<p>I did not realize UCLA had its own CC board -- so I'm "moving" this thread to here.</p>
<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>As most of us are completing our orientations this month, I thought it would be kind of cool to see what everyone has decided to take for their first quarter/semester. Copy/Paste my format to make everything a little more coherent.</p>
<p>MAJOR: Mathematics/Applied Science</p>
<p>FALL SCHEDULE:</p>
<p>1. [5] MATH 115 AH (Linear Algebra I, Honors)
2. [4] MATH 131 AH (Real Analysis I, Honors)
3. [4] MATH 134 (Systems of Linear/Non-Linear Differential Equations)
4. [4] MATH 170 A (Probability Theory I)</p>
<p>TOTAL UNITS: 17</p>
<p>Obviously, feel free to discuss between intermittent posts too!</p>
<p>I’m just genuinely curious: Do you just know for a fact that you’re talented at math and can handle that many classes or did your counselor hit you repeatedly over the head with a bat until you could no longer see what is logical and what is not?</p>
<p>I’m actually kind of surprised why people are surprised one would take all classes within their major’s department…it is my major after all. I don’t see the point in wasting time taking non-related classes, since at least in my case, I am aiming for a top graduate program in mathematics, and need to take as rigorous and wide-breadth of a math curriculum as possible.</p>
<p>I’m also planning to apply to the departmental scholars program, whereby you are allowed to take a graduate curriculum of up to 11 graduate courses and take a qualifying exam to earn a MA degree concurrently with your BS, which is why I have to begin immediately with the honors sequences in real analysis/linear algebra.</p>
<p>The mathematics adviser of course was highly skeptical at first, and strongly recommended I not make such a move. But then when I explained the above, she was supportive. Furthermore, I already spoke to all of my professors in advance, ordered/received their text books, and began studying for the classes (kind of like doing a survey of each class before actually beginning – that way it’s a second pass of the material once the course begins, whereby I can master the content rather than just learn it well enough to pass an exam or two).</p>
<p>Another reason why I am able to take this course load (apart from actually really having a passion for my major) is that I already learned most of the material in all of these classes during my lower division calculus/LA/DE courses, since I was lucky enough to have rigorous professors in a serious CCC mathematics department. For example, my calculus sequence was taught by the same professor who was from Russia, and her husband a world-famous algebraic topologist. Although the department out of consideration of other students used Stewart’s calculus, we used Spivak’s as a supplement, and I regularly consulted her and her husband in office hours to develop my skills.</p>
<p>When I showed the departmental adviser my notes from previous classes, and the notes/exercises I compiled for the prospective classes I will be taking this fall, she gave me her full support, and said I would be an ideal candidate for the scholars program if I do well in my fall/winter quarters. So I’m very excited about that, and I think everyone here on these boards is fully capable of taking such course-loads (within their departments of course) rather than just taking three classes, some of which are mere outside electives which aren’t particularly difficult in nature.</p>
<p>Michael Spivak’s textbook is honestly one of the most beautiful creation of mathematics I’ve ever had the pleasure of working out of. Haha not trying to be a geek or anything. </p>
<p>If you’ve gone through all of Spivak’s book and it was easy pickings for you then you definitely have a solid enough calculus base to do what you’re attempting right now. Have fun.</p>
<p>I agree - it’s an awesome book…every time I need a topic clarified or expanded on in further detail (with words!) in Rudin, I look up the corresponding topic in Spivak. But I am definitely beginning to appreciate the brevity of Rudin more than Spivak as I get deeper into the text.</p>
<p>So…do none of you guys have schedules or planned classes yet? lol</p>
<p>TaylorM0192, I’m just curious, what extracurricular activities do you do? I’m not attacking your dedication to your studies, but I would like to know how you divide up your time during the quarter.</p>
<p>I only ask because many students have extracurricular activities outside of classes that can be quite demanding of time. I have friends who are in research labs for 20+ hours a week, so having too many classes would be too demanding of them.</p>
<p>I don’t plan to have any any ECs this fall quarter – and probably not for any of my years at UCLA. There is basically no point of having ECs for my major, especially with my plans to get into a top Ph.D program. In mathematics, rigorous wide-breadth course-loads and high GPA, along with test scores and professor recommendations are far more important than ECs.</p>
<p>Now, I do plan to apply for summer REU programs, and perhaps even local UCLA departmental research. But you must demonstrate your abilities (by taking a heavy course-load) before you can reasonably expect to get into these research programs. I am also planning to participate in Putnam exam preparation opportunities at UCLA as I plan to take the exam in December each year while at UCLA. Of course, who knows what else will come my way – nothing is set in stone.</p>
<ol>
<li>[5] MATH 115A (Linear Algebra I)</li>
<li>[4] ChEng 100 (Fundamentals of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)</li>
<li>[4] ChEng 101A (Transport Phenomena)</li>
<li>[4] ChEng 109 (Numerical and Mathematical Methods in Chemical Engineering)</li>
<li>[4] Mat Sci 104 (Science of Engineering Materials)</li>
</ol>
<p>TOTAL UNITS: 21</p>
<p>Mat Sci 104 is very easy (I’ve got the textbook), and I assume the same for ChE 100, since they’re both introductory upper divs, so it’s still pretty doable.</p>
<p>BTW, I plan to take Putnam, too I’m actually enrolled in Math 100 (Problem Solving, it’s for Putnam), but I’m going to drop it and study on my own instead because of time conflicts.</p>
<p>@TaylorM0192
Well I hope you do great in your classes but remember that there are still those GE requirements, so don’t just take all math classes.</p>
<p>I’m an incoming freshman, and I haven’t had my orientation yet. If the website says that the class is full already does that mean that I really can’t sign up for it anymore (at least for this quarter)?</p>
<p>Depends on the class. Some classes will have spots open up over the course of the summer for freshmen, others won’t. If you email the undergrad advisor for the department offering the course, they might be able to help you out.</p>
<p>Sometimes a department counselor will allow students to overenroll a class that tends to have a lot of people drop, i.e. 8AM lecture times, difficult professor, etc. I begged my way into an 8AM physics lecture with a professor nobody wanted last quarter.</p>
<p>It’s always worth a try to go see the undergraduate adviser IN PERSON for the department of the class you’re trying to enroll in. They might tell you info or give you preferential treatment that they won’t tell over the phone or by email.</p>
<p>Man, yesterday’s orientation and signing up for classes was slim pickings for math majors. I can’t imagine how shi**y it’s going to be for people with later orientations… Anyway, OP I think you’re insane, but I will see you in Honors Linear Algebra in the Fall.</p>
<p>H Linear Algebra (Math 115ah)
Microecon theory (Econ 11)
Russian Pop Culture (ONLY freakin UD GE that fit in my schedule… Hockey and Borat, what more could there be?)
Screenwriting Fundamentals</p>
<p>16 units with only 9 of them being “hard”. I have a fairly good grasp of linear algebra, but still. An honors class at a top 10 math university kinda scares me.</p>
…</p>
I’m actually enrolled in Math 100 (Problem Solving, it’s for Putnam), but I’m going to drop it and study on my own instead because of time conflicts.</p>