Good grad school admissions data. Lots of alums in the DC area. World Champion Model UN team. Think tank on campus. Great study abroad. Minimal merit aid (negative).</p>
<p>soccerguy315, W&M was in my unofficial list :)<br>
Thanks for the info!</p>
<p>Re the calculus discussion: my d. had no high school math beyond advanced algebra. No trig, no pre-calc, no calc. She was accepted to 9 out of 12 colleges she applied to, including U of Chicago & UC Berkeley (her safeties were other UC’s, where she was guaranteed admission) and graduated from Barnard with a major in poli sci, focus on international relations. I don’t think the lack of calculus impacted her admissions in any significant way. She was very strong in other areas more directly related to her academic interests. </p>
<p>I’m sure it looks good on any application to have calculus, especially if the student has a strong grade (at least a B, preferably an A). I’m not so sure it would help the kid who ekes by with a C. I think colleges look for consistency in an applicant, and are unlikely to hold it against a student who is clearly not intending to major in math or sciences. </p>
<p>My d. did take stats in college, at Columbia. It was not difficult finding a stats course geared to her level; Columbia offers at least 2 such courses, with multiple sections every semester – which suggests to me that there are plenty of Ivy League students who managed to get accepted without a high school calc course. </p>
<p>I am not sure what barriers existed for the person in post #77. (“my inability to make it to calculus was a very limiting factor for me in my college choices”). I don’t recall a single college that my daughter looked at as requiring calculus, and only one specifically required 4 years of high school math. So I’d be very curious as to what universities that person felt precluded from applying to because of the lack of calculus. </p>
<p>If I was advising a high school student, a lot would depend on the capabilities of the student and the quality of the teacher. I don’t think it is at all helpful for a student who has a difficult time with math to take a difficult course from an inadequate teacher – my experience has been that it just adds to the student’s confusion and makes things worse.</p>
<p>Regarding the calculus discussion…I find it odd that calculus is being used as a barometer in deciding whether to admit elite LAC/university students aspiring to major in the humanities or the social sciences. </p>
<p>As with Calmom, that has not been what I observed during my college years as a poli-sci minor or what I’ve observed with several younger neighbors and cousins who were all admitted to respectable/elite LAC/universities…including a few Ivies without having taken calculus in high school…even when it was offered. </p>
<p>Moreover, from what I’ve seen in stats courses…including those geared for graduate students in the social sciences…including poli-sci…none of the ones I’ve seen even at the most elite universities required calculus. </p>
<p>Unless we’re talking poli-sci departments heavily emphasizing quantitative analysis like MIT…calculus is way above what is expected for poli-sci/social science other than Econ PhD students unless their specific subfield is heavily quantitative by its very nature. </p>
<p>As for whether it is needed in law…unless you’re planning on doing IP law(Need undergrad STEM degree/coursework) or you’re planning on doing your own quantitative analysis in certain niche areas of corporate law…calculus is even more irrelevant. </p>
<p>Moreover, from what I’ve seen from working with biglaw attorneys in IP and those niche areas of corporate law(M & A), the vast majority were so mathematically challenged they often had their paralegals, secretaries, or IT staff to do the quantitative lifting for them.</p>
<p>It is true that decades ago, it was much less common for high school students to take calculus.</p>
<p>In terms of math and statistics requirements for various social studies majors, here are some examples from Berkeley:</p>
<p>Economics: a year of calculus (can be the business major version) and a semester of statistics (with calculus prerequisite, not AP). Students interested in graduate school in economics should take calculus for math majors and additional sophomore and optionally junior level math and statistics courses.</p>
<p>Business: a year of calculus (can be the business major version) and a semester of statistics (with calculus prerequisite, not AP). However, no undergraduate business course requires more than first semester calculus.</p>
<p>Psychology: a semester of statistics (can be non-calculus, AP accepted).</p>
<p>Political science: requires its own quantitative methods course; commonly viewed by political science majors as “hard”.</p>
<p>Public health: a semester of calculus (can be business major version).</p>
<p>Social welfare: a semester of statistics (can be non-calculus).</p>
<p>Sociology: a semester of statistics (can be non-calculus, AP accepted) or logic.</p>
<p>History: none.</p>
<p>Anthropology: none.</p>
<p>Media studies: none.</p>
<p>Gender and women’s studies: none.</p>
<p>Various area and ethnic studies: none.</p>
<p>you (and others interested in IR) might find this interesting, though it is a few years old now: <a href=“http://web.wm.edu/irtheoryandpractice/trip/surveyreport06-07.pdf[/url]”>http://web.wm.edu/irtheoryandpractice/trip/surveyreport06-07.pdf</a></p>