<p>Yes my son had four semesters of college math before attending Chicago. I remember one of his courses being discrete math, also Calc 3. Can't remember the others. I do remember him saying that Chicago covered what he learned in these classes in about 1 day each. He was accepted into Honors Anlysis by receiving a perfect score on the math exam during orientation. The bext preparation for Honors Analysis is an Analysis class but he did not take this prior to Chicago. A few had already taken Analysis but he felt that he had casught up to those after the 1st quarter. Honors Analysis is a three quarter sequence. Very much proof driven.</p>
<p>Grasslands,
My DS1 sat in on the Honors Analysis a couple of weeks ago when he visited. Glad to hear about what courses your son took prior to taking it. DS is taking MV/Diff Eq and Discrete Math now, and will take Complex Anaylsis, Linear Alg and Analytic Geometry next year. He sat in on a 160s course as well and knew the material. At his school, Analysis I finishes BC Calc in early January, and they just keep going. The only drawback is that they have no proof-based classes, which is a bummer to DS.</p>
<p>It sounds like an amazing sequence, and he was quite inpressed with the prof!</p>
<p>Your son sounds well prepared. I assure you though he would be well challenged in math if he decides to attend Chicago. There is no limit to the math you can take there if you are prepared to take graduate classes as an undergraduate. Keep in mind the core plays a roll as well. The Humanities core and classes like Human Being & Citizen are demanding and also quite challenging but my son says he would not want to miss these either.
Good luck!</p>
<p>He likes the idea of the core and a significant hum requirement, which has been somewhat of a surprise. He said next time he visits, he's sitting in on a Hum/Sosc class or two.</p>
<p>I was wondering if anyone had the email address for Diane Herman. I'm in a similar position as your son was a few years ago grasslands and I was hoping to discuss with Diane Herman different options of math placement, courses, etc.</p>
<p>Alright, I plan on attending chicago for math. I had always thought I was pretty good at math (800 SAT and SAT II, 5 Calc AB, taking BC this year), but this thread makes it sound like most kids who major in math have finished calc in like the tenth grade. Would I be way behind at chicago? What kind of math class do you think would be best for me? Thanks for any help.</p>
<p>you'll be in at least 160s and probably fine</p>
<p>Diane Hermann's e-mail is: <a href="mailto:diane@math.uchicago.edu">diane@math.uchicago.edu</a></p>
<p>My S ended up taking the Honors Calculus class his first semester at UChicago (Diane Hermann was his prof) even though he had taken Calculus and Analysis for two years. I don't think he scored that well on their placement exam during orientation week but it was fine. He took great and difficult math classes all four years and was a math major. Students come with all kinds of abilities and learning experiences. I think they are pretty good at figuring out who should go where, into the appropriate class. My S never felt inferior or anything like that. In fact, he had a good job of being a grader for some profs. </p>
<p>Here's Diane's UChicago weblink: <a href="http://math.uchicago.edu/undergrad/%5B/url%5D">http://math.uchicago.edu/undergrad/</a></p>
<p>
[quote]
you'll be in at least 160s and probably fine
[/quote]
</p>
<p>From everything I have read on the math department website, simply taking an AP curriculum is not sufficient for placing into 160's. darkruler, I am not saying that you won't be put into Honors Calc; I just don't think that the information you gave paints a clear enough picture of your ability to say one way or the other.</p>
<p>Placement is based on the types of questions answered as well as the overall number correct. A can have a higher placement score than B, and B can end up in the 160's and A in the 150's. Many with Calc through AP BC end up in the 150's, some do place in the 160's if they have a good proof background.</p>
<p>I know students with high school math through BC Calc who were placed into 201 and who were placed into 131, so you can't really tell based on previous math course. In general, though, I'd say someone who did well in BC, tries on the placement test by attemping most of the problems, and likes math can get into the 160s.</p>
<p>and your placement is really a suggestion, you can pretty much take whatever you want, excluding honors analysis as long as you tell diane you think you can do well.</p>
<p>darkruler--</p>
<p>So you have decided to attend then? =)</p>
<p>motpasm23--</p>
<p>Diane Herrmann seems very reasonable if one wants to be bumped up a level, though I doubt one can take honors calc having placed into 130s. From what I have heard, she makes deals: You sign up for the class into which you were placed, attend the next level course, and if you get a B or higher in that course, you get your registration changed to the higher level course.</p>
<p>
[quote]
and your placement is really a suggestion, you can pretty much take whatever you want
[/quote]
I'm pretty sure you can't place down, though.</p>
<p>Bascially, I would only turn down Chicago if my actual aid package falls through, or I get a full ruide at Maryland, in whcih case I would have a tough choice to make. I guess I'm in a weird situation; I've never really had to work super hard at math. Sometimes I'll have a tricky problem for homework, but I work it out after a little while. Im really looking forward to the challenge these classes appear to offer.</p>
<p>On another note, is Calc 16000 proof-requisite, as in do I need to know proofs really well? I can problem solve like on the AP tests, but I've never done a proof before. Would it be a good idea to bone up on the basics?</p>
<p>You don't need to know proofs before starting the 160s. Proofs are on the placement exam, anyway, so they'll know while figuring out your placement whether or not you know proofs.</p>
<p>Try reading the proofs in your calculus book like MVT, Fundamental Theorem, etc. to get better aquainted with proofs. Then you could brush up on some common techniques like induction, contradiction, and pidgeonhole.</p>
<p>corranged--</p>
<p>You can place down, sure, either first quarter, during the middle of the quarter (when it still is possible to switch courses), or even after the quarter is over (for the next quarter, ex., 162 --> 153, like someone I know).</p>
<p>darkruler -
if your geometry class (way back when) did not cover proofs well, you might like to play with them over the summer - just for fun and to get the general midset.</p>
<p>Chicago gets kids with a broad range of math backgrounds, even as math majors. It a question of being placed in a course that will prepare you for the next course in the sequence - not a competition. </p>
<p>I would advise sleeping the night before the placement exam. My son seems not to have bothered - the test placed him into 152; his 5 in AP BC let him take 153. He lived through that and now is happily in the math for physical science majors that is not proof-based (to the disgust of his math major house mates, LOL).</p>
<p>Katharos, you can certainly place down if you're having trouble or feel that you need a different class, but I don't think you can just choose to take whichever math course you want. I got the 153/urge to take 160s on the placement; would I have been allowed to take something in the 130s? I may be wrong, but I thought they didn't let you take an easier course just for the sake of taking an easier course. The same way you can't take the basic swim class if you've passed the swim test, I didn't think you could take a math class if the placement placed you out of it (and you haven't drowned yet). Man, I should avoid pointless analogies in the middle of the night...</p>