<p>I'm taking AP Calculus AB next year but I've heard colleges give more credits for taking the BC exam. What is the difference between these two and is it possible to selfstudy for all of the extra stuff? How much would I need to self-study and do you think that my teacher (who only teaches AB) would be able to help me when I get stuck? There is no AP Calc BC class at our school...</p>
<p>I don't know if they necessarily give more credit, but I know a lot of schools will take a lower score on the BC for credit. And I believe BC goes all AB topics and then a few more chapters (I think polar coordinates or something like that is one of them). But since I'm taking BC next year, not really sure how easy it is to self study the extra chapters.</p>
<p>BC is basically AB with additional material. You get an AB subscore as well as your overall BC score for the exam.</p>
<p>In addition to AB topics you need to know polars, parametrics, sequences and series, integration by parts, and...I feel like I'm forgetting something. </p>
<p>Anyway, I would see how you are doing in AB first before deciding to do BC on your own. Most of the topics you have to do at least after half of the year or so I would say because you have to have strong background in derivatives nad integrals. Although, you will be in luck if your Precalc teacher went over polars (mine did, though not thoroughly) and paramentrics (which mine did not). If you did learn the basics of those, you really need only the calculus stuff (derivatives mostly). </p>
<p>Good luck. </p>
<p>P.S.- Calculus rocks =)</p>
<p>Same situation at my school: AB, no BC. I self-studied BC in a week, and I'm pretty sure I got a 5. All the topics you need to study are on the collegeboard website. In my case, all but one BC topic was in the AB textbook my class used. My teacher didn't know any of the BC stuff, maybe yours does... but it really isn't hard, I'm sure you can do it yourself.</p>
<p>Some schools give twice the credit for BC, as long as your AB subscore is good enough. I know at UMinn, you get credit for even a 2 on BC, as long as you get a 3 AB subscore... pretty odd.</p>
<p>I took AP Calculus BC this year (my school offers both) and I loved it, my teacher was awesome! As far as self-studying, to cover the extra B not covered in AB and the C material you're looking at learning:
1. Infinite Integrals
2. Infinite Series
3. Power Series</p>
<p>In reality, you're probably better off just taking the AB test and taking the extra material again in college unless you're absolutely confident in your ability to teach yourself. Good luck!</p>
<p>also polar equations, parametric equations, Euler's method, logistical growth, etc.</p>