Half of Ivy League math majors took MV Calc and Linear Algebra in high school

[Anonymous]

Half of Ivy League math majors took MV Calc and Linear Algebra in high school.

This usually means AP Calculus BC in sophomore year, but sometimes means junior year.

https://math.mit.edu/wim/2019/03/10/national-mathematics-survey/

This is a huge difference from just 20 years ago.

[Anonymous]

That’s math majors, a very small subset of the student body.

[Anonymous]

I know a math major at Harvard who only took Calc AB which is the highest math offered at her high school.

[Anonymous]

I mean...makes sense. DC's friends have somehow taken Real Analysis, Topology, Linear, Complex Analysis, etc. before getting to Harvard. A lot of those top math students go to math summer camp and study for Olympiads, so they go beyond Calc AB and BC.

[Anonymous]

Why would you need to take BC as a sophomore in order to take MV before graduating? I thought most mathy kids did BC as a junior then MV as a senior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would you need to take BC as a sophomore in order to take MV before graduating? I thought most mathy kids did BC as a junior then MV as a senior.

I think the OP is including fitting Linear Algebra Senior Year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Half of Ivy League math majors took MV Calc and Linear Algebra in high school.

This usually means AP Calculus BC in sophomore year, but sometimes means junior year.

https://math.mit.edu/wim/2019/03/10/national-mathematics-survey/

This is a huge difference from just 20 years ago.

Not surprised, based on mine as an engineer at an ivy. Far less than half for other majors, though those almost all have BC calc in 12th. The only ones who did not did not have the option for BC, other than hooked applicants such as athletes

[Anonymous]

I wasn’t even good at math but my first year of college included MV Calc, Linear Alg, and Diff Eqs.

This thread should surprise nobody.

[Anonymous]

Common sequencing for those who accelerate early and go far is (by semester )

Calc BC A
Calc BC B,
Multivariable Calculus
Differential Equations
Linear Algebra

But DiffEqu isn't always prereq for LA, so could be avoided, or taken the same time as LA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Common sequencing for those who accelerate early and go far is (by semester )

Calc BC A
Calc BC B,
Multivariable Calculus
Differential Equations
Linear Algebra

But DiffEqu isn't always prereq for LA, so could be avoided, or taken the same time as LA.

I've never heard of taking DiffEq before Linear algebra, it's definitely not a pre-req. If anything, linear algebra makes you better at ODE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wasn’t even good at math but my first year of college included MV Calc, Linear Alg, and Diff Eqs.

This thread should surprise nobody.

Depending on college and honors level, this is usually either 3 semester or 2 semester sequence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean...makes sense. DC's friends have somehow taken Real Analysis, Topology, Linear, Complex Analysis, etc. before getting to Harvard. A lot of those top math students go to math summer camp and study for Olympiads, so they go beyond Calc AB and BC.

My DD's online school had at least 3 sections of Real and Complex Analysis. Some attended the school for a single class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Half of Ivy League math majors took MV Calc and Linear Algebra in high school.

This usually means AP Calculus BC in sophomore year, but sometimes means junior year.

https://math.mit.edu/wim/2019/03/10/national-mathematics-survey/

This is a huge difference from just 20 years ago.

Most people won't go to Ivies or major in mathematics so we are talking about roughly 1350 students each year, probably 350 wouldn't come with such courses because their schools didn't offer these so it goes down to 1000 students.

[Anonymous]

My child did this as well through dual enrollment. Their HS did not offer these courses. HS only went through BC. Just fyi that there are other options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child did this as well through dual enrollment. Their HS did not offer these courses. HS only went through BC. Just fyi that there are other options.

+1 except our HS went through MV Calculus. Linear algebra, differential equations and other advanced math was via DE.