Linear Algebra

[JennyD]

We are looking for a linear algebra class for next year.  I see that the pinned thread mentions Stanford Pre-College classes --- does anyone have relevant experience with them to share?  Any other suggestions?

 

[Roadrunner]

2 hours ago, JennyD said:

We are looking for a linear algebra class for next year.  I see that the pinned thread mentions Stanford Pre-College classes --- does anyone have relevant experience with them to share?  Any other suggestions?

 

We looked into it and if my recollection is right, there was no real class. You just self study with a textbook and have a teacher attached to you if you have questions. Also I remember grading was entirely based on just couple of exams. 
It’s been a long time, so maybe they changed things. I would reach out. 
 

Editing here to correct that apparently there is one live class per week. 

Edited March 28, 2023 by Roadrunner

[Roadrunner]

This is another option but the cost is so expensive.  
https://mathematics.jhu.edu/online/upcoming-courses/?gclid=CjwKCAjwoIqhBhAGEiwArXT7K_fimM3Zm6LeyxnHPcGKXXfWbEq8E_KIuAwA6TD4KkrI73kaDhH9ShoCHPYQAvD_BwE

 

[Arcadia]

DS18 used Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies for multivariable calculus (https://ulo.stanford.edu/mathematics). There is a proctor exam per course and we were lucky our nearby state university offers proctoring for about $60 each time. He used CTY JHU for individually paced Linear Algebra (https://cty.jhu.edu/programs/online/courses/linear-algebra-lin). The cost was lower then and exam was do at home. He didn’t use the courses for credit.
 What he used for credit were his dual enrollment mathematics classes. My husband was only willing to pay for state universities so DS18 finished all the math classes required for lower classmen as dual enrollment classes at the community college. He loves being in a classroom. Dual enrollment is free for us from 9th grade at the community college my teens picked. 

[Malam]

29 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

if my recollection is right, there was no real class. You just self study with a textbook and have a teacher attached to you if you have questions.

And that's $1500?? I think the Stanford brand is doing some serious heavy lifting there

[Roadrunner]

16 minutes ago, Malam said:

And that's $1500?? I think the Stanford brand is doing some serious heavy lifting there

That’s my understanding. We also ended up using DE instead. 
 

@Arcadia was their live component or scheduled component to Stanford class? They have recorded videos, correct?

[Arcadia]

20 minutes ago, Malam said:

And that's $1500?? I think the Stanford brand is doing some serious heavy lifting there

 

1 minute ago, Roadrunner said:

That’s my understanding. We also ended up using DE instead. 
 

@Arcadia was their live component or scheduled component to Stanford class? They have recorded videos, correct?

Live class once a week and the teacher is very responsive to students emailing her for help or clarifications. DS18 wanted a classroom environment and was not ready for dual enrollment in 9th grade so SPCS was the best option at that time. 

[mathnerd]

11 hours ago, Arcadia said:

 

Live class once a week and the teacher is very responsive to students emailing her for help or clarifications. DS18 wanted a classroom environment and was not ready for dual enrollment in 9th grade so SPCS was the best option at that time. 

I am searching for the schedule of the summer classes (math) on the stanford pre-college website and cannot find any indicator of how many live sessions are included per course every week. Can you please point me to where I can find more details regarding live sessions and timings? Thanks! (also any tips on advanced math classes offered locally? Post-calc level)

Edited March 29, 2023 by mathnerd

[Roadrunner]

2 minutes ago, mathnerd said:

I am searching for the schedule of the summer classes (math) on the stanford pre-college website and cannot find any indicator of how many live sessions are included per course every week. Can you please point me to where I can find more details regarding live sessions and timings? Thanks! (also any tips on advanced math classes offered locally? Post-calc level)

I am looking at online CC. While it’s free for CA kids, its cost is just under Stanford pre-collegiate tuition for out of state and much, much cheaper than JHU ones I linked. Although I don’t know that I would pay out of state tuition for a CC course. I am not sure where the OP is located. 

[JennyD]

Thanks for the replies!  We are in TN.  I'm not crazy about our DE options.   The best local university is chokingly expensive and in any event they require multivariable calc before linear algebra.  DS -- who loathes online classes -- is campaigning for me to just hand him a textbook and find a tutor to check work, but IME finding a good tutor is easier said than done.  

 

[Roadrunner]

5 minutes ago, JennyD said:

Thanks for the replies!  We are in TN.  I'm not crazy about our DE options.   The best local university is chokingly expensive and in any event they require multivariable calc before linear algebra.  DS -- who loathes online classes -- is campaigning for me to just hand him a textbook and find a tutor to check work, but IME finding a good tutor is easier said than done.  

 

I have a kid who needs Linear Algebra next year as well so I have been looking at same things as you. 
There is another place that used to offer math for high schoolers, is apparently in the process of redesigning those courses, and might offer in the fall. However I don’t know a single person who has taken anything there and neither can I find any recent reviews. 
https://netmath.illinois.edu/academics/netmath-high-school-programs

“May reopen in the Fall 2023”

If you contact them and manage to get any info, let me know. I was going to write them as well. 

[RoundAbout]

13 minutes ago, JennyD said:

Thanks for the replies!  We are in TN.  I'm not crazy about our DE options.   The best local university is chokingly expensive and in any event they require multivariable calc before linear algebra.  DS -- who loathes online classes -- is campaigning for me to just hand him a textbook and find a tutor to check work, but IME finding a good tutor is easier said than done.  

 

I think we're going to go this route. I took linear algebra and linear optimization in college so I can help DS, but it was a long time ago so don't feel I can teach it from scratch. But I don't love any of the other options so it might just be textbook + coursera + mom next year. We live in a very rural area and the nearest major college isn't that great and over an hour away so DE is not an option.  I wish ASU Universal Learner had math options beyond Calculus. The affordability + grade protection is ideal but their STEM options look weak. DS is also planning to do WOOT through AoPS so maybe something homegrown and self-paced is better anyway so he can focus on contest math. However, I'm also eager to try and find him some outside recommendations in math for college. I'm a professional math tutor so have been his only teacher. Ugh. 

[Roadrunner]

Honestly if you don’t care for an official seal from the class and you have some capacity to help, just look at MIT open courses.

[daijobu]

1 hour ago, JennyD said:

Thanks for the replies!  We are in TN.  I'm not crazy about our DE options.   The best local university is chokingly expensive and in any event they require multivariable calc before linear algebra.  DS -- who loathes online classes -- is campaigning for me to just hand him a textbook and find a tutor to check work, but IME finding a good tutor is easier said than done.  

 

I like the textbook idea.  To find a tutor, you could contact the math department at this expensive university and ask if they can recommend students who might want the job.  

[Roadrunner]

@JennyDPM-ing you about Netmath

[JennyD]

2 hours ago, daijobu said:

I like the textbook idea.  To find a tutor, you could contact the math department at this expensive university and ask if they can recommend students who might want the job.  

I have tried this before, to no avail, but of course it's a whole new crop of students every year.

[Malam]

He could also get a textbook and use a solutions manual to check his work

[JennyD]

3 hours ago, Malam said:

He could also get a textbook and use a solutions manual to check his work

Yes, this is definitely DS17's preferred method of study, but even if he has the solutions manual I want someone else to give him feedback on his proofs.   

 

Edited March 30, 2023 by JennyD

[SeaConquest]

Sacha will likely take Linear Algebra through SOHS (most likely) or in-person at UCSD (they have an honors sequence in-person). He hasn't taken any of these classes, so I don't have personal experience, but I know some homeschoolers use these UC Extension classes: 
https://extendedstudies.ucsd.edu/courses-and-programs/linear-algebra-3 

[Malam]

On 3/30/2023 at 1:54 PM, JennyD said:

Yes, this is definitely DS17's preferred method of study, but even if he has the solutions manual I want someone else to give him feedback on his proofs.   

 

Do keep in mind that many linear algebra classes aren't proof based at all, such as the above UCSD course. So if you can't find a proof-based course, the book+solutions manual approach might be better than a non-proof based class.

Edited April 1, 2023 by Malam

[JennyD]

On 3/31/2023 at 7:26 PM, Malam said:

Do keep in mind that many linear algebra classes aren't proof based at all, such as the above UCSD course. So if you can't find a proof-based course, the book+solutions manual approach might be better than a non-proof based class.

Definitely.