<p>I am a very good math student and I wish to take AP Calc BC online (not offered in the classroom). The thing is I will not have time to do both AB and BC. I will be taking Pre Calc as a junior next year, then I am "supposed to" take Calc AB as a senior. I have heard AP Calculus AB at my school is a joke.</p>
<p>My school offers many online AP options through NCVPS since we only have 5 AP classes. They have never let anyone take AP Calc BC mainly because no one has ever asked. So I will probably have to go to the school board to get what I want (my guidance counselors are real sticklers). Is it plausible to take AP Calculus BC with only Pre Calc experience? And is a online Calc class a good idea? </p>
<p>Note: Online AP's are paired with one another at my school, so I will see if I can pair Calc BC and Physics B together. </p>
<p>It’s perfectly fine to go into Calc BC. I’m going to into Calc BC and Physics B (never have taken physics) so its a perfect pairing. Since it is online, if you have any questions make sure you have anther source for help (khan academy, teachers, tutors).</p>
<p>Who says you also have to take calc AB? Just take calc BC online. I hope you realize calc BC covers everything calc AB does except it includes extras like calculus with parametric equations, calculus with polar equations, Euler’s method for approximating differential equation solutions, Taylor series, geometric series, divergence tests, series error, and a few extra integration methods. So there’s really no point in taking both calc AB and BC unless (like my school used to do until this year) you take AB as a prep class for BC the following year. Even then, taking both is somewhat of a waste of time if you’re the type of person that does really well in calc AB.</p>
<p>I think it’s perfectly fine! That’s what I’m doing. But it may be a little more difficult doing it online compared to having the classroom environment, but even then it’s still really doable. I think you will be fine. I have heard that BC Calc is just AB with some more chapters, so AB is kind of a waste of time if you are good in math.</p>
<p>^ That sounds great thank you! Also, if I was to take Calc AB then I would be in a class with 31 other people (only offered one period at my school). That’s just a problem waiting to happen. All of those people asking question and delaying the lesson plan.
I feel this is an area where online classes shine. You are going at your own pace. I often find myself grasping concepts very quickly for the most part. Having 31 other kids, some of which are slow learners would only hold the top students back.</p>
<p>My Chemistry class had 52 people in it due to a scheduling mistake. There were only 28 desks (which there should have been more anyway, since our average class size is 35). People had to sit at the lab stations we never used.</p>
<p>I did standard Pre-Cal (it was weighted honors, but it wasn’t advanced) and went straight into BC at the advice of both my pre-cal teacher (who was so convinced I didn’t care about my grades that when I was on the valedictorian list, he asked if I had a sister -.- ) and my calc teacher (who is fantastic, and also happens to believe that college math is too easy so he made BC harder and covered material into multi).</p>
<p>I did fine, got an A. It was one of the hardest classes I took in HS, but it was really my Algebra II, not my Pre-Cal, that tripped me up. The only thing you may want to consider is if you’re taking standard or advanced pre-cal because there’s some disparity when you get to the end of the year, but if you can do AB, you might as well go for BC. It just covers a little bit more. Our curriculums (test, HW, literally everything) was IDENTICAL for probably the first semester or so.</p>
<p>That being said, NCVPS sucks (unless you have health with Captain Kirk… >.> then it’s just kind of weird). Usually the courses are dumbed down and it’s a lot more difficult learning math without a teacher actually present. If you don’t want AB because it’s a joke, I don’t think that concern will be relieved taking it online. But you should talk to somebody at your school who knows the teachers. Teachers really make or break a class, not the level or curriculum. I was in the Chapel Hell-Carrboro district.</p>
<p>Also, I thought NC policy mandates that students can take at least one online class as long as it was not offered in the school. Something you may want to consider is a continuing ed class at a local community college or UNC-whatever. If you do that you may be required to take two semesters though, I’m not sure. Check with your counselor. ECHHS just screwed up BIG TIME on that, screwed a lot of kids over. Bad situation… but that’s a separate issue.</p>
<p>@emily: Well my school offers AB but not BC. There is only one teacher in the school who is qualified to teach the class. And all of her students say the class is too easy, to the point where you are not prepared for the exam. I have considered taking Calc I next summer at a local community college along with Intro. Physics. But I dont really know if that is a good idea. </p>
<p>Have you had a personal experience with NCVPS that makes you not like the program? Im taking two of their classes next year.</p>
<p>Also, I will be taking Advanced Pre Calculus next year. </p>
<p>31 students is not a large class at all… pretty standard, even slightly small, where I go to school. </p>
<p>Anyway, there is no reason to take AB after BC. That’s like taking calc I and II then going back and redoing calc I. </p>
<p>If you want to take BC, do it and don’t deal with AB at all. If you take it online you can use khan academy and stuff to help you. If you have the money and really need it you could get a tutor. Something else to consider is taking Calc I and Calc II at a CC. They’re the equivalent of BC, and since each is a semester you could take the two over a year.</p>
<p>^ Yeah, I can see where 30 kids is not that many but the rooms in my school can only accommodate ~25 students.</p>
<p>I didn’t plan on doing AB after BC. I will do one or the other senior year. Hopefully my guidance counselor will approve (no one has ever taken the class before).</p>
<p>That’s true, there are many great resources on the internet. Taking Calc I and Calc II is a great idea but my school doesn’t allow dual enrollment. Would taking Calculus I over the summer be a bad idea?</p>