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> Chinese mathematics education is several years ahead My Chinese gf learned how to analyze simple electric circuits (Ohm's law, reading schematics, etc.) in m

> Chinese mathematics education is several years ahead My Chinese gf learned how to analyze simple electric circuits (Ohm's law, reading schematics, etc.) in middle school and was tested on it for high school entrance, even though she was an arts/humanities student. The standards here in NC for middle school science seem to only require knowing that circuits must be closed and insulators/conductors. That would be an (elective) HS or AP physics class. Also, there seems to be one set of standards and one test for all students in middle school and pre-university students. Instead of "detracking" by going down to the lowest common denominator, there are high expectations for all students. In the UK and many other countries, what we call "advanced" AP Calculus BC is just "A-Level Math" and is the expected minimum for studying STEM fields in university. In America you can get into university (even a prestigious one) and start off at "College Algebra." People from other countries are shocked that law, medicine, etc. are graduate degrees requiring a different-field undergrad, because of how little a high school diploma actually means in America. There is a massive state of under-education in America, and shockingly, it's become more and more popular to call education and degrees worthless. There's a lot to criticize about the out-of-pocket costs of college, but the education itself is invaluable. And weakening high school degrees even further is the last thing we need.

ChainOfFools 3y ago
> In America you can get into university (even a prestigious one) and start off at "College Algebra." It may be possible to get into any given University and start off with college algebra, although I'm not entirely sure about that. However is certainly not the case that you can get into any program at any University and start off at college algebra. Admission requirements for majors are determined by departments responsible for those majors, and they can and do set their own standards for what is acceptable when declaring that major. For example anything remotely related to Stem at any of the UC schools is going to expect that you have, prior to entering the program, already completed at least the equivalent of Calculus BC, and usually linear algebra as well, in order to be accepted into the program. If you're starting off at college algebra in one of those schools you will never complete the math sequence necessary to start one of these programs and still graduate within 4 years.
- morpheuskafka 3y ago
  True for some universities. My university (Top 30 overall, public) does not consider intended majors as part of undergrad admissions, supposedly. Now, it would be practically challenging for a physics major to start at algebra and get up to calculus soon enough to start the physics classes, but no one would stop you. A few majors require an application in the second year, but those are specialities like journalism, business, library science, not regular STEM majors (except CS as of recently).

ChainOfFools 3y ago

> In America you can get into university (even a prestigious one) and start off at "College Algebra." It may be possible to get into any given University and start off with college algebra, although I'm not entirely sure about that. However is certainly not the case that you can get into any program at any University and start off at college algebra. Admission requirements for majors are determined by departments responsible for those majors, and they can and do set their own standards for what is acceptable when declaring that major. For example anything remotely related to Stem at any of the UC schools is going to expect that you have, prior to entering the program, already completed at least the equivalent of Calculus BC, and usually linear algebra as well, in order to be accepted into the program. If you're starting off at college algebra in one of those schools you will never complete the math sequence necessary to start one of these programs and still graduate within 4 years.

morpheuskafka 3y ago
True for some universities. My university (Top 30 overall, public) does not consider intended majors as part of undergrad admissions, supposedly. Now, it would be practically challenging for a physics major to start at algebra and get up to calculus soon enough to start the physics classes, but no one would stop you. A few majors require an application in the second year, but those are specialities like journalism, business, library science, not regular STEM majors (except CS as of recently).