Very fascinating article. I fell into the Calculus trap myself, and I admit that it definitely would have been more interesting to have avoided it.
As it was I got an A in Calculus, breezed through the course as an early college course student.
How much better it would have been to have enjoyed the alternate possibility presented:
"Going from ‘top student in my algebra class’ to ‘average student in my city’s math club’ is a huge step forward in your educational prospects. The student in the math club is going to grow by great leaps, led and encouraged by other students."
As it was I got an A in Calculus, breezed through the course as an early college course student.
How much better it would have been to have enjoyed the alternate possibility presented:
"Going from ‘top student in my algebra class’ to ‘average student in my city’s math club’ is a huge step forward in your educational prospects. The student in the math club is going to grow by great leaps, led and encouraged by other students."