Requesting Help on Applying Instrumental Rationality
I’m faced with a dilemma and need a big dose of instrumental rationality. I’ll describe the situation:
I’m entering my first semester of college this fall. I’m aiming to graduate in 3-4 years with a Mathematics B.S. In order for my course progression to go smoothly, I need to take Calculus I Honors this fall and Calc II in the spring. These two courses serve as a prerequisite bottleneck. They prevent me from taking higher level math courses.
My SAT scores have exempted me from all placement tests, including the math. But without taking a placement test, the highest any math SAT score can place me into is Pre-Calculus I Honors, which is one level below what I want to take in the fall.
So in order to take Calc I H in the fall, I either need to:
(1) Score high enough on a College-Level Math placement test or
(2) Take Pre-Calculus I H for 9 weeks this summer
I’ve taken both precalc and calc in highschool. I’ve also been studying precalc material over the past few days, relearning a lot of what I’ve either forgotten or wasn’t taught in class. If I decide to take the test, I’m pretty confident I’ll place into Calc I. If I pass the test, I’ll save 9 weeks of studying in the summer and use them to prepare for classes I’ll be taking in the fall.
But if I decide to forgo the test and take Precalc this summer, I’m also pretty confident I’ll do very well in the class. I’d wager above a 90%. The class would ensure I’ve got the material down better than the placement test, likely give me a great first grade, and would also give me my first six credits. (It’s six credits because it combines precalc I and II.)
How can I best decide between these two options? Are there any other relevant factors that I’m leaving out? Etc.
Edit: On second though, maybe this would be better for it’s own discussion post.
You could take the placement test, and then start studying calculus in the summer (perhaps this is what you meant by “prepare for classes I’ll be taking in the fall”), reviewing specific precalc topics as needed when and if your calculus book seems to assume prior knowledge that you don’t have.
Requesting Help on Applying Instrumental Rationality
I’m faced with a dilemma and need a big dose of instrumental rationality. I’ll describe the situation:
I’m entering my first semester of college this fall. I’m aiming to graduate in 3-4 years with a Mathematics B.S. In order for my course progression to go smoothly, I need to take Calculus I Honors this fall and Calc II in the spring. These two courses serve as a prerequisite bottleneck. They prevent me from taking higher level math courses.
My SAT scores have exempted me from all placement tests, including the math. But without taking a placement test, the highest any math SAT score can place me into is Pre-Calculus I Honors, which is one level below what I want to take in the fall.
So in order to take Calc I H in the fall, I either need to:
(1) Score high enough on a College-Level Math placement test or
(2) Take Pre-Calculus I H for 9 weeks this summer
I’ve taken both precalc and calc in highschool. I’ve also been studying precalc material over the past few days, relearning a lot of what I’ve either forgotten or wasn’t taught in class. If I decide to take the test, I’m pretty confident I’ll place into Calc I. If I pass the test, I’ll save 9 weeks of studying in the summer and use them to prepare for classes I’ll be taking in the fall.
But if I decide to forgo the test and take Precalc this summer, I’m also pretty confident I’ll do very well in the class. I’d wager above a 90%. The class would ensure I’ve got the material down better than the placement test, likely give me a great first grade, and would also give me my first six credits. (It’s six credits because it combines precalc I and II.)
How can I best decide between these two options? Are there any other relevant factors that I’m leaving out? Etc.
Edit: On second though, maybe this would be better for it’s own discussion post.
You could take the placement test, and then start studying calculus in the summer (perhaps this is what you meant by “prepare for classes I’ll be taking in the fall”), reviewing specific precalc topics as needed when and if your calculus book seems to assume prior knowledge that you don’t have.