Should I take Calculus?

[Pauulinaaa]

Hello this is my first time posting so I apologize if this is the wrong thread. So currently I am in my first year at a college with no nrotc so right now my plan is to apply to ocs when the time comes. Some officer recruiters came to our school and recommended that I take calculus and I was just wondering how much this would help me in the long run because I am not really a math person and would hate to kill my gpa.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Hello this is my first time posting so I apologize if this is the wrong thread. So currently I am in my first year at a college with nrotc so right now my plan is to apply to docs when the time comes. Some officer recruiters came to our school and recommended that I take calculus and I was just wondering how much this would help me in the long run because I am not really a math person and would hate to kill my gpa.

I’m confused, are you wanting to walk on to an NROTC program and try for a scholarship or go the OCS route?

If the answer is the former, talk to the local NROTC unit.

If the answer is the latter, many OCS programs have academic/degree requirements but not all. SWO and aviation only require a four year bachelors degree. You can find more info about both these programs on the internet.

 

[Pauulinaaa]

Sorry meant to put no nrotc unit, and thank you

 

[AllAmerican75]

Hello this is my first time posting so I apologize if this is the wrong thread. So currently I am in my first year at a college with no nrotc so right now my plan is to apply to ocs when the time comes. Some officer recruiters came to our school and recommended that I take calculus and I was just wondering how much this would help me in the long run because I am not really a math person and would hate to kill my gpa.

Is there a calculus for non-STEM majors available? Double check that it will count for your calculus requirement with the Navy, but it may be an option. This is oftentimes called something like "Calculus for Economics" or "Business Calculus."

 

[Mos]

Is there a calculus for non-STEM majors available? Double check that it will count for your calculus requirement with the Navy, but it may be an option. This is oftentimes called something like "Calculus for Economics" or "Business Calculus."

There's a calculus requirement for the Navy? Maybe things changed since I commissioned, because I never took calculus.

 

[AllAmerican75]

There's a calculus requirement for the Navy? Maybe things changed since I commissioned, because I never took calculus.

I know there is for NROTC but I can't remember if there is one for OCS. I never had to worry about it because I was a Mechanical Engineering major and needed calculus anyway.

 

[villo0692]

No calc requirement for OCS

 

[Gatordev]

This is oftentimes called something like "Calculus for Economics" or "Business Calculus."

If I had to do it all over again and I didn't have to do the Calculus requirement for ROTC, I would look into this.

I can't remember how to actually differentiate or integrate anymore, as that skill left a long time ago, but understanding the concept of summation can be helpful in some technical sides of the Navy (and outside in the real world). It's certainly not a requirement, but it might help at understanding concepts at some point.

 

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

Putting the cart wayyyyyyyy before the horse here, but Calculus is a requirement for TPS. And for what its worth, lack of a stem major (or a least minor if I recall) is a deal breaker if you ever have dreams of wearing the orange flight suit (for Grumman at least). Not a requrirement for OCS or flight school. I was a poly sci/history guy whose last math class was college algebra and did just fine. That being said, it may limit your possible career paths way down the line. Food for thought.

 

[Griz882]

I took calculus…twice…but I did pass it at least once!

 

[Anthony2000]

Is there a calculus for non-STEM majors available? Double check that it will count for your calculus requirement with the Navy, but it may be an option. This is oftentimes called something like "Calculus for Economics" or "Business Calculus."

I was a BS In economics. Literally the only thing I did the past 2 years was calculus…

 

[taxi1]

You should do the easiest thing to get the highest grades for the least effort.

Is there a calculus for non-STEM majors available? Double check that it will count for your calculus requirement with the Navy, but it may be an option. This is oftentimes called something like "Calculus for Economics" or "Business Calculus."

At Penn State they have a business calculus course sequence, that my daughter took for her cybersecurity degree. Much less time drilling into the theoretical details of limits and proving that calculus actually is a logically consistent system (just push the "I Believe" button on that) and much more time figuring out what the stuff can do for you. This is how it should be, I think.

 

[Anthony2000]

You should do the easiest thing to get the highest grades for the least effort.

At Penn State they have a business calculus course sequence, that my daughter took for her cybersecurity degree. Much less time drilling into the theoretical details of limits and proving that calculus actually is a logically consistent system (just push the "I Believe" button on that) and much more time figuring out what the stuff can do for you. This is how it should be, I think.

Business calc was a pre req for any business degree/admission into business school. I took it as a freshman and I had juniors/seniors still trying to pass it in my class.

Problem with that was, it wasn’t “math professors” teaching it. It was MBA students teaching the class. For a lot of people it was their first time taking calculus. So the idea behind having an MBA non mathematics professor/MA student teaching it was awful.

 

[taxi1]

Problem with that was, it wasn’t “math professors” teaching it. It was MBA students teaching the class. For a lot of people it was their first time taking calculus. So the idea behind having an MBA non mathematics professor/MA student teaching it was awful.

Well, that blows.

Frankly, a really good book with a copy of the really good solutions manual for all of the problems in the backs of the chapters is 90% of what you need. Or those books with 1000s of worked problems. Just grind through those babies. Get the muscle memory.

 

[Anthony2000]

Well, that blows.

Frankly, a really good book with a copy of the really good solutions manual for all of the problems in the backs of the chapters is 90% of what you need. Or those books with 1000s of worked problems. Just grind through those babies. Get the muscle memory.

View attachment 38022

Exactly, repetition is all you need for calculus. Unfortunately instruction only works from those who truly understand it. An MBA student is not the best option to teach the class…

By my senior year we were taking derivatives, isoquants, tangency conditions… of some very unique variables and equations

Econometrics was probably the most difficult class I took by far. Very good skill to have though