Butler University

Thank you all for your great input and suggestions!  It's good to know that I have a couple of options!  I'm lucky to live in an area surrounded by great colleges - Colgate, Hamilton, Syracuse, SUNY, etc. are all 1/2 hour drive or less so I'm hoping to find a calculus or gen ed class that will fit into my work schedule next summer.  I probably can't get a pharm tech job as I won't turn 18 til August and the big chains have liability concerns, but hoping maybe a pharm clerk position will help me get more exposure.  Testing out of calculus doesn't seem possible as I would have had to accelerate in math 5 years ago since we're on block scheduling here.  But I'll make sure to run it by someone - admissions? pre-pharm advisor? - before I sign up for anything!

I don't know if any of you had to take the PCAT, as I will, but it seems like taking at least one session of OChem during the summer is the only way I'd be prepared to take the test early in my sophmore year.  (I think it's offered in August and October but no time to look it up right now.)  Would they let me take it again as a full semester course so I'm really ready to understand Ochem II, or do you have to use transfer credits?  I'm a little concerned that we have to get a minimum 55% composite and a 50% in each PCAT section to stay in the program, so might have to take the test more than once with only 1 year of college!  Yikes!  BTW, this is the highest score requirement of any of the colleges I'm applying to (the others are 25-30% composite and similar or lower gpa) so it's definitely one factor in my decision.

Christina, thanks for mentioning the writing lab.  That sounds like a great thing!  Is that your job there? Writing is usually my strongpoint but I know that most "science kids" struggle with it. I would definitely like to have another pair of eyes on my essays!  Do they do any work in the community, like literacy things with elementary/high school kids?

In regard to math what higher math is it?

If you've taken AP calculus as a senior in high school is it easier when u start taking it ur freshman year?

Hey Gabbie! Yeah, the Writer's Studio is awesome : ) It is one of my campus jobs, too, which is really nice for me.  It's not just English majors that work there though... we definitely have people like you that are majoring in something like science or business or even ballet but just have a talent for writing and tutoring.  It's a great service that I recommend for everyone at BU. 

 The Writer's Studio tutors don't do work in the community, but that is definitely something you can find in Indianapolis.  For example, I used to work at an inner city high school as a tutor (which I absolutely loved), and Butler has several clubs that volunteer with local school kids - College Mentors for Kids, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Juntos, etc.  As far as literacy goes, that is my sorority's philanthropy, so we do a program called Champions Are Readers where we go to elementary schools and read with the kids once a week - also lots of fun.  If you are interested in volunteering, Butler is a really great place to be, because we have so many ties with the Indy community and service is a priority for many of the clubs at BU.

Hey,

I can't directly answer your question, because I haven't taken Calc at Butler, although I would think the answer would definitely be yes, because more preparation always helps in college!

However, one thing to think about is that if you do well on the AP test you can potentially "test out" of Calculus at Butler with your AP credit.  At least, that was my experience... my calculus credit from the AP test for BC Calc counted for my core curriculum here at BU.

coley19:

If you've taken AP calculus as a senior in high school is it easier when u start taking it ur freshman year?

Yes, definitely! And that also goes for any AP class you take in high school. The more background you have in a subject the better. You'll find that you'll have already seen some of the material, so you don't have to study as much, and that's always a bonus!