<p>I did an independent study of BC - cinch. Got through it quickly and mostly problem free.</p>
<p>Very simple with regards to course content:</p>
<p>AP Calculus BC = Both Calculus I and II
AP Calculus AB = Calculus I Only</p>
<p>Thus: (1) No point in taking AB then BC; (2) BC is more challenging; (3) BC is worth twice the amount of credit (than AB); (4) BC requires somewhat more experience in mathematics (advanced precalculus and algebraic topics) than AB.</p>
<p>Many people believe that AP Calculus BC = Calculus II and therefore AB needs to be taken first. This is not the case as AP Calculus BC includes AP Calculus AB topics (Calculus I).</p>
<p>"Many people believe that AP Calculus BC = Calculus II and therefore AB needs to be taken first. This is not the case as AP Calculus BC includes AP Calculus AB topics (Calculus I)."</p>
<p>mr_k, it is true that the BC exam covers Calculus I and II. However, at some schools the curriculum is structured such that BC is a course covering only Calculus II topics, in which case it makes perfect sense to take AB first. It depends on that particular school's curriculum.</p>
<p>^^</p>
<p>I don't think an AP class can be accredited if it does it this way. </p>
<p>The AP guidelines specifically say that a student while taking the AP Calc BC course must be covering both Calc I and Calc II materials.</p>
<p>At my school, if a student chooses AB, but then decides to pursue BC, they only take 2nd semester BC.</p>
<p>Yes, the fact that some schools have a different AP curriculum is strange. I know some schools have their own Calculus I, Calculus II, and even Calculus III courses instead of AP Calculus courses. However, when they do offer AP courses, they must follow the Collegeboard guidelines and standardizations, which means AP Calc BC = Calc I & II.</p>
<p>thread from last year on the AB vs BC topic:
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=146284%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=146284</a></p>
<p>Why is calculus labeled AB and BC?
At our school, you take either AB or BC as a senior. Since they both cover the same thing, except with BC covering a little more, wouldn't it be more apt to call the courses Calculus B and Calculus BC? or A and AB? There's nothing in AB that BC doesn't cover- We don't even have an AB Class this year- our school's been pushing the harder classes.</p>
<p>^^ Papa Chicken if you come back to this thread how did your son do? Did he Take AB or BC? Did he regret the one he chose? Any insight for me because I'm definately having a similar inner battle of which calc to choose.</p>
<p>The thread responses are odd!</p>
<p>Totally different at my school.
I'm taking BC, along with about 70 other kids, most of which are going into a humanities or non-math careers. The idea of BC being for the engineering total-math geeks is completely wrong. I am definitely no math person, and Im in BC, only because AB was for the students who wanted to spend their senior year slacking off, yet needed a math course for college. </p>
<p>More people drop AB because it actually turns out to be harder than they expected, because they thought since it was the lower class, then it would be a breeze. Some people have dropped BC calc too.</p>
<p>wow all these people saying BC is "more difficult" than AB really have no idea what they're talking about</p>
<p>BC = AB + additional integration techniques and series</p>
<p>That is all.</p>
<p>Honestly, it's a waste taking the two as separate courses. I could have learned the additional stuff in about a week. Also, I'm quite confident I couldve gotten a 4 on the BC exam with just knowing AB calc, and most people can do the same (assuming good knowledge of AB). Actually, I didn't know most of the series stuff because the class moved so slowly but still easily got a 5.</p>
<p>Yup, Taylor/McLaurin (sp?), and some polar stuff... maybe a little more... but not much.</p>
<p>Mike0982-- S went with AB....absolutely no regrets. He's doing fine in it, and in fact 1st semester was one of his highest grades. Applications are still out, & we'll never know exactly how AB vs BC play into college chances, but I am happy that he is sane with a good grade in AB over the potential to get more bogged down in BC (as a humanities kid that is).</p>
<p>in our school bc covers twice as much material as ab. but here if you dont do so well you can transfer to ab after a term (sometimes the teacher automatically drops you cause of low grade) but you got to be REALLY bad at math to not get at least a 4 on the bc ap exam. its easier to do well on the bc than ab exam cause of the huge curve</p>
<p>^ cool! a Naruto fan!, anyway, I think I will probably take AB, but will this look bad to colleges?</p>
<p>mike0982-- it depends on your situation. Assuming you are currently a junior, here are a few questions:
- how are you doing in precalc?
- how selective are your target colleges?
- will you be pursiung a science, math or engineering major?</p>
<p>The story with my son all pointed toward AB. (A) He was doing OK with a B+ in precalc at the time he had to select senior courses, (B) he knew he would not be pursuing a math, science or engineering major, and (C) the colleges that he is pursuing (1) predominantly are using AP scores less & less to place out, (2) they wouldn't see his AP Calc score for admissions purposes anyway.</p>
<p>So, as a humanities kids he has no real need of BC, and, strategically, he had a shot at getting a better senior grade in AB over BC because much of what is covered (at his school) in AB for the first term (the term reported to colleges for admissions evaluations) is somwehat review from his precalc days. So, as it worked out, he is in the A to A- range now (after 1st term) in AB, so grades are relatively good from an admissions standpoint. Plus, no matter what he gets on the AP exam, it won't matter much in the college process because (1) AP scores won't be availble for admissions purposes, and (2) he'd probably rather not place into a harder math course for his distribution requirements anyway, even if he could....& most of his schools don't let one place totally out of a math equirement no matter what the AP score (fairly selective list.)</p>
<p>Here's where I would think twice about going AB over BC: (1) you are thinking about a math, science or (& particularly) engineering major;(2) if you are doing great in precalc right now & getting an A next year in BC feels fairly likely; or (3) if your target schools allow one to place out of a math requirement with a good AP score in BC over AB, and this fact is important enough to you to risk a potential class score differential between AB & BC (which could slightly affect admissions).</p>
<p>papa:</p>
<p>I think your analysis misses an intangible: strength of schedule, (also a critical element in March Madness). :D </p>
<p>By your own admission, the first semester of AB is more or less a reveiw of precalc. Since Adcoms also know the AB curriculum, an A in AB calc might not mean much for admissions purposes. As AdOfficer notes elsewhere on cc, selective colleges want kids to challenge themselves, and, IMO, taking a class that is mostly review of the prior year is anything but challenging. Moreover, your S will be competing in an applicant pool where plenty of other humanities kids took BC bcos that is the standard math track at many high schools, since AB not offered as a standalone, and earned an A.</p>
<p>So, for seniors, its not all about the AP score.</p>
<p>blue-- true...in the prior thread I posted a page back, I got into my S's strength of schedule issue. At his selective private school, he was already 1 rung below "most demanding", so going AB mattered little, and his college choices reflect that reality (i.e., Harvard is not in his reach bucket). If going BC had pushed him into "most demanding" (& we did talk to his GC on this issue before senior course selection) we would have definitely pushed more on taking BC over AB.......but as most things in life, it appears things have worked out & I'm glad he is not pulling hair out with BC at the moment.</p>
<p>So Mike, add the "strength of schedule" issue to your list of considerations as blue rightly points out. Suggest you ask your GC directly what impact picking AB over BC will do to the GC strength of schedule determination (that little determination is part of the school's report included on applications, and it means much especially to the most selective colleges.)</p>