AP Calc vs AP Stats

I’m currently a junior and for my senior math, I’m debating between AP Calc AB and AP Stats. I would most likely do better in AP Stats due to the teacher. I want to major in biology or some type of environmental major. I currently have AP Bio, APUSH, AP Lang and am planning to take 3-4 AP’s senior year. But I’m not sure which math would look best.

Obviously an A in AP Stats is better than a C in AB. Since you are considering a STEM major, I would recommend calc. Stats is often viewed as easier and doesn’t line up with the math sequence.

Yeah, that makes sense, but a B in AP Calc I feel like would at least look like I challenged myself. My other AP’s for next year are AP Lit, AP CS, and AP 2D, so I don’t want to overload myself. Thank you for your input!

If you are planning on a stem major in college, calculus will help prepare you better.

I’ll add to the chorus: AP Calc. AB is not bad at all at most high schools. You should be fine.

As a biology major, you are likely to need both calculus and statistics. In some colleges, the required or recommended statistics course is calculus-based.

Most colleges want rigor. Calc in college is challenging. Having a basic background is important. Take the Calc. It also makes you more competitive for your colleges. AP stats is viewed as an easy AP. So the correct answer BTW is to get an A in AP Calc… Lol…

Calc is more likely to give you college credit and experience. It is a HUGE help to get it out of the way before college. I took BC calc junior year and don’t regret it at all (which is pretty impressive compared to most of the classes I took). Also, if you plan on applying to engineering programs calc is often a requirement to even be considered whereas statistics is never a requirement.

Lit might be a little challenging but your background in lang and even APUSH will help. CS P should be a breeze but if it is CS A, your hesitation to take AB may be a bit of a warning sign. I personally know people who dropped out of CS or even switched college majors from CS because they didn’t realize that it is essentially math.

Have you taken AP chem, AP Bio, perhaps APES?
For a science major calculus honors or AP calculus is a must-have.

AP Calc is certainly important, but I think for your major AP Statistics may be just as important.

Some colleges require that you have completed a calculus class as a graduation requirement. You will need it for STEM majors as well as economics. I would take that as it is more of the expected progression.

My daughter is currently in 10th grade and picking classes for next year. I just saw her math options today (generic so covering cp through AP). AP Stats is not allowed here for a primary math class. It can be taken as a second math class (math elective) starting with precalculus but does not replace math by itself. I know there are other schools which have the same policy. I would take AP Cal AB and if you want AP Stats as an elective fine if not take stats in college - you won’t be the only one.

I strongly disagree with this. Few, if any, colleges have any form of Calculus as an admission pre-requisite.

FYI-most colleges that I spoke with for my kids do expect you to be ready for Calc 1 in college as a freshman. But they do offer precalc also. But having at least Calc 1 will make this college class more manageable. In college it’s more in depth and much harder due to the pace of college. First Stats in college is usually much easier but higher level stats, which is Calc based, can be very challenging.

Yes, Calculus 1 is a standard Freshman class. If you’ve taken Calc in HS, you usually have the option of moving to Calc 2 (AP, DE credit or testing out), though many students stay in Calc 1.

If you took pre-Calc in HS, Calc 1 would be the expected first course. If you didn’t get through pre-Calc in HS, and Calc 1 is the core curriculum, you typically need to do some summer coursework or be prepared to catch up to get through the program on time.

This is true for pretty much all STEM majors and quite a few others.

I would strongly recommend taking calculus in HS based on my S’s expereince. See below:

My S did not take calculus in HS. When he started calculus first semester freshman year he was surprised to find that he was one of (I think) three people in a class of 40 who had not taken calc in HS (As a point of reference he went to a college ranked between 50 - 100). So while calculus was review for over 90% of the class the material was all new to him. He spent a ton of time at the math center, at office hours etc. to keep up. He got through the class but it was a difficult way to start college. FWIW he also took two semesters of statistics in college with no HS background and had no problems.

I made sure my younger D had calculus in college.

I am currently enrolled in AP Bio and am either taking APES or AP Psych next year.

@RichInPitt it might be a “requirement,” but it’s definitely recommended to have Calculus if it’s possible. OP has the opportunity to take Calculus instead of Stats, so not taking it puts OP at a disadvantage

Correct. Which I believe is what I stated - it’s not a requirement (“must-have”).

I would certainly recommend (and have recommended) AP Calc over AP Stats.