AP Calculus AB or BC?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>I need to decide between AB or BC Calculus; I'll definitely be taking one of the two, I just don't know which one. I am currently enrolled in and Honors Trig./Analysis class (my school's equivalent of Precalculus). So far I am one semester into Trig./Analysis, and I have maintained an A+ in the class; it is not an easy class by any means. The class average is around a C, there are virtually no opportunities for extra credit.
Normally, I would go for the more difficult option. I just don't know what to expect of Calculus. Help? Maybe?</p>

<p>It's probably also worth mentioning that I aspire to be a physicist... Maybe Calculus BC would be better? I don't know. </p>

2

<p>If you’re going to your junior year I’d suggest taking AB unless your confident in your math abilities. I’m in my sophomore year and decided to take precalc in 1 semester an AB in 1 semester and regret it. </p>

3

<p>In this case I don’t think there’s any reason not to take Calculus BC.
If you want some idea of what to expect, there are a bunch of videos on YouTube about basic limits and derivatives.</p>

4

<p>Furthermore Calc BC covers AB. I think (though I’m not sure) that there’s a AB subscore on the AP BC test.</p>

5

<p>There is.</p>

<p>Calculus AB = Calculus I
Calculus BC = Calculus I & II</p>

<p>Calculus BC isn’t designed to be a harder version of AB or anything; it just covers more stuff. </p>

6

<p>Take BC. Calculus has changed the way I think about a lot of things, not limited to school material. The more of it and the deeper understanding of it you have, the better, in my opinion. Especially since you’re interested in physics.</p>

7

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<p>How? That’s interesting.</p>

8

<p>Take BC. You will sleep through Calc AB. Its extremely easy.</p>

9

<p>@parapp2025 interesting as well. I don’t doubt what you said, but for me, it was mostly the non-curricular math subjects (olympiad topics, number theory, logic, real analysis) that have changed the way I think about many things, including calculus-related topics.</p>

<p>@Pequenino If you are going into physics, you will need a firm calculus background; if you can take BC and then multi-variable the following year you should be fine.</p>

10

<p>I excelled in all algebra, geometry, and pre-calc. I had Honors Trig/Analysis as pre-calc also at my school. Well… I’m in BC right now and it’s been a struggle. I’m doing good in AP Physics & Stats–but I just can’t wrap my head around some BC topics. Or at least I do, and the tests throw me off. </p>

<p>If you are doing multiple other APs, I vote AB only because it’ll be a lot easier and a lot less stress.
BC is manageable, but it’s just a lot of work and it’s not as easy as all the other math stuff.</p>

<p>This is all my opinion, you can do whatever you’d like. In hindsight, I would have much rather taken AB than BC.</p>

11

<p>I think you’d do fine in BC. BC goes at a quicker pace, but I didn’t find it to be anything too outrageous. </p>

12

<p>If you’re doing extremely well in precalc and fully understand all the material, then I’d say go for BC. You’ll probably find AB to be too easy, so BC will be a good challenge, if any (and pretty much necessary if you aspire to be a physicist). If you’re worried, start learning over the summer (Khan Academy, PatrickJMT, and integralCALC are all great).</p>

13

<p>If your school requires or expects AB before BC (most schools don’t) then you might want to take AB, or discuss with the BC teacher how to get up to speed with the AB material. If the "A’ students from your precalculus class usually go straight into BC, then you should go into BC, and if you can take additional math after BC, that is good for a prospective physics major.</p>

14

<p>I would recommend BC, especially considering that you’re going to be studying physics. It’s much more interesting, and I would think that you’d enjoy it more as well. </p>