AP Calc vs AP Stats for Rising Junior

Parents Forum Class of 20xx Community
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I find the focus on Calc for admissions to be disappointing. Maybe I’m missing something, but I studied engineering at a T10, worked as an engineer, and then went into medicine and clinical research. I am not sure where calc was useful in all of that. Perhaps the exercise of learning calc applies broadly to problem solving. I think AP Stats would be much, much more useful for almost everyone including natural and social sciences research, medical research and just plain everyday living being able to critically appraise information like research studies discussed in the news/social media etc.

All that to say, my S24 is working on his senior schedule and since he may want to apply to more selective liberal arts schools (for poli sci +/- film), should he still take AP calc? In his school it is not as accelerated as others - the “regular accelerated (non STEM)” math track is precalc Jr and AP Calc Sr year - but I was wondering about AP Stats instead. He is taking AP Physics C now without having calc (!) but did well. Just wondering if he should just bite the bullet and finish the calc sequence…

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This is the crux of it: if he wants to leave the door open as wide as possible for admission to selective schools, he needs the most rigorous schedule he can take. Which for him appears to be finishing the calc sequence. Admissions is entirely different than when we attended college(90s for me). Of course one can start college and not have had Calc and be very successful! In fact it still happens even at elite /top colleges, but these days it’s primarily occurring when the student had no option to take Calc in HS. I have toured the vast majority of the top 25 US universities and a chunk of top LACs and the admission sessions almost all say something about wanting to see you take the most challenging courses available to you. Some emphasize it strongly, some it’s more of a suggestion. It is just how it works now. Of course…there is no need to go to one of these super selective schools!

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