<p>OK.. so I made a 5 on the Calculus BC AP test as well as on the AB subscore. I thought that it would be fine for me to start off taking Calculus III but when I got to Freshman Preview the engineering advisors pretty much pleaded me on their hands and knees to start off in Calculus II. I really feel like I'm being limited academically by this and don't feel like studying the Calc II curriculum all over again. What would you all recommend I do?</p>
<p>Obviously, it’s up to each individual person. But we went through the same thing at preview and our daughter was counseled the same way. However, my husband’s an engineer who has seen my daughter in action when it comes to math/physics. They do it in their heads when they talk; positively disgusting if you ask me, a totally non-math person. He begged and pleaded with her to ignore the engineering advisor’s advice. In fact, he told her before she went to that meeting what they’d say, and they said it. Her calc teacher’s one of the best in the state, and she assured her that she’d even started calc 3 with the class after AP exams, so D is more than ready to go. When she talked to the honors advisor, he was like … “eh, you won’t have any trouble.” So, we’re ignoring the engineering advisors advice. Calc 2 is notoriously the hardest of the calc classes, and is a huge weed-out course, and if you don’t get a great instructor … youch! But that is us, and I wouldn’t presume to advise someone else because I do not know how you are with math, only you do.</p>
<p>zebes</p>
<p>I was told beforehand from a friend (who is a year ahead) that the advisors would not approve of taking Calc 3. That being said, if you have confidence in your abilities, I would not worry about it and just take Calc 3.</p>
<p>I mean you may want to take Calc II if you were planning on continuing perhaps with mathematics but if it’s just a class you need to take for your major, like it was for me, then it probably isnt worth retaking.</p>
<p>The major point of my post is that the greatest lesson you can ever learn from this is that you shouldn’t listen to the advice of counselors in general. The honors program has really spectacular advisors that will totally help you with whatever you want to do, although the school has limited their powers considerably and you can pretty much trust them.</p>
<p>Other advisors, i.e. CLAS, completely and unequivocably (sp) suck. They advise to the lowest common denominator, which is often themselves and should be dealt with only when completely necessary.</p>
<p>This is just the beginning of your academic journey through the incompetent bureaucracy that you will run into all too often at UF. Good luck.</p>
<p>i know some that got 5 on BC and still failed calc1 with effort</p>
<p>your still encouraged to go as far as you can though, get into calc3 because calc1 and 2 are treated really hard</p>
<p>If you can integrate and differentiate just fine and you have a decent handle on it (even if its not enough to get a B+ in calc2) you can still do well in calc3…it won’t make much of a difference, material-wise.</p>
<p>I, as well, got a 5 in Calc BC. I just got back from Preview and I had no problems in registering for Calc 3. My advisor actually was encouraging me to take these kinds of courses if I thought I was ready. I guess I got lucky lol</p>
<p>sup august 3</p>
<p>High school Calculus is a joke. You didn’t learn it at a proper depth. You just blindly differentiate this, integrate that… But have zero clue as to why it all works.</p>
<p>Do yourself a favor and start with Calculus II, otherwise be prepared to fail Calculus III.</p>
<p>thats assuming your teacher sucked.</p>
<p>I earned a 5 on the Calculus BC Test and AB subscore through complete self study. I bought a copy of Calculus Early Transcendentals and supplemented that with MIT OCW Calculus lectures to help ensure I was grounding myself in the essentials. I think I was taught well…</p>
<p>I am an engineering major as well. I was convinced (swindled) into signing up for Calc II during Preview…my Honors adviser basically made it sound like Calc II would be a breeze. But I agree with everyone on this thread, that, from what I’ve now heard from others, Calc II really is a doozy.</p>
<p>Is Calc III hard? If I go over the material this summer, will it be challenging to pick up Calc III right off the bat?</p>
<p>I haven’t had math for a year but so far Calc III has been exceedingly simple since it’s mostly been calculus I in three dimensions. That, coupled with my awesomely fair professor, has made Calc III really easy. Now, we still have yet to get to the integration techniques which could prove alittle more difficult (i.e. techniques from Calc II) but so far it’s been straightforward.</p>
<p>Alright, I’m going to talk to an adviser this week. Are you taking Calc III for Summer C right now? If so Goldwater, let me know if it gets too crazy for ya ;)</p>