My DS has finished up his application and was just emailed by his RC asking about his math background. He did not take pre-calc due to scheduling problems (and the school does not offer trig - it is rolled up into pre-calc). He is in statistics instead. Apparently his file will be sent forward but has to get judged by the math dept. at West Point. Does anyone know if stats instead of pre-calc will end this process for him?
It will not end it for him solely on that basis, but it will make it
much more difficult. USMA math is rigorous; there is no option for a watered down calculus course for non-STEM majors. Philosophy majors take the same course as Mechanical Engineering majors. The standard math program is Math Modeling, Calculus I, Calculus II.
Pre-calculus is a prerequisite for Math Modeling, but many will have had some calculus. Those with a full year of calculus and excellent math skills may apply for an advanced sequence referred to as "Jedi" math. Those without pre-calculus or with weak math skills will start with pre-calculus, which will not count towards graduation credits - they will lose an elective. Cadets who start the math sequence with pre-calculus often have some other criteria affecting their candidacy - recruited athlete, enlisted soldier, minority - or are extraordinary in some other area. The silver lining is that if he is a strong candidate, but is found unqualified academically due to math, he may be offered prep school.
