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Calculus I & II (BC, roughly) --- can it be done in 8 weeks?
I was recently accepted to the http://www.ssp.harvard.edu , where I will take either two 4-unit courses, or one 8-unit course over the 8 week period during the summer. I am now at the stage of choosing a course (or 2, if I do two 4-unit courses).
I am considering taking the http://www.ssp.harvard.edu/2004/academics/courses/math.jsp#s-1ab -- 8 credits, meets every day M-F 10am-12pm (not sure what the "Required sections M-F 2-3 pm" are... anyone know what those are?)
Then, instead of taking AP Calculus next year (my senior year in high school), I would take a math class (or two) at a nearby college, probably University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I would probably take multivariable calculus or something. (What other 3rd semester math courses are there that I could do after Calculus I & II? Number theory? that's something I'll have to look into, as well).
However, when running this idea by the head of the math department at my school (the idea of taking calc at Harvard Summer Program and then a math class at UWM), he was unsure about me taking calculus in just 8 weeks.
He felt that I would not learn calculus very well if I learned it all in just 8 weeks. He thinks that you have to have time for it to "sink in" to truly understand and master calculus. My question is: from your experience, would taking calculus (the equivalent of Calculus BC, more or less) in just 8 weeks at the Harvard Summer program seem doable? Worth it? Or should I take something like an Astronomy and Statistics class, instead, and take AP Calculus at my high school senior year (where I would learn calculus over a school year's time, not 8 weeks)?
Let me remind you that this will be the ONLY class I will be taking, and the teachers will probably be very good. Also, I love math and am pretty darn good at it. Right now, in my junior year, I am taking a Pre-Calculus course (and acing it), so that will help to prepare me for it.
I would really appreciate any comments or advice.
Basically, my questions are:
1) what are these -- "Required sections M-F 2-3 pm"
2) what are the 3rd semester math courses (ie, after 2 semesters of calculus)? multivariable calculus, number theory, ... ?
and, most importantly
3) Do you think this Calculus course (plus then something like multivariable calculus at UWM during first semester senior year) is a good idea for a kid interested in math and physics? Would I grasp calculus well enough to move on to, say, multivariable calculus?
Thanks!
I was recently accepted to the http://www.ssp.harvard.edu , where I will take either two 4-unit courses, or one 8-unit course over the 8 week period during the summer. I am now at the stage of choosing a course (or 2, if I do two 4-unit courses).
I am considering taking the http://www.ssp.harvard.edu/2004/academics/courses/math.jsp#s-1ab -- 8 credits, meets every day M-F 10am-12pm (not sure what the "Required sections M-F 2-3 pm" are... anyone know what those are?)
Then, instead of taking AP Calculus next year (my senior year in high school), I would take a math class (or two) at a nearby college, probably University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I would probably take multivariable calculus or something. (What other 3rd semester math courses are there that I could do after Calculus I & II? Number theory? that's something I'll have to look into, as well).
However, when running this idea by the head of the math department at my school (the idea of taking calc at Harvard Summer Program and then a math class at UWM), he was unsure about me taking calculus in just 8 weeks.
He felt that I would not learn calculus very well if I learned it all in just 8 weeks. He thinks that you have to have time for it to "sink in" to truly understand and master calculus. My question is: from your experience, would taking calculus (the equivalent of Calculus BC, more or less) in just 8 weeks at the Harvard Summer program seem doable? Worth it? Or should I take something like an Astronomy and Statistics class, instead, and take AP Calculus at my high school senior year (where I would learn calculus over a school year's time, not 8 weeks)?
Let me remind you that this will be the ONLY class I will be taking, and the teachers will probably be very good. Also, I love math and am pretty darn good at it. Right now, in my junior year, I am taking a Pre-Calculus course (and acing it), so that will help to prepare me for it.
I would really appreciate any comments or advice.
Basically, my questions are:
1) what are these -- "Required sections M-F 2-3 pm"
2) what are the 3rd semester math courses (ie, after 2 semesters of calculus)? multivariable calculus, number theory, ... ?
and, most importantly
3) Do you think this Calculus course (plus then something like multivariable calculus at UWM during first semester senior year) is a good idea for a kid interested in math and physics? Would I grasp calculus well enough to move on to, say, multivariable calculus?
Thanks!
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