<p>I am an incoming berkeley student who never took calculus, and the last math course I took was stats. I enrolled in borcherds class for Math 1A. For someone with only two years of math experience, but who is decent at math, are my expectations to high that I can to well in this course? Is math 1A extremely difficult? All help is appreciated.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t do that… you’ll be destroyed in Math 1A with your lack of experience. If you must, try Math 16A. It should be ‘hard’ for you, but not as difficult as Math 1A. The best part is, if you need to take Math 1A later, you can easily take it for 2 units (meaning less impact to your GPA if you don’t do that well).</p>
<p>So yeah… don’t take Math 1A. Too risky with only 2 yrs of math.</p>
<p>The only problem is I am limited on time really because I am a transfer. How about math 32?</p>
<p>What is your major though? Do you need the 16 or 1 series? Or would 32 suffice? If that’s the case, just do 32. But I think you can handle 16A. If you’re unsure, just take both then drop 16A if it’s hard or 32 if it’s too easy.</p>
<p>I am a psych major but I am trying to do a simultaneous degree in mechanical/energy engineering. Both of them will require math 1A and 1B.</p>
<p>Hm… I really encourage you to take Math 16A & Math 32 at the same time. Your goal should be to drop Math 32 if Math 16A isn’t too overwhelming (16A will make 1A 2 units; so that’s helpful). I really encourage you to take Math 16A b/c it’ll probably make Math 1A a tad easier (it’ll still be hard though, so don’t be trick b/c 16A is like 1/4 of the material of 1A; just an estimate, not accurate ofc). </p>
<p>If you must, take the 1 series at a community college during next summer if you can. I think unless you’re really good at math, the 1 series can really hurt your GPA.</p>
<p>um…just curious, but why are you trying to get a psych major at berkeley? Psych is good at any school.</p>
<p>No need to bash the OP. There are other things besides STEM majors… Plus he might be doing a double major on mechanical/energy engineering.</p>
<p>Instead of relying on other people’s guesses about your readiness to take Math 1A, why not try the math department’s placement test?</p>
<p>[Calculus</a> Diagnostic Placement Exam | Department of Mathematics at University of California Berkeley](<a href=“http://math.berkeley.edu/courses/choosing/placement-exam]Calculus”>http://math.berkeley.edu/courses/choosing/placement-exam)</p>
<p>However, if you are a junior transfer, it may be difficult at the very least to complete any engineering major in four semesters if you have not completed the equivalents of Math 1A, 1B, 53, and 54 and Physics 7A and 7B, even if the College of Engineering will let you into the major.</p>
<p>I agree with ucbalumnus. Having only 2 years of math means nothing if you are good at grasping concepts. Imo I didn’t use too much precalc in calc. Physics paralleled it at times, but that’s about it.</p>