<p>Hi. I am a Junior interested in applying to MIT. I'm taking Multivariable Calculus the second and third trimester this year. I am suppose to take Graph Theory/Networks, but it wouldn't let me take AP Physics C(year long course), so I'm taking phyics instead.</p>
<p>I came accross the Stanford EPGY program. I'm taking 4 classes this trimester, and another semi-class where I meet with the prof's every other day to work on my Siemens Westinghouse project. After that though, I was thinking of taking a math course from Stanford EPGY. I'm looking at Differential Equations course. It says that you should have taken multivariable calculus as a prerequisite, but from the diff equations books I've seen, do you really?</p>
<p>Finally, what is the policy for getting credit at MIT for something like this? I know Stanford will accept it for bachelor's program. I remember someone said that to get credit for 18.04 or higher, you have to do the MIT PSET's as well(EPGY requires the Stanford PSETS).</p>
<p>There are always a few people who take multivariable calc and diff eq concurrently in the MIT versions of the classes; it's my impression that it's a somewhat difficult feat to accomplish, but that it can be done. Of course, if you didn't know any multivariable at all, that might be a little iffier.</p>
<p>The site with information about transfer credit is [url=<a href="http://web.mit.edu/firstyear/2009/subjects/trans_cred.html%5Dhere%5B/url">http://web.mit.edu/firstyear/2009/subjects/trans_cred.html]here[/url</a>]. Basically, were you to matriculate at MIT, you'd send your transcripts to MIT by July 15 of that year and the math department would decide whether or not to give you credit, and whether or not you needed to jump through any additional hoops (ie meeting personally with the transfer credit examiners, that sort of thinly veiled torture). This information is valid for any class that is not 18.03 or 18.06.</p>
<p>PSETS are homework, aren't they? (I'm not famliar with the term, but have guessed the two roughly equate.) If so, most EPGY math courses do not require students to do homework. The course outline will tell you which homework goes with which lectures, but doing the homework is up to the student. It is not turned in or graded. EPGY grades are based mostly on tests, with the final exams being the largest portion.</p>
<p>I didn't think EPGY course credits were transferable directly at MIT: I thought that since it was effectively a remotely-proctored correspondence course (however advanced the material!), you had to take the advanced standing exams during Orientation week and do the psets to prove you'd mastered the materials. Would love to know if I'm wrong about that!</p>
<p>Just because I'm clueless about problem sets - are they different from homework? That is, are they problems from the text, or some sort of very difficult problems made up by the professor? All the EPGY homework comes from the questions in the textbooks. </p>
<p>Mootmom - I have no actual knowledge, but my guess is that EPGY courses would be treated by MIT like courses from any other college. My further guess is that the credits are not directly transferable to MIT. BTW, although Stanford accepts EPGY courses, the credits, or "units" are not necessary the same. MV Calc is 8 units at EPGY, but only 5 at Stanford. I don't how Stanford translates the units from EPGY to units at Stanford.</p>
<p>EPGY courses are distance courses. Each student is assigned tutor for each course. Exams are done on the honor system. An honor code form has to be signed by the student for each exam. Most exams must also be proctored by an adult who also has to sign the honor code form.</p>
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my guess is that EPGY courses would be treated by MIT like courses from any other college. My further guess is that the credits are not directly transferable to MIT.
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<p>that is correct. You have to submit a copy of the syllabus and MIT will decide whether or not it is "substantially the same" as the MIT equivalent. My son applied for, but did not receive credit for distance learning courses he took for multivariable and linear algebra (not EPGY). But the multivar course, at least, must have covered pretty much the same material since he took the exam during orientation and got credit. He wanted to take the advanced standing exam for diff eq. also, based on having done the OpenCourseWare course, but did not have time to do the Psets which are required before you can take the exam. People use the term "Pset" for any set of homework problems, not just the ones required for advanced standing exams. The Psets for 18.03 are basically sets of particular problems you have to get from MIT after you have been accepted. Whether you did or did not do problem sets with your original EPGY course is irrelevant. If you want to take MIT's diff eq exam, you have to do MIT's diff eq problem sets, which is basically equivalent to a semester worth of homework.</p>
<p>It's most likely the PSETs would be different, especially if different texts were used. Even if the same texts were used, different problems may be selected for courses given at different schools. All the problems suggested by EPGY are those for which answers are given in the back of the book, since the problems are self-checked. My guess is that most professors assign problems which do not have answers in the back of the book. (At least they did back in the dark ages when I went to college.)</p>
<p>I don't want anyone to misunderstand. EPGY courses are excellent. EPGY tests in AP subjects are more difficult than AP tests, but it's harder to get a top score at EPGY. Whereas about 67% will earn you a 5 on an AP test, EPGY students have to score about 90% (no curve) to get an A. However, even though EPGY courses are of high quality and the credits may transfer directly to many colleges, top colleges are rather particular about transfer credits. </p>
<p>To be quite frank, at a school like MIT I'd rather take placement exams than be given transfer credit. In your first semester, if you find yourself in a course that is too difficult, you can become discouraged. Furthermore, if you drop that course but can't add the correct course, you'll find yourself behind. It makes more sense to start in the right course from the outset.</p>
To be quite frank, at a school like MIT I'd rather take placement exams than be given transfer credit. In your first semester, if you find yourself in a course that is too difficult, you can become discouraged. Furthermore, if you drop that course but can't add the correct course, you'll find yourself behind. It makes more sense to start in the right course from the outset.
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<p>But that is, of course, the purpose of the transfer credit examiner -- to look at the syllabus of the class you're trying to transfer, and see if your grounding in the subject is roughly equivalent to what you would have received in the subject at MIT. If they don't think your background is good enough, they won't award you the credit.</p>
<p>Diff EQ pretty much only requires knowledge of partial differentiation from CalcIII. The entrance exam doesn't sound fun, though, since I forgot most of the stuff from MVC.</p>
<p>Ok. Maybe it would be beneficial for me to study partial differentiation first? I find Mutlivariable calculus as relatively easy, I just have trouble visualizing those 3d graphs in my head. Any tips for that?</p>
<p>asiaknight - the hassle about the Diff Eq exam has nothing to do with how difficult it is or how well one already knows the subject... it is that you have to complete a bunch of time consuming problem sets and turn them in before being allowed to take the test.</p>