The pre-med mystery behind calculus

<p>Ok so I'm majoring in Microbiology at Cal Poly SLO. I'm a freshman, two weeks into fall quarter. Winter quarter for the four year plan they have me take calculus 1. I already waived this course due to my passing of the AP calc AB exam. So according to my major I am done. But then I know you have to play the game with medical schools. I'm happy with just looking into Wayne state or a podiatry school or if I really ended with an awesome pre-med application maybe U of Mich. None of these places require calculus. Maybe just some statistics or computer science. So at this point can I just be done with calculus forever or would it be best to take at least one college calculus course? And if so, should I take a course in calculus 1 again or calculus 2? Keep in mind that I am going to cal poly, with one of the lowest 4-year graduation rates and a large number of impacted classes.....so I don't need to keep taking calculus, I don't want to take it!!!</p>

<p>Although only about a dozen or so schools require calculus, most med schools require “2 semesters of college level mathematics”. Some schools will allow you to use AP credits; many won’t. The actual problem is not so much having calc on your transcript–it’s meeting that 2 semester requirement.</p>

<p>Consider re-taking calc 1 so that you have the credits on your transcript. Unless you really like math and are willing to devote the number of hours it takes to well, I wouldn’t take calc 2. (Unless CP-SLO won’t let you re-take a course you’ve got credit for and have to take the next higher level. Or you like math.)</p>

<p>Taking stats is an excellent idea. (D1 who is a MS1 reports that calculus-based stats is one of the 3 required courses she’s taking right now in med school. She’s sailing thru it because of her math major, but many of her classmates are struggling.)</p>

<p>Very few schools require (or even recommend) computer science and comp sci classes can be huge time-sucks. Take it only if you have a genuine interest. Or if the course is listed as a math credit on your transcript.</p>

<p>Are you Michigan resident? Or a CA resident?</p>

<p>Your home state and the admission policies of your state med schools will impact your choices. You need at the very least to meet eligibility requirements for admission to all of your home state schools.</p>

<p>Last year having AP Calc and one semester of college Stats was OK for U of Mich. Make sure to check with adcoms as requirements change from year to year, they might even change after you apply and you will need to cahnge your senior schedule. It has happened to my D. (not U of Mich., other Med. School). So, plan to have ligher senior schedule, so that you can add/change registration easier. D. did not have any comp. science. Re-taking calc is a waste of time, unless it is required by your school(s) or you are very interested in math and planning to pursue higher levels. Math is D’s very easy subject, but she does not like it. Stats is much more uselfull for pre-meds as Research Lab procedures are based on Stats. Stats is one of the easiest college classes, nice to boost college GPA if needed. I do not think that D. had calc. based stats, but I never asked, as D. did not care one way or another. D. is MS1 and did not mention any math at her Med. School. They are going thru various bpdy systems and their deseases. Every Med. School is different.</p>