<p>I want to concentrate in math, but I dont have a great math background from high school. I was thinking of taking 21ab and 101 ("Multivariable calc," "linear algebra and differential equations," and "sets, groups, and topology") as a frosh and 112 ("intro to real analysis") first semester of sophomore year. After that, if i loaded up on math courses and did well, would i eventually be able to catch up to the high school math studs who will be starting in 25 or 55? What sort of course sequence would you suggest? Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>Assuming you are an accepted student for the class of '14, you should probably email a professor rather than ask on here. This board probably doesn’t have a large enough sample size to get a good number of math concentrators to help you out.</p>
<p>I have many math concentrator friends, and all of them would be happy to help. Ask around on fbook on the '14 group. There are ppl on there who are '12, '11, and '13. A few '10.</p>
<p>I know a guy who concentrated in math and took a similar path (21a/b + 101). He said he sort of regretted it - partially because he ended up getting very into computer science, but also because he felt like he was a “math major lite” and just didn’t have the background to take the super crazy/difficult classes.</p>
<p>That’s just one data point though - so definitely reach out to other concentrators + the department ([Advising</a> Programs: Concentrations](<a href=“http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~advising/concentrations/Mathematics.html]Advising”>http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~advising/concentrations/Mathematics.html))</p>
<p>There is a parent on this board (Marite) whose son recently graduated as a math concentrator. He began with Math 55. PM her.</p>
<p>I don’t know that I have much helpful advice to share. My S took MVCalc while in high school, so, by the time he got to Harvard he was well beyond the level the OP is considering.
I don’t think the OP should think of “catching up” with the 55ers or 25ers; instead, he should consider whether he can get a solid math education starting with Math 21a &b; I think he can, and the math department does, too, as per its website.
I should note that my S is presently in a top graduate math program together with some graduates of LACs; this shows that one does not have to take graduate courses while in college to get into some of the best math programs in the country.</p>
<p>Great point, Marite.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the replies everyone. I’m gonna email a professor or two and see if i can talk to them in person during the accepted students weekend. I think im just gonna try to self-teach myself as much calculus as I can in the next few months, see how i do on the placement exams, and take the most demanding course i think i can handle. Like marite said, i think its most important that i get a solid background, but it seems like it might be best to try to self-teach and start in 23 or 25 rather than 21. Thanks again!</p>
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<p>This isn’t really math-specific but as a general rule of thumb for class selection, err on the side of comfortable rather than uncomfortable. You can always stand to gain a stronger foundation but if you throw yourself into a higher math class based on self-teaching alone, you might struggle and lose out. </p>
<p>Based on my placement test results I could have taken 23 or 25, but I nevertheless felt unprepared and decided that I needed to take a college-level multivariable class. It helped, and in hindsight I would have been beaten senseless by 23 or 25.</p>