<p>Hey guys, I was just doing some research on UCLA's math department and stumbled across their merit track program for a BS/MA is just four years. I was wondering if there was anyone else here who was considering this plan. How difficult is it to complete? Do you have to be some prodigy to finish it, or can someone complete it with a lot of hard work and dedication. </p>
<p>Any advice would be greatly appreciated, especially from people who are already in it =]</p>
<p>Hey, so I am a recently admitted student but I have been taking concurrent enrollment classes at UCLA for the last two years so I had time to ask some professors their opinions. (btw i am a math major, might want to switch to applied haven’t decided) Pretty much the only way you can survive the rigorous merit track is by either completing 31a and 31b before hand or getting a 5 on the BC exam so you can be on track starting from your freshmen year. Also the program requires you to take honors classes which can be considerably harder. I tried 32AH (multi-variable calc honors) and it was tough with LOTS of proofs (pretty much everything). I only did the first three weeks because of a schedule conflict. I took regular 32a and got an A. I don’t know how good at math you are, but I know there where definitely some geniuses in there (one math Olympiad even).</p>
<p>Thx for your input. Unfortunately, my school only has calc AB, so the most I can get credit for is 31a =[ Can you tell me how you fit ur general ed classes with all ur honors classes? I saw that for the letters and science college, you need like a foreign language and a bunch of other non-math classes.</p>
<p>You could also do the Departmental Scholar. I think the Merit one is for a student per year who gets a 4-year scholarship, whereas the Departmental Scholar, any one can (attempt to) get it. I know it says 31B credit pre-entry, but if you’re really up for the challenge, you could take 31B and 32AH in the Fall and then continue on from there, since 32AH just requires an B in 31A (or a 5 on AB). I regrettably didn’t do that, as now I’m certain I want to go to grad school, but taking the regular sequence isn’t all that bad anyway, I guess lol.</p>
<p>Thx for the heads up wanderer. Just out of curiosity, which math major are you doing right now?</p>
<p>I’m a pure math major. I’m also doing the specialization in computing, but if things don’t go well with getting the GEs when I want them, I may drop the specialization.</p>