<p>I will am horrible at math and I really am not interested in taking remedial classes that don't even count towards my math core requirement before taking calculus. I just want to get into the 130s. How hard is the math placement test during O-week? I have not taken any Calculus classes. I took AP stats instead. Would it be a conceivable plan to study for the calc placement test? Or is their anyway to get into calc 130? I know once I get in I will do alright. Advice is welcomed!</p>
<p>There are two different math placement exams. One is for people who have seen calculus before while the other is for people who have never seen calculus. If you take the exam for people who have seen calculus before, the lowest level math class that you can place into is 130's calc, even if you miss every single question (maybe you have to correctly answer at least one question, but I don't think so... also, it's mostly multiple choice). Even though you have not taken calculus, you can still take the exam for people who have seen calculus. You take the exam in a big room with people of all different mathematical backgrounds so they just ask you what exam you want to take.
If you take the exam for people who have never seen calculus, you will probably place into 130's calc even if you are horrible at math.<br>
If for whatever reason you do not place into 130's calc, you can talk to Diane Hermann and she will let you into 130's calc; I assure you.</p>
<p>I didn't take calculus in high school, and I was a relatively average student in math and I placed into 151. (I subsequently dropped to 131).</p>
<p>I think you won't have any trouble placing into the 130s, most people who didn't have calculus do.</p>
<p>Great thanks guys. How hard are language based classes? I was thinking about minoring in Arabic but I think it might be overkill. I don't want to kill my GPA.</p>
<p>Arabic has a reputation for being really hard. I know several people who attempted Arabic 101 their first quarter and dropped it. Of course, YMMV.</p>
<p>Most languages seem to be time-consuming but not necessarily difficult. A lot of people really love the Romance language classes and keep taking them (often until they have enough for a minor) just because they enjoy them. But there are a lot of out of class assignments - in French, for example, you have a once weekly discussion section, plus a series of interviews, plus a series of films, sometimes out of class audios with quizzes, and then you have to choose a handful of other activities (like memorizing and reciting poems). Many people like how much this helps with being constantly immersed, but it's possible to be annoyed by them as well.</p>
<p>Hahaha I bet. How hard is to complete that language requirement? Are there any ways out of it besides getting a 3 on a language AP test? I know a lot of Arabic already and some Spanish but I doubt I will be able to do well on the test. I know how to speak it but not so well in reading.</p>
<p>Playing it safe for the sake of your GPA is not the way to go. I could probably rack up a higher GPA by taking PhySci and Bio Topics (Rocks for Jocks) courses for all my electives, but that would show through, just like you didn't get into Chicago by only taking Home Economics and Typing Skills 101.</p>
<p>Another technicality to consider: Chicago doesn't offer an minor in Arabic-- they offer a minor in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations on a language track. That minor is six courses-- it's a year of a NELC language and a yearlong civ/culture course.</p>
<p>You mentioned you were interested in poly sci-- if you want to study languages as well, you might consider the International Studies major. The IS major is similar to poly sci, only that it involves 2 full year of a foreign language and requires a study abroad.</p>
<p>These are probably petty points to consider (a rose by another name would smell as sweet, anyway) but I think it's fair to point out that your degree will not declare you as an Arabic minor.</p>
<p>As far as the program goes, though, I've heard it's excellent. Chicago is one of the few universities with a very developed program in the Ancient Near East, so I imagine that the Oriental Institute has something to do with the quality of Arabic language instruction.</p>
<p>I think you would take the placement test in Arabic and if you place into a high enough level then you're all set. (You can take the Spanish test too). Otherwise, you'll have to take a few classes, not sure how many - the vast majority of students test out of the language requirement.</p>
<p>Anyone here familiar with the classics? I'm looking to possibly major in the classics, in their language and literature intensive variant, since I already know quite a bit of Latin (5'd the Latin Literature AP and am in AP Vergil this year) and really want to know Greek to almost the same extent...it seems like the best way for me to do it, although it is a class-intensive major (17 credits required, I know). </p>
<p>I guess my question more has to do with how Chicago handles AP credit...my 5 in Latin Lit qualifies me to place out of all the 10000s Latin and the first quarter of one of the 20000s sequences. If I get a 5 on Vergil as well, will that just reinforce my previous 5, or might the classics department be willing to let me place out of even more classes? Also, for languages or other subjects in which you have a required AP grade to get out of a class (or two or three or what-have-you), does Chicago still want you to take the associated placement exam, to double-check what you know, or do they just need the AP credit?</p>