<p>Is 18.06 also hard? Harder than 18.03? Is ASEing 18.03 recommended?</p>
<p>I haven’t taken 18.06, but I’ve heard from multiple sources that it’s easier than 18.03. YMMV.</p>
<p>If you can ASE out of something, go for it.</p>
<p>18.03 is very straightforward. A TA once told me, though, that if you’re smart you can get by in 18.02 without doing any work, whereas in 18.03 you actually need to do the homework. It isn’t very conceptual, but there are algorithms that you need to learn by practice. In 18.02, it’s pretty conceptual so some people can just derive most everything on the fly. On the other hand, some people don’t “get it,” either they can’t think visually or whatever is involved in understanding 18.02</p>
<p>18.03 only depends really on the basics of 18.01…it’s not like it builds on 18.02. </p>
<p>Anyway, there is no reason to avoid 18.03 unless you really have a math phobia. I do like math, but I think most people agreed with me in my assessment. With a lot of engineering classes, there are a chunk of people that just don’t grasp it really, due to it being deep or because of insufficient background. I think the possibility of that happening in 18.03 is quite low.</p>
<p>I was a grader for 18.06. Doing OK in 18.06 is relatively easy. Doing really well, because you just have an intuitive field for matrix manipulation, that is a lot harder. You have to work less hard than in some other math subjects if you want a low B. You need to work just as hard for the A.</p>