Need help with math selection

<p>Ok, I'm a high school senior. I took AP calculus I (AB) as a junior at my high school, but didn't take the AP test. Last semester, I took Calculus II at a local community college and got an A-.</p>

<p>At the univeristy I'm going to in fall '08, the degree in biochem requires calculus I, calculus II, and elementary linear algebra.</p>

<p>Will the transfer credit A- from calculus 2 be figured in my GPA?
Should I take the calculus AB test to get credit for calculus I and then just take a semester of linear algebra and then stats or something?</p>

<p>I think the best plan of action would be to take calculus I next year freshmen semester. It'll be review/GPA booster since I already took it in high school and got an A- in calc II. Then second semester I can take linear algebra and fulfill the 2 semester pre-med requirement as well as my degree math requirements at the same time. Let me know what you think about that.</p>

<p>Also, will a medical school even need or want to know about my dual enrollment calc II grade? I wish there was a way to get rid of my A-. I planned on starting college next year with a clean slate, not a 3.7...</p>

<p>Yes, you will have to report the A- when applying to med school. Most likely, by the end of your junior year of college, you'll be begging for that A- to count.</p>

<p>As norcalguy said, the A- will definitely count when applying to med schools because AMCAS requests transcripts from everywhere you've ever received college credit. It might not count toward your GPA at your undergraduate institution (although some schools treat transfer credits in different ways--my school gives credit but doesn't figure the grade into our gpa).</p>

<p>You should probably talk to an advisor in the college's biochem program about what to do about the AP test. First, there's probably some sort of rule that if you pass a class higher than calc I, you don't need the actual calc. I credit (or you can take a different math course). Also, if you come in with credit for calc II, the registrar might not allow you to take a class beneath it for credit.</p>

<p>What if I take the AP calculus BC test? (Grants credit for calculus I and calculus II)?</p>

<p>I'll be at a relatively low tier university (not many medical school applicants, but they have a 100% percent acceptance rate of honors program pre-med students into medical school). They have some graduates in northwestern, mayo clinic, case western, etc...and I'm looking to get into a great medical school. I've got a 33 act and 3.874gpa in high school but am choosing to go to a lower tier school because I'm given priority in research, full ride, professors much easier to contact and such...but is it true that I'll need a 4.0 or extremely close to get into a good school coming from a lower-tier?</p>

<p>I realize that I'm complaining about a 3.7 vs a 4.0...honestly if I -need- to be that anal to get into a great med school then I'll need to rethink my career path...</p>

<p>Simple enough to find out. Ask your school: what kind of GPAs did those kids have?</p>

<p>Don't forget that some schools want you to take math in college.</p>

<p>In the end, I'm just nitpicking.</p>

<p>What lesser mistake can you make on your transcript than an A- in a college course taken -in high school-, in a math class more advanced than those required by the colleges that actually require math?</p>

<p>I'll take the AB test and enter my actual college career with calculus I and calculus II credit. I'll take more advanced math classes, elementary linear algebra and stats maybe, and perform well. Worrying about measly 4 credits of a 3.7 gpa won't help, and I'd be happy with a 3.7 cumulative when my degree is completed, anyways.</p>

<p>Also, I intend on applying to UMich for med school, in-state, in radiology.</p>

<p>You don't include a specialty when you apply for medical school. And you'll be applying to a lot of schools, not just one. Think twenty.</p>

<p>I meant "I intend on going to" not "I intend on applying to", sorry. Looking at mdapplicants it appears MCATs have heavier weight than GPA anyways.</p>

<p>You can't intend on going to a school. That's up to them, first.</p>