<p>I'm not actually a parent lol, but you guys are great to ask. I'm a senior now, and not taking calculus. I'm planning on double majoring in economics and applied math. This year I'm taking the typical junior math class: trigonometry/analytical geometry/introductory calculus (honors, two lower levels are offered). I was accepted to Vassar College ED.</p>
<p>How, if at all, will not having taken calculus I or II in high school hinder me or hold me back in college and the future?</p>
<p>The beauty of college–and particularly any math requirements–is that you test and start at whatever level you need. Colleges draw students from all over with varying math skills and backgrounds, so they all offer multiple levels. You will be able to start at the level that is appropriate for you, build your skills, and move on. The only down side is that you may need to take a class that not everyone takes, which adds to your requirements.</p>
<p>“I was accepted to Vassar College ED.”
then it hasn’t hindered you at all! You can go on to take the hardest, most advanced math classes you want to, both in college and if you choose, in grad school. It may take you a bit longer than someone who has already taken AP calculus, but only by 1 semester or so. Just remember-college math is a lot harder than any math class you have taken in HS, so be prepared to really study.</p>
<p>well if you plan to go far in applied math or econ, you will eventually need to take calculus. It’s helpful if you have some background in it already because, as menloparkmom noted, college math classes are a lot harder than high school math classes, so having at least a taste of calc, even if it’s not AP calc, can help you keep your feet and keep up with your coursework. That being said, Vassar wouldn’t have accepted you if it didn’t think you could handle the level of work there, and you will just test into the best class for you and then work up from there, so it should turn out okay in the end.</p>
<p>~bump~</p>
<p>I know it is too late for the OP, but I think students should take calculus in high school if they have the chance. Even if you have to re-take it in college, you’ll be ahead of those who never had it.</p>
<p>(D’s experience–most students in her college calc class had it in HS, and the prof assumed they did. She didn’t, and suffered for it–and she had As in pre-calc.)</p>
<p>I agree with Smithie that unless your career is econ or applied math, then you will have little need for calculus. But, I’d add that as such a math class, it can help you in another way. It can help one to think more logically, clearly, and to see steps to solve real-life problems. Not the math itself, but learning the processes to solve math questions help one to think about problem solving in other areas.</p>
<p>I suspect that with a major in applied math or econ you are going to have to take Calculus eventually, but as you probably know, Vassar won’t make you take it as part of any general education requirements. You’ll have to look up what’s required for those majors yourself. </p>
<p>I’m really not sure what you are worried about. Is a beginning calculus course going to be too hard? Probably not. Colleges generally give placement tests. Sometimes if you’ve forgotten too much algebra they may even place you in a pre-Calc course (though these usually are not for credit.) If you are really worried perhaps you should take a summer school course or a distance learning class over the summer so that you have some exposure to calculus before matriculating.</p>
<p>atomom, the OP is already a senior in pre-calc. He/she can’t take calc this year, obviously Vassar wasn’t overly concerned.</p>
<p>I have no idea about how it is taught at your school, but the curriculum set by ETS for AP Calc AB/BC is not very rigorous. You could probably study it yourself.</p>
<p>Curriculum taken from my school’s program of studies:
BC CALCULUS 341 (H/AP)
Grade: 12 Grouping: Homogeneous
Prerequisite: B+ in Trigonometry/ Analytic Geometry (H) or approval by
Department Chairman
This is a rigorous course for those seniors who have successfully completed four
years of mathematics and who are willing to give the time and effort necessary to
master the study of calculus. The material covered in this course includes:
functions, limits, derivatives of algebraic and trigonometric functions,
integration, applications of differentiation and integration, methods of
integration, advanced topics in analytic geometry, hyperbolic functions,
advanced topics in polar coordinates, infinite sequences and series, Taylor
expansions of functions, and differential equations. The course closely follows
the recommendations for a B-C Advanced Placement program in Calculus.
Students who complete this course and score well on the Advanced Placement
exam can place out of a full year of college level calculus, thereby allowing them
to take sophomore calculus when they are freshman in college. Students must
have access to a graphing calculator for class work and homework. This course is
equivalent to college Calculus I and Calculus II
Full year course, 5 times per week, 5 credits</p>
<p>My current class, all juniors except me:</p>
<p>TRIGONOMETRY/ANALYTIC GEOM/INTRO TO CALCULUS 331 (H)
Grade: 11 Grouping: Homogeneous
Prerequisite: B- in Algebra II H, or A grade in Algebra II AE
This course is for those students in Grade 11 who are strong in mathematics and
who desire to take Calculus in Grade 12. It provides a very strong preparation for
students planning a career in math or science. It begins by reviewing and
extending a number of prerequisite topics from Algebra II H. These include:
Linear functions, Quadratic functions, Polynomial functions, inequalities in 1 or 2
variables, properties of functions, inverses and graphs of functions, etc. from an
algebraic and geometric viewpoint. A comprehensive course in Trigonometry is
then presented for the remainder of the first semester. In the second semester,
there is a complete coverage of Analytic Geometry including Polar Coordinates,
Vectors, parametric equations, Equations of lines and planes in space, graphs of
algebraic and rational functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, conic
sections, translations and rotations, etc. Additional topics include: Sequences
and Series from a more advanced viewpoint, matrices and elementary concepts
from Differential Calculus such as computations of limits and derivatives, and
the use of derivatives in graphing and the solution of max/min word problems.
Students must have access to a graphing calculator for class work and
homework.
Full year course, 5 times per week, 5 credits</p>
<p>And for reference, out of 70 students in BC calc every year, 67+ score 5s on the AP.</p>
<p>You’re already accepted. Assuming the school you are accepted to is the one you want to attend, just take whichever Freshman calculus course they recommend for you at college. If you wanted to get a Calculus text and look it over during the summer, fine, but there is no reason for you to worry about learning it all before you go. You want to know your Calc well for econ, just take your time. You want it to be easy for you, not something you are always rushing through. </p>
<p>My 2 cents.</p>
<p>~bump~</p>
<p>My daughter is a college senior…engineering major. She did NOT take calculus in high school. She took it in college. The reality is that most colleges want you to take calculus THEIR WAY. You can take a math placement test if you’ve taken high school calc…but if college calculus is a requirement for your major (like it was for my kid for engineering), you will likely need to take it in college.</p>
<p>Don’t fret. You’ve been accepted to your top choice school ED. If you need to take calc…you can take it in college (and as an applied math major, that is a likely course requirement).</p>
<p>Just take Calculus 1 at your college. D had Calc 1 in high school, but wasn’t comfortable that it was rigorous enough, so she took Calc 1 again in college. High school covered the material in a year. College covered the material in 1 quarter. Get ready for a fast ride!</p>
<p>And just because you didn’t take calc in high school…doesn’t mean you won’t do well in college. DD got great calc grades in college despite not taking it in high school.</p>
<p>KGB - This question comes up on CC periodically. Many observations don’t apply to you … especially those that relate to how avoiding Calculus might hurt you with college admissions. You’re in … congratulations!! And since you’ll be taking Calculus in college you’re not affected by the “educated people should take calculus so they can communicate with technical persons” issues.</p>
<p>That just leaves the (relatively) minor issue of how to best learn and apply calculus. As some prior posters have suggested, it is easier to learn college-level calculus if you have had prior “practice” … ie. HS Calculus. Speaking from personal experience, I believe that people find it easier to assimilate Calculus as they get a bit older. “Greek to me” at age 17 … “Hey this is pretty neat” at age 19. That sort of thing. Finally, different colleges teach Calculus differently. My D tested out of Calculus I and Calculus II, but had trouble with Calculus III principally because it was taught a little differently. </p>
<p>Bottom Line: You’re fine, and things will work out great if you avoid the temptation to take courses with a Calculus pre-req at the same time you’re taking the Calculus.</p>
<p>I was an engineering major, and retook calculus, also. My college prof did a much better job of explaining it. Yep, it moves fast in college!</p>
<p>I guess I am in the minority of students on CC who feel that their high school calculus course provided a better understanding than the college version. </p>
<p>My high school course met 7 hours a week with an hour of homework each day. It provided more intuition, computational experience as well as a more through theoretical treatment of the subject matter than the courses at my college. In high school we talked about the epsilon-delta definitions of limits, derivatives and integrals, the extreme, intermediate and mean value theorems, etc. In contrast, calc 1-3 at my college are taught in a plug-and-chug way. </p>
<p>I am glad that I had the opportunity to take calculus with an amazing teacher in high school, or else I would probably not be a math major today.</p>
<p>My conclusion is that the “battle” of high school vs college calculus can go either way.</p>
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<p>Where do you go to school? It is incredibly surprising to me that any college calculus course would not teach this stuff.</p>