<p>I'm a member of the Scripps class of 2013, and I'm hoping someone can help me with my questions about which math course to take this year. In particular, I'm not sure whether I would place into Calc I or II. Having completed AP Calc AB, I assumed I would start with Calc II, but it seems like most freshmen start with Calc I, unless they have completed AP Calc BC. Overall, it seems like very few freshmen are enrolled in Calc II for their first semester.
Does anyone remember what the math placement exam for freshmen was like, and which Calc class they placed into? Also, what material is covered in Calc II but not Calc I, and how rigorous are the respective courses? Any help would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Did you take AP Calculus your senior year? I took it junior year and found the placement test a bit difficult, especially because I didn’t review either- some stuff had been lost from my memory. I do know if first years who took Calculus 2 and were fine. I wouldn’t really worry about it- review a bit over the summer, take the placement test and see where you end up. If you place into 30/31 (which means you can take Calculus 2 (MATH031) but brushing up and going into Calculus 1 (MATH030) might be helpful) I would say do whatever you feel you would be most comfortable in. Say if you are surprised by the fact that you placed into 31, then go into 30. If not, then just go straight to Calculus 2. I’ve heard it’s not that difficult, and what you mostly learn is just BC stuff.</p>
<p>IMO.</p>
<p>I also know first years who started in Calc II and did fine. If you feel you would do fine in Calc 2, just make sure you review some stuff before the placement test. Math is something you tend to forget if not used, so if you’re having to relearn how to do calculus on the exam in august, it’ll take up a lot of time.</p>
<p>I took precalc junior year and did great, but chose not to take math senior year. After not using it for so long (and not reviewing for the placement exam) I placed back into PreCalc. My high school teacher would be ashamed, but I’m planning to take Psych Stat to fulfill my math requirement anyway, so it’s no matter.</p>
<p>Unless you question your preparation or are specifically aiming to ease in, I would advise Calc II. </p>
<p>I figured (wrongly…) that Calc I would basically give me a one semester review of my HS calc and that Calc II would be all new. Even feeling very good about my HS prep, I chose to take Calc I for the review. Typical HS calc will bring you all the way through Calc I and about halfway through Calc II, as well, although probably with less depth. As I recall, we only touched on integration at the very end of Calc I. Calc II was integration and series (the latter of which I didn’t cover in HS). In both cases, the pace is definitely much quicker than HS calc, so it is very helpful to have had the class in HS, even for Calc I. However, if you took AP, did reasonably well, and feel generally comfortable with the subject, then I think you’d be just fine in Calc II.</p>
<p>Since you’ve already had Calc I, I’d also say that it’d be easier to start in Calc II and transfer down if necessary than to start in Calc I and try to transfer up, where you might have to do some self-teaching. </p>
<p>Final notes:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>If you test into Calc I and really feel that you should be in Calc II–just had some weird problem with the exam or whatever–it may not be a huge problem. At least when I was a first year, there was some flexibility…just talk to your advisor about it. I don’t know if the same applies the other direction, or why you’d want it to.</p></li>
<li><p>I took Calc I at Scripps and Calc II at CMC, but I think syllabi are comparable across the non-HMC colleges. </p></li>
<li><p>The Scripps math profs are across-the-board excellent :)</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Good luck, and enjoy!</p>
<p>ETA: It was 2003 when I was dealing with this question, but I think that what I’ve said still applies. Still, a disclaimer.</p>