Letter from the Mathematics Department to new students at Rose-Hulman for Fall 2012
Dear New Rose Student,
The mathematics department welcomes you to Rose-Hulman! I am writing to give you advanced information about the mathematics program so that you may read it at your leisure rather than trying to absorb it along with all the other things that will be going on during Orientation week. I'll keep this message short, with just enough information to make sure you get the right start in your first quarter in mathematics at Rose.
Most students will be taking about six mathematics classes, unless you have some AP credits, so you will get to know the math department rather well. All the faculty in the department have come to Rose-Hulman because they are dedicated teachers and scholars who enjoy working with undergraduate students both in the classroom, as well as a casual chat in the office or hallway. If you have any questions about Rose-Hulman or the mathematics courses, I or your math professor would be more than happy to get you the information or direct you the right person to talk to.
Advanced placement credit and your first math class You will be pre-registered into a mathematics class. Which class you are registered for will depend on your AP credits, whether you had high school calculus, and your math SAT score. This pre-registration is designed to put you in the most appropriate class based on information you have supplied in the admission process.
- No credits -> Calculus I
If you did not have high school calculus, or had a lower math SAT there are special sections of MA111 in which you have been automatically registered.
- AP Calculus AB score of 4 or 5 or similar college transfer credit -> Calculus II
- AP Calculus BC score of 4 or 5 or similar college transfer credit -> Calculus III
- Fast Track Calculus or RHAMP credit or similar combination of AP and college credit -> MA211 or MA212 depending on major.
During orientation week.
- If you wish to test out of math classes, you must make an appointment for test out during with the department head, in advance of orientation week. See: this webpage
http://www.rose-hulman.edu/math/programs/AP.php
- If you have questions or unevaluated transfer credit, please attend the transfer credit evaluation session in the schedule (11:30-12:30 Monday).
- After school starts you will not be allowed to test out of your first math class.
If you feel you have been placed in the wrong math class please talk to your instructor, adviser, or me immediately.
Academic expectations and pre-calculus testing Every student at Rose-Hulman is expected to have mastered high school algebra, trigonometry and pre-calculus material upon entering Rose-Hulman. Mastery of this material is key to success in college mathematics. We will test precalculus mastery in two ways:
- All incoming freshmen students will complete a pre-calculus diagnostic test. The results of this test will be available to the student and the student's instructor. The result of this test does not affect which class you will be placed in but is advisory. Please take the test seriously and discuss with your professor if you do poorly. The test is on Wednesday morning.
- Students in Calculus I will be expected to pass the pre-calculus gateway exam with a high level of proficiency. For more details on academic expectations and the pre-calculus exam see. http://www.rose-hulman.edu/math/IPPublic/StudentExpectations.php
Using AP credits for minors and double majors Typically, 40% or more of the graduating class use freed up time created by their AP credits and their electives to obtain a technical minor, humanities minor, multidisciplinary minor, or a double major. The math department has more second majors than any other department, offers three minors – mathematics, statistics and computational science – and participates in the imaging multidisciplinary minor and the Computational Science second major. For more information about mathematics programs, see:
Mathematics competitions Many Rose students have an interest in mathematics competitions and Rose has a strong performance record. We invite all freshmen to participate in the Alfred Schmidt Freshman Mathematics Competition tentatively scheduled for the evening of Tuesday, September 17 at 7:00 P.M. This competition is used to recruit new members for other mathematics competitions teams throughout the year: Virginia Tech Regional Competition (Oct. or Nov.), Putnam Competition (Dec.), Mathematical Contest in Modeling (Feb.), and the Indiana College Mathematics Competition. For more information speak to your mathematics instructor or see: http://www.rose-hulman.edu/math/competitions/competitions.php
S. Allen Broughton
Professor and Head of Mathematics
brought@rose-hulman.edu
S. Allen Broughton
Professor and Head of Mathematics
