<p>^ Sbjdorlo – your comment brings out a very special aspect about MIT that I wasn’t aware of until S started there – the spirit of collaboration and that MIT is not a competitive place once you get there. My S is just glowing in this supportive and generous environment where it seems everyone wants to see you succeed, from professors, to fellow students and coaches! </p>
<p>As for thread topic, being “good at math” can manifest itself in a variety of ways. Competition math (AIME, USAMO) is very different from research math (Intel, Siemens), and from what I’ve observed, students who have done very well in one aspect, may not be strong in the other, as they require different skill sets, and getting to a certain level of excellence as a high school student probably required lots of focus in that one particular area. There are also so many naturally talented students from around the world that haven’t had the opportunities for accelerated math, so it’s a real positive that MIT recognizes this and allows for growth across the board.</p>
<p>I agree, skibum. My son was so jazzed that he didn’t have to spend any money on textbooks. Why? He borrowed one from a freind (his 18.100 text), he’s sharing one with a friend (5.111) and I think there weren’t textbooks for the other two classes. I’m sure we won’t always get away so cheaply but I am grateful for the collaborative nature. Somehow, and I don’t know how given that all of these kids are, in some ways competing for the same high accolades and goals, the kids seem to encourage each other and share their strengths with each other. I know my son’s been goaded more than once for not going to class. And he’s so excited to be looking ahead to next semester’s three math classes, since he’ll be taking them with friends.</p>
<p>Actually, it seems that someone can get by okay in a math major, even if their background is just average. The requirements for the major are very flexible, and not every math major wants to go to grad school to become a mathematician.</p>
<p>Although 18.701 has 18.100 listed as a prereq, it’s not actually required. I’m pretty sure that if you’re familiar with proofs you can take 18.701 regardless of whatever formal credit you have.</p>
<p>Shravas makes a good point. There are a lot of math majors at MIT. Many are double majors and primarily interested in there other field [Last year, 1/3 of math majors had math as a second degree]. The requirements for the general math major are very lenient. I imagine any mathematically inclined student would have little trouble completing those requirements. My previous comments were about the more serious math majors. I think considerably more math majors fall into that category though than the number that eventually go to grad school in math.</p>
<p>I’m astounded by this question actually. Don’t even talk about American students who had or had not taken AP calc during high school; MIT has tons of international students who did not have any experience with calculus at all. It’s fortunate that MIT does not look for elitism or wealth (which you can tell from students’ high school education) in their admissions…</p>
<p>To respond to the first Q: about 50% of MIT freshman come in w/ 18.01 credit, IIRC, and about 50% have to talk 18.01. </p>
<p>It is extremely, extremely, extremely rare for us to admit a student who has not taken <em>some</em> HS calculus. Some HS cal (or its curricular equivalent; as lllll614436 notes, many of our international students don’t take a course called calculus, but IB HL math / high level french bac math / whatever is functionally equivalent) probably the closest thing to a ‘requirement’ our holistic admissions process actually has. If we don’t think you could pass 18.01, we won’t admit you to MIT, because everyone has to be able to do it. </p>
<p>But it’s not at all rare to come in and need to take 18.01. </p>
<p>Chris, I think only about 15% of freshmen actually start off in 18.01 with about another 20% in 18.01A. You can check enrollments in 18.01 on the evaluations site if you like but I believe these are more accurate numbers.</p>
<p>In 2012 the latest year for data on this seems to be available less than 50 freshmen passed the 18.01 ASE. Enrollment in 18.01 also seems to be plummeting. Just 82 students took it in Fall 2013 down from 123 in Fall 2012 and over 200 in Fall 2008. Even though 80 people is small by GIR standards it’s still a reasonably large class and anyone in the math department would be qualified to teach it so it’s not really surprising that MIT keeps offering it.</p>
<p>EDIT: MIT also apparently offers 18.01 every spring to a handful of students (in 2014 it was 3).</p>
And he’s so excited to be looking ahead to next semester’s three math classes, since he’ll be taking them with friends.</p>