As a rising junior, I have decided to enroll in AP Calculus AB rather than AP Calculus BC. While I know that BC is definitely the harder class, I wanted something a bit easier to compliment the rest of my schedule. However, I performed really well in my honors Pre-Calculus classes this year (94+ both semesters) and have begun to reconsider whether or not I should take BC. That being said, I have been told that in the eyes of the majority of colleges, whether you take AB or BC is not a big concern for them, and they are instead satisfied with either class almost equally. Despite the differences in rigor, is this the case to some extent?
If you are two grades ahead in math, then it seems that you are a top math student who should be able to handle BC without much difficulty.
No. Not at all.
No AO is going to analyze the minutiae of your schedule. If your GC rates your schedule as “most rigorous” then the components of your schedule will not matter (assuming that you also meet the colleges recommended HS preparation). No college requires Calc BC.
Now, whether you should take BC instead of AB is a different question. But purely from the admissions perspective, it will not matter.
I would take Calc BC if you plan on going into a STEM field. If you do very well on the AP test (usually a 5) many universities will place you into calc 3. If you are even a little weak you should consider re-taking calc in college because it is so foundational. Each university will have different policies; sometimes they have different policies within between colleges within a university as well.
A friend of mine took AB and BC at the same time, but started taking AB a few months earlier (AB is a full year class at my school while BC is only a 1/2 year class). He still struggled with BC and told me if he had not taking AB before, he would have been lost.
In case it matters to you, take note of the “fine print” for AP Scholar awards:
“The Calculus AB subscore, Music Theory aural subscore, and Music Theory nonaural subscore are not used in the AP Scholar Award calculations.
The AP Scholar Awards are academic distinctions that students may cite among their credentials on applications, resumes, and so on. Students do not receive any monetary award from the College Board.”
the 'ab subscore ’ mentioned above refers only to a student to took calculus Bc but failed the BC section of the test, passing the ab section.
Ab on its own, counts.
OP : if taking calculus AB works better for your schedule, then take AB. There will be no penalty or anything. Take bc as a senior, or take calculus at a local community college senior year, but you’re already accelerated in any case : don’t add that extra pressure, especially if your schedule will be heavy.
What major are you thinking of?
What are you planning to take in your senior year?
my S1 took AB jr year; BC sr year. It was slightly unconventional at his school, but he knew he wanted to go in a math-related field. His school didn’t count his sr. year math credits on his GPA. He started in calc 3 in college and did great though; was glad he had calc his senior year and didn’t take a year off.
i would suggest considering taking AB junior year and BC senior year.
If you really care about math, consider looking for a college course that you could take sometime during your schedule. That ambition will not go unnoticed, definitely a plus in the “course rigor” column.
I still don’t get why students who are good enough at math to be two grades ahead in math and doing well should be afraid of BC as a junior. When I was in high school, such a (rare) student was a top student in math for whom BC was an easy A in the class and easy 5 on the AP test.
Indeed, students who are at normal level in math (precalculus in 12th grade) may have to take calculus in college, covering material at a pace that BC emulates, rather than the slower AB pace. If they can do it, why can’t the top students in math do it?
Our school wouldn’t allow AB and then BC. You take one or the other. Lots of overlap. Kids who take Calc BC junior year would take Stats AP senior year or a “Math Topics” class which moves further into Calc with differential equations, etc.
What do students who take AB take senior year?
What’s the rest of your schedule?
@ucbalumnus : I think the concern here is that the OP has a very heavy schedule. BC on its own is likely doable for him/her, but may mean substantial stress And lack of sleep when added to the rest of the schedule, for no discernible benefit since s/he may not be allowed to (or may be advised not to) skip 2full levels of college calculus anyway.
Would it? Seems like math would be the OP’s strongest and easiest subject. The stress from a very heavy schedule may come more from the OP’s other courses which are not his/her strongest subjects.
^yes. hence, either the OP cuts some of these subjects, OR still takes calculus, in its lighter form. Taking AB is a compromise for a balanced schedule. Taking BC is an alternative, at the expense of taking fewer AP classes, which is also a viable choice if BC is more important to the OP.
However, BC + heavy schedule + stress + lack of sleep isn’t the best combination and a compromise has to be found.
If math is the OP’s strongest subject, downgrading from BC to AB may not lighten the workload much, since BC may already be easy.
@MYOS1634 @ucsalumnus You have given the OP 2 options, which are:
• Take BC and lighten the course load in other areas
• Take AB and keep the course load in other areas
either of which is preferable, IMO, to taking BC on top of rigorous courses in other areas and getting no sleep.
Having provided the OP with options, perhaps let him/her take the info and decide what to do instead of trying to convince each other on the “best” course of action, since you both know that that will not happen. 
LIke others say , what would you take senior year?
I was considering taking AP Statistics or AP Computer Science A or Principles
If you take AP Calculus AB at my school, you aren’t allowed to take BC afterwards.