AP Calc AB vs. AP Calc BC

Hello,

I am a Junior in HS currently taking AP Calc BC. The course is challenging for me because I took Hon. Precalculus over the summer and did not get the full experience. Realistically, I will not be able to get an A in this class. I will most likely either get Bs for all four quarters of the year or 3 Bs and a C one quarter. However, I feel that if I dropped down to AP Calc AB I would be able to get an A semester average for both semesters of the year. I would be getting As an Bs in that class. What looks better to any selective college? Good grades in an easier course or average grades in a more challenging course?

You can always take AB this year and BC next year, once you have the foundation from AB. However, I don’t know what the policies of your school are, so make sure to check with them if that would be a possibility. Both are challenging AP courses, although BC is just harder than AB as a function of more content covered in the same amount of time as AB.

Hope that helps!

What looks better to any selective college? Good grades in an easier course or average grades in a more challenging course?

Good grades in the more challenging course.

You need a reality check if you think a B is “average.” I don’t know how someone who has been in school for a nano second this year can project out Spring semester grades.

You shot yourself in the foot by trying to jam in a year’s worth of material in 6 weeks over the summer. H precalc usually finishes the precalc stuff early and then spends the last quarter starting on AB. No wonder you’re behind. But what’s done is done, and all is not lost. Before throwing in the towel,talk to your teacher. Get extra help. Use online resources.

That said, AB is not considered a non-challenging class. Colleges will look at your overall academic course selection, but they are not going to pick it apart course by course.

I don’t think AB as a junior would be consider taking it easy. Especially not this year.

Yeah, I feel that if was learning in person I would have a much easier time in the course. But doing it online with only 2 hours of class time per week and the rest self paced review is very challenging.

Good grades in a more challenging course.

Ask your guidance counselor if you can switch to AB this year and take BC next year. The alternative is multi variable calculus as a senior, and you aren’t going to like that any better than BC.