I am currently taking geometry as a sophomore, I am thinking if I should take algebra 2 in the summer so I can reach Pre-Calculus in my Junior year then potentially reach AP Cal in my senior year. My friends say I should do this especially since I want to major in engineering
Are you taking geometry as a sophomore because you struggled somewhere and had to repeat something or because you go to a school that doesn’t offer a faster track? If you struggle at all with math Algebra 2 over a summer is going to be rough. It is an important year of math and meant to be spread over 9 months. If rushed you will have a hard time in pre-calc and calc.
Well, I am currently taking the normal route. I successfully completed Algebra in 9th grade, and I’m doing pretty well in geometry. I did asked if there was a option to double up math classes but it was not available in my high school
Minimum preparation for studying engineering in college is completion of precalculus in high school, so that you are ready for calculus when you start college. There is some advantage to having calculus in high school before starting college, but it may not be worth cramming a math course over the summer.
The number of colleges that require or recommend calculus in high school for admission is small.
Is “in the summer” an online course or an actual in-person class with extended hours each day?
Math courses build on each other more so than most other subjects. An accelerated online course seriously risks a lack of fundamental learning/understanding that’s critical to future coursework.
I wouldn’t recommend it.
There are a few possible responses to your question but it depends on your personal circumstances. And yes, realistically if you want to be an engineer you need to accelerate your math trajectory. What type of engineering?Have you reviewed requirements for entering these programs? I’d would be surprised if AP Calculus AB was enough.
Online math classes can be excellent, very rigorous, and definitely give you everything you would need. AOPS and CTY are two rigorous methods. So can in person accelerated summer courses. (I took geometry in the summer during high school because I opted out of the accelerated track and regretted it.)
But… a lot of kids who take these sorts of classes and do well in them do it because the pace of math was too slow, they had a genuine interest in math, etc. Often times Mathy kids both accelerate math classes and do math enrichment. Some school districts offer a compressed math option so you speed through content more quickly. Some kids tolerate a lower math placement and do outside work on the side. DD11 is taking Allegra I as a 6th grader which is the most advanced pathway offered to a small number of kids at our large public school. She is good at math and enjoys it enough to take pre algebra through CTY BUT I wouldn’t even call her a mathy kid.
So, figure out why you are interested in a math centric field? Have you been interested in math in the past? Do you like it? Why did you not enter an accelerated pathway before? It offered? Struggled before? Not interested? This might predict how you will handle the class and wether you should take it.
My D attends a T10 engineering school. Her Fr roommate hadn’t taken Pre-Calc.
Calc can be advantageous, but in no way is it a high school requirement for an engineering career. Very few (single digit - I can only think of two) say they require Calc to be admitted to engineering.
Here is a 2018 list of the colleges known to want to see calculus taken in high school for frosh applicants:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/21642599/#Comment_21642599
Note that the list is small compared to the total number of colleges (or those which offer engineering majors).
And none of them say Calculus AB isn’t enough, as claimed. (though it’s probably still below the bar at Caltech)
Still single-digit that require it. And still obviously advantageous to have it. Not just for admission, but for success.
(Fwiw, Mudd is an interesting one. “At least one yearlong high school course in calculus is required. Otherwise, you must take a semester-long college course.”. If it’s required, how is there an “otherwise” path?)
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Unless the HS course is a one year BC class not requiring an AB class, 1 year HS course is equivalent to one semester college course. So they are basically saying Calc I is required