Math Course Validation

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David10101

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If I were to validate calc 1, 2, and 3, would I still have to take any math classes at USNA?
 
David10101 said:
If I were to validate calc 1, 2, and 3, would I still have to take any math classes at USNA?
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It depends on what major you want. Engineer? Absolutely - at minimum you will need differential equations and maybe linear.
 
moho said:
It depends on what major you want. Engineer? Absolutely - at minimum you will need differential equations and maybe linear.
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I am interested in chemistry, computer science, and cyber operation majors right now. I heard you have to take two math classes at the academy regardless of how much math you validate. Is that true for those majors?
 
As noted above, over to you for legwork at the primary source. Start at the link below, which also includes Majors Handbook link.

www.usna.edu

Course Catalog

Course Catalog page for Academics at USNA.edu. Updated Tue Sep 05 07:55:06 EDT 2023.
www.usna.edu

And:

www.usna.edu

USNA Course Validation Policy

Course Validation Policy page for Academics at USNA.edu. Updated Tue Sep 05 07:55:06 EDT 2023.
www.usna.edu
 
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FutureAcademyDad? said:
Do a Google search for "USNA Course Catalog".

Then read it.
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It doesn't say whether or not midshipmen have to take at least a number of math classes. My question is if I will have to take any math classes at USNA even if I were to validate all the required math classes for my major in plebe summer.
 
David10101 said:
It doesn't say whether or not midshipmen have to take at least a number of math classes. My question is if I will have to take any math classes at USNA even if I were to validate all the required math classes for my major in plebe summer.
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If you validated the requirements then no. For non engineering majors stats was required after calc while I was there but I believe that’s been changed to data science.
 
David10101 said:
It doesn't say whether or not midshipmen have to take at least a number of math classes. My question is if I will have to take any math classes at USNA even if I were to validate all the required math classes for my major in plebe summer.
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Keep digging at the primary source links provided. Explore all the sub links in the Course Catalog. The Majors Handbook describes core course requirements for all midshipmen, as well as for specific majors. If you still have questions you can call individual departments and ask.

Once at USNA, you wil have an academic advisor to help you navigate. You’ll get plenty of briefs on majors, as well as be able to talk to upperclass about their majors. Your what if questions will all be resolved, and you will be far too busy learning how to be a good plebe to spend much time thinking about it.
 
Capt MJ said:
As noted above, over to you for legwork at the primary source. Start at the link below, which also includes Majors Handbook link.

www.usna.edu

Course Catalog

Course Catalog page for Academics at USNA.edu. Updated Tue Sep 05 07:55:06 EDT 2023.
www.usna.edu

And:

www.usna.edu

USNA Course Validation Policy

Course Validation Policy page for Academics at USNA.edu. Updated Tue Sep 05 07:55:06 EDT 2023.
www.usna.edu
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I see the course matrix for each major: calc 3 and diff eq is listed for the 3rd class year, but not in the course requirements list for the major. I know calc 3 is required, but do you know if that mean diff eq is required?
 
David10101 said:
It doesn't say whether or not midshipmen have to take at least a number of math classes. My question is if I will have to take any math classes at USNA even if I were to validate all the required math classes for my major in plebe summer.
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mine is a 2C next fall - she has to take some kind of math class in the fall and she is a history major, arabic minor. she has already completed cal 1, 2, 3.
 
David10101 said:
I see the course matrix for each major: calc 3 and diff eq is listed for the 3rd class year, but not in the course requirements list for the major. I know calc 3 is required, but do you know if that mean diff eq is required?
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Group 1 and 2 (if I remember right) take diff equations. A more recent grad can confirm.
 
David10101 said:
I am interested in chemistry, computer science, and cyber operation majors right now. I heard you have to take two math classes at the academy regardless of how much math you validate. Is that true for those majors?
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There's quite a bit of math in CS, it's just not obvious from the course titles or descriptions in the catalog. The only math course is discrete math and probability, but it can deceive you into thinking that's the only math class.

Data structures, algorithms, programming languages, and "theory of computing" don't sound very math-y, but they are. It's also the weird kind of math where there's no numbers for the most part.

Some electives on topics like data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, computer graphics, cryptography and security, and modeling and simulation will also involve quite a bit of math.

If that's not what you expected from CS, you might want to look at the IT or Cyber Operations major instead.

If you would actually enjoy having more math but want to apply it with a little bit of programming, the new Data Science major might be for you.

As a data point, I validated the initial courses and no one forced me to meet a course count for math, but that was a while ago. I took a math class because it was required for my major, not because I didn't meet some requirement.
 
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Good luck validating Vector Calc 3 … I doubt most would be able to pass the Calc 2 Validation exam as well.

Download all the practice material that you can and start practicing …
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Dr. Strange Love said:
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Good luck validating Vector Calc 3 … I doubt most would be able to pass the Calc 2 Validation exam as well.

Download all the practice material that you can and start practicing …
.
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My son was placed in Calc 3 without validating anything.

There were plenty of students that validated Calc 2.
 
A1Janitor said:
My son was placed in Calc 3 without validating anything.

There were plenty of students that validated Calc 2.
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Should’ve added … it only applies to less than “walks on water” …
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Mine was allowed to validate Calc 2 just based on taking the AP Calc BC exam. But I don't know how you would validate Calc III. I guess maybe they have a validation test for it plebe summer that most kids just don't take? I don't know if they'd accept a grade at another college for it.
 
For those Midshipmen. (USNA or NROTC), the types of math and STEM classes you take affects your potential Academic Profile Code if you decide to pursue Naval Postgraduate School. So be careful trying to avoid math PR physics or chemistry classes all together because it can come back to bite you at graduate school time.

I've attached the NPS APC guide for anyone who has no idea what I am talking about.
 

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mld99 said:
Mine was allowed to validate Calc 2 just based on taking the AP Calc BC exam. But I don't know how you would validate Calc III. I guess maybe they have a validation test for it plebe summer that most kids just don't take? I don't know if they'd accept a grade at another college for it.
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Calc III is multivariable calculus which isn't widely taught in high school. It's beyond the scope of the AP Calc BC curriculum. My math geek oldest son had to take it on-line through Stanford during his senior year of HS.
 
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