Non-advanced math track

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
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<p>The name basically says it all. Basically if you are in a non-advanced math track at your school does it hurt your app for HYP etc. </p>

<p>I am in normal math and although im taking the same courses at the same time as the advanced track, (geometry 9th, algebra2 10th, pre-calc 11th, calc 12th) the other is supposedly more challenging. I have done very well in all of my past years on this normal track. So well in fact that my teacher from 10th tried to move me up but the advanced class was full. This year again I will be working to either switch into the other class for next year (so i can take AP calc instead of normal calc). Is it worth it? Will they notice I'm jumping to the advanced class? Does it matter that I havent been in the advanced class? </p>

<p>On a different note. Does geography help for harvard. Would they admit someone from california like me over someone from east.</p>

2

<p>It will not hurt your app, per se, but it certainly will not help. Many students, both URMs and ORMs will have an advantage over you because they are on advanced math tracks–some taking AP Calc as early as fresh/soph year. If you have a hook in any other area perhaps that will even out the playing field a bit, but other than that i don’t know what to say other than: good luck.</p>

3

<p>What are you playing to major in?</p>

4

<p>Don’t worry too much about your Math track - that alone won’t determine your admissions outcome.</p>

<p>Harvard’s got some really, really great math folks. Basically, unless you’re already competing in the math olympiads and doing great, math alone won’t determine your admissions outcome. [Harvard</a> Mathematics Department : 21, 23, 25, or 55?](<a href=“http://www.math.harvard.edu/pamphlets/freshmenguide.html]Harvard”>http://www.math.harvard.edu/pamphlets/freshmenguide.html)</p>

<p>E.g. To enroll and do well in Math 25, it isn’t sufficient that you got a 5 on BC Calc. You actually need to think BC Calc was a walk in the park…</p>

5

<p>Like etg2013 said, the Math majors at Harvard are really good. Many have taken BC Calc their freshmen year in high school, and they’ve been working on more advanced stuff since.</p>

6

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<p>This. When you’re competing with the most talented students in the country, you want all the help you can get. Harvard suggests taking the most rigorous courseload available, and the majority of applicants do so. If there are issues with class size, you should get your guidance counselor to mention them.</p>

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<p>While your conclusion is somehow correct, your reasoning is a giant non sequitur. Just because the OP may not aspire to be a math concentrator doesn’t mean his math courses are irrelevant. I’d wager that a sizeable number of Harvard literature concentrators did well in Calc BC (if it was available) with no intention of ever taking multivariable calc in college. It isn’t math genius or bust; Harvard values achievement in the most rigorous classes, not the classes that you hope to further pursue in college.</p>

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<p>The Dean of Harvard admissions declared a while back that Harvard gives a slight preference to Cambridge residents, Boston area residents, and Massachusetts residents in that order. But that preference is very slight.</p>