Help me choose the right math class to take as an incoming Freshman!

Hi, I am a 20 who is very excited to be coming to campus this year! I would like to ask current students whether it would be a better idea to take math 11 or 13. I’ve been told that Math 11 is basically half of calc BC + all of multivariable while 13 is just multivariable. I would consider myself to be decent at math (800 SAT I, 750 SAT Math II, 4 in calc AB, 5 in calc BC), but feel that my background in calculus may be shaky. Please Advise and thank you!

Why have you chosen Dartmouth? For many, it is the accessibility of the faculty.

Browse the Math department faculty to determine if there is anyone, by virtue of their background and research interests, that resonate with you. Reach out to them, now, to ask if you could stop by their office to discuss your course selection strategy.

Now, certainly, if you have current students that you trust that can guide you to faculty, that is great, too. Even if you are one of the few that have a relationship with current Math students before arriving in Hanover, use this as an opportunity to meet faculty. Although research is important at a college like Dartmouth, you are just as important which is not true at most research institutions. Faculty are there for you, and this is a great time to start to build relationships. If it were me (with the luxury of hindsight), I would reach out to 3 faculty (hoping to yield at least 2) with whom I could benefit from their experience in strategizing course selection. Further, once I settled on a major, I would try to meet with 4-8 professors in the department over the course of a year to find 1-2 with whom I could build a long term relationship.

It goes without saying, make sure to send a thank you note to any faculty that do meet with you, and follow up with the outcome even if it is counter to their recommendation. I would go so far as to follow up again at the end of the quarter to share your experience and plans going forward, especially with those with whom you feel a connection.

Conclusion: Invest early and often in faculty relationships at Dartmouth. That is why you and they are there.

Hello! I’m a 20 and I took Calc BC in junior year. I very, very narrowly missed an A the first semester, and got a solid A the second semester with an easy 5 on the AP test.

As a result, I’m probably going to take Math 11 this fall. However, I’m terrified. I went to a high school that was very, very difficult, and math had always been my Achilles heel. I did pretty well, but I sometimes missed out on an A by one or two points out of hundreds and it really did a number on my confidence.

I’ve heard that Math 11 is extremely, extremely hard. And I’m getting deja vu feelings again about math in general.

I was wondering if anyone had any tips about how to approach the class and what I should expect. How do I make the transition to fast-paced work as simple as possible? Thanks!

@gezililalu I asked my daughter who is a '19 if she had any thoughts on your question. Her advice is to make use of office hours, the tutoring sessions the TAs put together and the study groups. The professors are interested in helping, don’t be intimidated about attending office hours.
You should be invited to sit for a math placement exam. She recommends you take it as it should give you insight into your skills if you are concerned about your strengths.

@saffysmum thanks so much for your reply. I remember reading that a placement test cannot help you move down a level.

Because of my score on the Calc BC exam, I was placed into Math 11 and I don’t think taking a placement test can change anything.

However, this information might be outdated. So if you or your daughter think I can do anything about it, then I’d love to know.

I started reviewing Calculus recently though, just so I can brush up (it’s been more than a year since I completed the class). I’d love to know if the professors just jump right into new material or if they start off a bit slow and review a bit before moving forward. I think I’ll take the placement test just to so I can see where my weaknesses are though.

Again, thanks so much for your and your daighter’s advice!

@gezililalu you ae correct that you would not be able to move down a level. She suggested taking it more as a way to get a feel for where you stood as you had expressed concern. As for reviewing, my daughter’s experience was the professor took two classes to review but that was all. Due to the condensed class schedules of 10 weeks no more was offered as new material had to be covered quickly.