Just wondering if there is a big difference in the eyes of admissions counselors in choosing between AP Stats or AP Cal as a Junior in high school. My son does not want to be a CS or Engineering major but happens to be very skilled at Math. He has to decide by tomorrow for next year’s Math course. TIA.
What would his options be in 12th grade after this? Would he then plan to take the other one in 12th grade (Stats or Calc)?
Edit to add: Some schools also have additional classes that are opened up by taking stats or calc in junior year. For example: a 12th grade data science class as a follow on to Stats, or other advanced math classes as a follow on to Calc.
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I don’t think it matters.
Many schools will require you to take math at the Calculus level in college to satisfy a math graduation requirement. I’d go with Calc at some point to make the college math easier. My son took Calc as a junior and is in AP Stats now as a senior.
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It probably doesn’t matter. What majors interest your son?
I’d go with calc as it follows the basic high school math sequence. If he’s taking both, stats would create a year of “gap” in the sequence.
Calc is regarded as the more rigorous course if that is a consideration.
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Four of my kids took AP calc junior year and AP stat senior year, one took AP stat as an elective sophomore year and BC senior year (AB junior year). It’s nice to be exposed to both before college.
Calculus would allow the option of more advanced math courses the following year, if available.
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Thanks for all the replies. He really doesn’t know what he wants to major in but I don’t think it will be CS or Engineering. He’s a really talented writer…maybe interested in being a sports agent? Who knows.
I think we will have him sign up for AP Calc and if for some reason he struggles with pre-calc this semester, then he can always switch to AP Stats the first week of school next year.
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Sounds like a plan, especially if he has the option to switch next year.
My son was 100% sure that he didn’t want to do engineering… until he started AP calc and AP physics C as a senior. Now he is 100% sure that he wants to do engineering. So you never know. It’s great to have options. 
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If he is very skilled at Math, definitely go for AP Calc. Furthermore, it is highly unlikely a math kid would struggle with precal–precal is not typically difficult, and is somewhat repetitive (of Algebra and Trig concepts previously learned).
See, I didn’t know that! I can’t remember back that far about Math concepts. Thanks!
I’d recommend Calculus.
My daughter took AP calc junior year and is taking AP stats now, her senior year. With so many college app essays to write, she was glad she knocked it out since it was a much more challenging/time consuming class.
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My son is taking AP Stats as a Junior and Pre-Calc (stats takes up an elective slot). He can take AB Calc next year.
He happens to like the Pre-Calc teacher more but he is glad he is taking the stats course. He’s interested in business programs.
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Calc AB followed in senior year by AP Stats instead of Calc BC is one thing. No Calc in high school is a different matter, especially if the student wants to apply to the most selective schools. It all goes to rigor, which matters for all applicants. Also, some non-STEM programs clearly expect Calc, especially some direct enrollment business schools (e.g. Stern, Wharton, Ross…).
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If he is very good at math, and has the opportunity to take BC Calc, that’s what he should take, and then AP Stats in 12th, or multivariable calc at a nearby college, if possible, or both, depending upon his interests and time commitments.
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He has to take Calc AB first bc he opted to do non-Honors Trig/Pre-Calc as a sophomore. So his trajectory is AP Calc AB followed by either AP Calc BC or AP Stats as a Senior. I do think business or pre-law could be a path for him.
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Business majors commonly have to take both calculus and statistics in college if they do not bring in accepted AP or other credit for it. However, they are often allowed to take an easier version of calculus for business majors.
No specific course work is required for pre-law students, although there are various recommendations. One recommendation is practice in logical thinking; the most similar high school subjects are math and computer science.