Why is it that pure math majors finish their degrees much faster?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of them complete AP calc and go on to take diff EQ, lin algebra, and calc 3 before college. That's already 1.5 years completed for an undergrad. The rest at that point are electives and doing liberal arts requirements.

Calc 1-3, linear algebra, and differential equations are trivial courses, because they're pretty much rote calculation classes. Easy to get out of the way in high school. They take those classes in high school in many parts of Asia.

Some colleges doesn't accept those credits, even if you scored perfect. They want you to their program, high school and community college work is easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of them complete AP calc and go on to take diff EQ, lin algebra, and calc 3 before college. That's already 1.5 years completed for an undergrad. The rest at that point are electives and doing liberal arts requirements.

Calc 1-3, linear algebra, and differential equations are trivial courses, because they're pretty much rote calculation classes. Easy to get out of the way in high school. They take those classes in high school in many parts of Asia.

Some colleges doesn't accept those credits, even if you scored perfect. They want you to their program, high school and community college work is easier.

Ok, what's your point? Other colleges do take those credits.

[Anonymous]

By way of example, I was a math major at UVa, and the major required 9 classes above multivariable/calculus 3 (3000/4000 level classes). So if you got AP credit for BC calculus, you could take multivariable in your first fall, and then start taking classes counting toward the major in your first spring. For almost every other major, students had to take prerequisite classes for at least 1-2 years

Also, while there are obviously sequenced classes in math, there are a lot more sequence options, and it was really easy to get into requested classes. In contrast, other majors were much more sequenced and had classes that would fill up, students in these majors would often have to wait one or two semester to take required classes and at the same time, could not take other classes within the major.

[Anonymous]

1) We had no dates.

2) There are many math prodigies. People who are bad at math don't major in it.

3) It is easy to get classes, because electives are never crowded.

4) Math departments perform a lot of service teaching for other majors. They are happy to get another math major, and don't add unnecessary requirements.

[Anonymous]

Mine will do this. At an Ivy that doesn't take AP, but splits math major into pre reqs (through MVC/linear) and credit requirements. DD was in a magnet and has fulfilled all the pre reqs while in HS. Took a class this fall, so only needs 5 more for the major. Planning on double, possibly triple majoring.

[Anonymous]

Some schools split the major into pre reqs (calc, de, mvc, linear algebra) and course requirements, so if students have math beyond Calc BC in HS, they can test out if the pre reqs with a similar effect to earning credit.