And am just looking at the courses and some of the reviews people have left for the courses, and I am just wondering if I can take math given that i did not take the calculus course. It says you advanced functions is good enough, but some friends of mine who are in first year were not allowed to take math with just advanced functions.

It depends on which math course you want to take. Generally you can take many of the math courses I think, but some of the math courses require you to have taken another math course first (e.g. to take 1A03 you must have taken 1AA3) or requires co-registration (e.g. 1C03 requires you to have a credit or be registered in 1B03).

Which grade 12 math did you take...just advanced functions? You wouldn't be able to take Math 1B03 (Linear Algebra) from what I can see, but you can still take Calc (Math 1A03).

Check the undergraduate calendar prerequisites to see which courses you can take. http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /CALEN...nt/pg1881.html

Dont come to McMaster if you value your education.

Look into schools on the east coast, Acadia University, Memorial University, any small school. Also look for the description listing them as "primarily undergraduate". After two years there, sure, transfer to Mac.

The first two years will be all the same courses, but at really small universities, especially east coast universities, the quality of education is about 10 tens better. In first year instead of having 900 classmates you have 50. There is a lot more interaction with professors and better access to resources since you arent fighting with a thousand other people.

After that, sure, transfer to Mac or any bigger school because you will find a greater diversity of upper year courses, research experiences, ect. But dont waste the first two years at a big university, you will waste all your time trying to learn instead of spending your time successfully learning.

Wait until third year, then transfer.

Originally Posted by Rossclot

Dont come to McMaster if you value your education.

Look into schools on the east coast, Acadia University, Memorial University, any small school. Also look for the description listing them as "primarily undergraduate". After two years there, sure, transfer to Mac.

The first two years will be all the same courses, but at really small universities, especially east coast universities, the quality of education is about 10 tens better. In first year instead of having 900 classmates you have 50. There is a lot more interaction with professors and better access to resources since you arent fighting with a thousand other people.

After that, sure, transfer to Mac or any bigger school because you will find a greater diversity of upper year courses, research experiences, ect. But dont waste the first two years at a big university, you will waste all your time trying to learn instead of spending your time successfully learning.

Wait until third year, then transfer.

small classes will give you more interaction with your profs, but at the same time, you won't know how to survive at a real university.

Originally Posted by Rossclot

Dont come to McMaster if you value your education.

Look into schools on the east coast, Acadia University, Memorial University, any small school. Also look for the description listing them as "primarily undergraduate". After two years there, sure, transfer to Mac.

The first two years will be all the same courses, but at really small universities, especially east coast universities, the quality of education is about 10 tens better. In first year instead of having 900 classmates you have 50. There is a lot more interaction with professors and better access to resources since you arent fighting with a thousand other people.

After that, sure, transfer to Mac or any bigger school because you will find a greater diversity of upper year courses, research experiences, ect. But dont waste the first two years at a big university, you will waste all your time trying to learn instead of spending your time successfully learning.

Wait until third year, then transfer.

And when you count in out of province costs, travel costs, etc you'll find that you're paying way more for that education. You'll also be lacking in relationships with profs; which is very important when you want to start working on a thesis or getting experience in a lab. The narrower range of courses also hurts, and you'll have to spend more time developing a new support network of friends.

And lets be honest, for most of the courses for first and second year, the prof is less important than you're own work habits. Everything you need to learn is easily available from a textbook or online- talking to them outside of lecture isn't needed. In third year when courses start getting more specific and focused on current research I'd imagine that changing a bit, but that's when class sizes also decrease.

Originally Posted by Rossclot

Dont come to McMaster if you value your education.

I'm pretty sure most students that go to Mac value their education. You're giving a prospective student a bad idea about the university, or at least it can be mistaken for that. In their post, they are asking about courses, not which university they should go to (discussion title is "Hey im planning to attend Mac next year").

Anyway, as mentioned, it really depends on which math course you're planning to take. There are math courses you would be eligible to take, even if you only plan on taking Advanced Functions in high school. You can always take an introductory level math, then if you want to take a higher level math, you can always do that after. But yeah, check the undergraduate calendar that nh99 provided. It will contain a lot of useful information.

mac is awesome! who are you kidding?

okay yes its difficult you really do have to work hard, if you can keep it together you can do well, some do well more than others cuz they are naturally smart.... Im still struggling to well but hopefully I can get there and bring that GPA up

Originally Posted by Rossclot

Dont come to McMaster if you value your education.

Look into schools on the east coast, Acadia University, Memorial University, any small school. Also look for the description listing them as "primarily undergraduate". After two years there, sure, transfer to Mac.

The first two years will be all the same courses, but at really small universities, especially east coast universities, the quality of education is about 10 tens better. In first year instead of having 900 classmates you have 50. There is a lot more interaction with professors and better access to resources since you arent fighting with a thousand other people.

After that, sure, transfer to Mac or any bigger school because you will find a greater diversity of upper year courses, research experiences, ect. But dont waste the first two years at a big university, you will waste all your time trying to learn instead of spending your time successfully learning.

Wait until third year, then transfer.

you may have classes with <30 people. No TAs (ugh tired of mumbling pointless tutorials). the prof will teach in a classroom. and grade all your assignments. If this sounds good to you, give the east a try.

Originally Posted by Rossclot

Dont come to McMaster if you value your education.

Look into schools on the east coast, Acadia University, Memorial University, any small school. Also look for the description listing them as "primarily undergraduate". After two years there, sure, transfer to Mac.

The first two years will be all the same courses, but at really small universities, especially east coast universities, the quality of education is about 10 tens better. In first year instead of having 900 classmates you have 50. There is a lot more interaction with professors and better access to resources since you arent fighting with a thousand other people.

After that, sure, transfer to Mac or any bigger school because you will find a greater diversity of upper year courses, research experiences, ect. But dont waste the first two years at a big university, you will waste all your time trying to learn instead of spending your time successfully learning.

Wait until third year, then transfer.

If you don't like McMaster that much... why are you posting here exactly? McMaster is just fine in terms of class sizes and prof interaction, my classes are much much smaller in second year compared to 1st. First year, you have to make your own effort to approach your professors and that's what's important.

Alright thanks for the response, and I think Mcmaster is a very nice school, I would like to stay in Ontario, and choose mcmaster largely because i like the way its set up. I was considering UFT and Queens but, I didn't like how Queens was setup. I just think Mcmaster is nice.


Another question, for my top marks that the university bases my acceptance on, Does Advanced Functions need to be included for me to be able to take the math course or does just taking it mean you can take math at uni.

Originally Posted by theexe2

Alright thanks for the response, and I think Mcmaster is a very nice school, I would like to stay in Ontario, and choose mcmaster largely because i like the way its set up. I was considering UFT and Queens but, I didn't like how Queens was setup. I just think Mcmaster is nice.


Another question, for my top marks that the university bases my acceptance on, Does Advanced Functions need to be included for me to be able to take the math course or does just taking it mean you can take math at uni.

90% sure that you don't need to include Advanced Functions in your top six in order to take uni math. Most unis though ask a minimum mark in every class. don't know what mac's is, but i remember waterloo asked for at least a 70 in every class.

The top six marks are decided my which program you are applying for.

Hey there! I want to personally welcome you to MacInsiders. McMaster is definitely a great choice.

Can you provide more details into what program you're hoping to get into? We can then help further direct you. I know that there is a math course that exists which does not require calculus for Humanities students, and there's also a recap type course incase you needed calc but didn't take it. All depends on the program what the requirements are. Some courses require a University-level Math, some specifically say Advanced Functions is ok, while others say Calculus is required.

I am applying to Kinesiology. But I am also applying to social science.

So im just wondering that if I don't get into Kinesiology, and I get accepted to social science then my advanced functions wont be counted into my top 6.

But I want to take math in university, and the website where it shows the different math courses all say you need advanced functions or calculus, and im just wondering if it needs to be in my top 6 for me to take or just having taken it will be enough.

thanks.

Just having taken the course will be enough if you get into the program of your choice. Even if Advanced Functions is not in your top six, you'll still be allowed to take the calculus & vectors (1F03) course.

Originally Posted by theexe2

And am just looking at the courses and some of the reviews people have left for the courses, and I am just wondering if I can take math given that i did not take the calculus course. It says you advanced functions is good enough, but some friends of mine who are in first year were not allowed to take math with just advanced functions.

McMaster has quite a few introductory calculus courses on offer.

MATH 1K03 is an introduction to calculus for non-science, non-engineering majors if you have not taken Advanced Functions.

MATH 1F03 is the course you'd be taking if you do not have a credit in Calculus & Vectors. It's basically the Calculus & Vectors 4U course, so as long as you have Advanced Functions you should do fine.

Then, if you get into kinesiology:

MATH 1A03 / 1X03 is the standard Calculus I course for Science. The 1X03 course is just there to separate the Maths & Stats majors from the other majors. It requires grade 12 calculus (as far as I know). Even if it didn't, I would recommend it out of personal experience as the course covers the grade 12 calculus material (limits and differentiation) very, very quickly before applying the concepts to other new concepts like integration.

If you are applying to one of the biological science programs, then you will have the choice to take MATH 1LS3. I'm not in this course, but it's supposed to be a calculus course (equivalent to 1A03, apparently) that is specifically geared towards students in the biological sciences.
Note that you'll need at least a 10 on the McMaster scale (an A- or low 80) in this class if you want to take MATH 1AA3.
or for social science:

MATH 1M03 is for non-science, non-engineering students and is somewhat similar in position to MATH 1A03 is to science.

Math would be helpful in any major, so you should take the 1F03 course before (perhaps) heading to either the 1A03 or 1LS3 course (if 1LS3 is for kin students, I don't know). You might find yourself suddenly more attracted to maths and end up taking 1AA3, 1B03, and soon, second year courses!

Does that mean I can only take 1 math course in first term because of only having advanced functions? that would be lame!

but also, say i got accepted to social science and not kin. That would mean advanced functions would not be on my marks mac considers to accept. Does that matter? or do i need it to be in my top marks in order to take math.