Do the math: too much calculus? (2012)

Another issue this brings up is it causes a larger gap to form between trigonometry and calculus 2. Where memorization of hundreds of trig identities builds on top of the identities learned in trig. If a student takes Trig -> pre-calc->AP calc -> Calc 1 -> Calc 2 They will have a much harder time in Calc 2. That is what happened to me. I had to take Calc 2 a couple times before I got it sorted out.

http://www.ansep.net/programmatic-outcomes/statistical-data

I think the answer is to get more qualified teachers in the schools teaching the AP level classes. There is a program in Alaska called ANSEP (Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program) who have this figured out. Middle school students who enter the program come to the university during the summer time and take math classes from university professors. Many of the students are completely finished with their math track (for engineering programs) before they start university their freshmen year. These kids are all the way through partial differential equations at 17.

The graduation rate for ANSEP students who enter engineering programs is around double the national average. There are many other important aspects to it. Including mandatory study sessions and living with other students who are also taking the same classes. Students are also given well paid internships in the industry during the summer time. When looked at as a whole, there is no doubt that they have figured out a far more effective means for getting students through STEM programs and jobs once they graduate.

Full Disclosure: I am good friends with a few of the people running this program.

1) If a class is way over your head the university is wasting money having you there.

2) Having stragglers in the class that are far behind slows down the whole class.

3) Every seat that is filled with a student who is not ready for the class is a seat that can't be filled with a student who could actually pass it.

Where are you getting that from? Are you just dividing the tuition revenue by the university's budget? Because the university is there for a lot more than educating undergrads.

The connections to geometry, general systems thinking, formal math methods, and countless applications of linear algebra are just the kind of thing students need to get them interested in learning more math.

Anyone interested in LA an its applications should check out my upcoming book, the No bullshit guide to linear algebra availale on pre-order here https://gum.co/noBSLA (it's almost finished; just beefing up the problem sections).

It's the same experience for my kids that I recall from my time. Industry can pay more, and outside the rare person who has come to teaching to give back, the instructors are those who can't.

Even when I was at Cal Poly, the only instructors in eng/sci who I recall being helpful were those from JPI that would come in and teach a class or two. One taught us three classes worth of material in course when he realized how much we had missed from our previous instructors.