VA Tech Engineering - math level expected?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Highest they can do at their HS.

+1.
(For context, some rural VA school systems in SW VA do not offer Calculus at high school, so they can’t easily require Calculus of those students.)

The key is what is needed for admissions and what is needed if you are accepted in preparation for the degree. So students should take the highest and hardest math offered (admissions) and if accepted then it's going to be important to be prepared for the degree - it likely means taking a math placement test and working toward math prep for the degree requirements with the knowledge you could be take longer in your degree sequence.

+1. Take what you can to prep for the rigor of the degree. People who wash out feel like they're drowning and that everyone else was more prepared from HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Math tracking is done in 6th grade, to take algebra in 7th. I do think a kid should take calc bc if offered (rather than just ab). But I really can’t imagine that kids who take it in 11th are given a significant boost. That would be so silly to say that you can’t go into engineering based on decisions made in elementary school.

In our Central MD district, advanced math students don’t take algebra I until 8th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do high schools offer so much college math? It seems like it hurts almost all of their students.

It helps, not hurts.
Gaming college admissions by avoiding education just postpones the inevitable failure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do high schools offer so much college math? It seems like it hurts almost all of their students.

+1

Race to nowhere.

[Anonymous]

My kid got in without high school calculus, but 1) we are from out of state—like really far out of state 2) it was COVID. He struggled. It’s hard. But DC is doing great and loves VT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS is a Junior and will be applying to VA Tech next year (computer science) He is taking AP Pre Calculus now and will be taking Calculus in his senior year. Will VA Tech want to see Calculus completed (with a grade) before he applies?

No point in taking AP precalculus if you are taking AP calculus in senior year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS is a Junior and will be applying to VA Tech next year (computer science) He is taking AP Pre Calculus now and will be taking Calculus in his senior year. Will VA Tech want to see Calculus completed (with a grade) before he applies?

No point in taking AP precalculus if you are taking AP calculus in senior year

At our high school, AP Precalc is a prerequisite for AP Calc.

[Anonymous]

AP Precalc isn't really a thing -- there is no AP Test. The high school are inventing this class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do high schools offer so much college math? It seems like it hurts almost all of their students.

How? You don't have to take the highest levels offered. For people going into engineering or math or even business/finance, it can be helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AP Precalc isn't really a thing -- there is no AP Test. The high school are inventing this class.

Please check the College Board web site.

[Anonymous]

Take the highest level math they can do well in. If the foundation isn’t strong, retake calculus at VT.
Many kids do. One friend had poorly taught IB math in HS, but still found it helpful when they took non-engineering calculus. The engineering calculus is more advanced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Highest they can do at their HS.

No. The expectation is Calculus, if offered. Higher level classes, e.g., differential equations and linear algebra, are a bonus, not an expectation.

+1 the kids from our private school who go to VA Tech are not in the highest math courses, but they all took an AP calc (AB or BC).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AP Precalc isn't really a thing -- there is no AP Test. The high school are inventing this class.

AP precalc is new this year, and it does have an AP exam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do high schools offer so much college math? It seems like it hurts almost all of their students.

Why does it "hurt their students"? My one kid breezed thru AP Calc AB (junior) and took BC senior year. First time math was even remotely difficult (not a 99%+) was BC. They could have gone 3 years advanced in math, except we moved the year that transition would occur and we felt it was important for social and academic adjustment to keep them "2 years ahead" in math.
Same kid breezed thru Calc 3&4 in college freshman year. Freeing up 2 extra Classes they can take towards their minor in CS to go along with their ENg major. So now they can get a Eng major and CS minor, study abroad for a semester and graduate in 4 years.

For them, they would have been bored in regular level math---they were basically bored with the 2 year ahead. Why would you hold them back?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Highest they can do at their HS.

No. The expectation is Calculus, if offered. Higher level classes, e.g., differential equations and linear algebra, are a bonus, not an expectation.

+1 the kids from our private school who go to VA Tech are not in the highest math courses, but they all took an AP calc (AB or BC).

DP. At many schools, those *are* the highest math classes.