My daughter's friend who is a rising 8th grader is in Multivariable calculus camp, WTF?

[Anonymous]

https://cty.jhu.edu/programs/online/courses/multivariable-calculus-mvc

$1500 for something you can get for free on Khan Academy

[Anonymous]

Here's a prestigious camp that offers a 1-week multivariable calculus class and a 2 week complex analysis class. But the punchline is that it specifically promotes itself as not having Calc BC as a prereq, because it's only covering the minimum basics to get a peek at complex number calculus.

It's not a complete foundation for an undergrad math or engineering degree.

https://www.mathcamp.org/files/yearly/2023/academics/4WeekSchedule.pdf

[Anonymous]

My DD's friend performed in a Shakespeare play in middle school. That's something usually adults do!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can go pretty fast if you rush and skip a lot of breadth and depth. Calculus is only one part of mathematics.

Especially young kids who don't have a lot of other advanced classes to compete with math.

What's more impressive, an 8th grader in MV Calc, or an 11th grader acing 7AP classes?

7 years later, OP's DD's friend is now a college sophomore, so we can ask her about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's a prestigious camp that offers a 1-week multivariable calculus class and a 2 week complex analysis class. But the punchline is that it specifically promotes itself as not having Calc BC as a prereq, because it's only covering the minimum basics to get a peek at complex number calculus.

It's not a complete foundation for an undergrad math or engineering degree.

https://www.mathcamp.org/files/yearly/2023/academics/4WeekSchedule.pdf

They don’t seem too useful, MVC in 4 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what? I know a few kids who passed AP calculus in middle school and now in HS are completely burned out.

How do you pass AP calculus in middle school? Middle schools don't offer AP calculus.

You don’t have to take the class to take the test.

[Anonymous]

Gah…2017!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can go pretty fast if you rush and skip a lot of breadth and depth. Calculus is only one part of mathematics.

Especially young kids who don't have a lot of other advanced classes to compete with math.

What's more impressive, an 8th grader in MV Calc, or an 11th grader acing 7AP classes?

I’d still think the MVC kid in 8th is more impressive, presumably he already mastered AP Calculus and possibly Statistics, and has years ahead to grind through the AP curriculum.

AP classes vary quite a bit in their rigor, AP Human Geography and Environmental Science anyone?

It’s also possible the kid just took a camp class showing Gauss theorem, apply it to a sphere and call it multivariable calculus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It's so annoying when jealous or ignorant people presume a child has been pressured into advanced academic subjects.

The cultural zeitgeist right now is to hate those who work hard to get ahead, viewing it almost as cheating, but at the same time praising the kids who need performance-enhancing meth analogues to achieve pass a test.

And we wonder why society has a drug problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is it possible for a 13 year old to be in a multivariable calculus camp? What would be the point of even trying to push your kid ahead this far?

Some people just like math. MV Calculus at 13 is not really as advanced as you think. Certainly within reason for a gifted math student.

Hope they are enjoying the journey.

[Anonymous]

I mean, I went to MIT. I had multiple friends under the age of 18 and a PhD student in my chemical engineering lab was barely 18 with 2 Grammys (yes, actual Grammys).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is it possible for a 13 year old to be in a multivariable calculus camp? What would be the point of even trying to push your kid ahead this far?

Some people just like math. MV Calculus at 13 is not really as advanced as you think. Certainly within reason for a gifted math student.

Hope they are enjoying the journey.

You don’t know if it’s really MVC, or how deep the understanding is. MVC at 13 is definitely advanced, about 6 years ahead of current grade, maybe something like Algebra in 3rd, but it’s harder for more advanced courses.

To be that advanced it is impossible without a massive support from the parents or tutors, which is not necessarily a bad thing, if we’re fine with parents teaching their kids how to read we should be fine with them teaching Calculus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is it possible for a 13 year old to be in a multivariable calculus camp? What would be the point of even trying to push your kid ahead this far?

Some people just like math. MV Calculus at 13 is not really as advanced as you think. Certainly within reason for a gifted math student.

Hope they are enjoying the journey.

You don’t know if it’s really MVC, or how deep the understanding is. MVC at 13 is definitely advanced, about 6 years ahead of current grade, maybe something like Algebra in 3rd, but it’s harder for more advanced courses.

To be that advanced it is impossible without a massive support from the parents or tutors, which is not necessarily a bad thing, if we’re fine with parents teaching their kids how to read we should be fine with them teaching Calculus.

Not really. My parents bought me a Cyclo-Teacher product from World Book Encyclopedia back in the 60s. I enjoyed math and taught myself Calculus in 8th grade using the product. No tutors or parental help.

[Anonymous]

Super friendly introduction to calculus to get you ready for camp https://calculusmadeeasy.org/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Super friendly introduction to calculus to get you ready for camp https://calculusmadeeasy.org/

If that’s the calculus the kid took as a prerequisite for MVC camp, he doesn’t know either calculus or multivariable.