I am a freshman in Honors Algebra 2. I am doing pretty well, got a 97.4 first semester with a 99 on the midterm. I know for sure that I am going to take Honors Precalc next year, as my teacher recommended me.
What should I take after Precalc, Calc AB and Calc BC, or Calc AB (or BC) and AP Stats? I am interested in math and may want to minor in it.
Thanks.
If you want to go into math, then you should take AP Calculus and AP Statistics sometime during your high school career; both will be very useful to you in that case, and from what I’ve heard, AP Stats may be useful regardless of what you want to do in life. I haven’t taken either of them, but I am enrolled in dual enrollment Statistics (which is what a 3 or higher on AP Stats gets you as college credit, but it’s a semester long), and it is really interesting to me, although I’ve always been fascinated with numbers.
Would it look better to take both Stats and Calc? I really am not that interested in stats.
If you are a strong math student (two grades ahead and doing well in honors course suggests so), calculus BC in 11th grade makes sense if your school’s calculus BC course is intended for students who have just finished precalculus (some schools start calculus BC at the end of calculus AB, in which case, you would have to take calculus AB in 11th grade and calculus BC in 12th grade). However, calculus BC starting from precalculus will cover material at a faster pace like in college, so be aware of that.
Consider AP statistics as an elective more than a core math course (but it can be a very useful elective if you do not take statistics in college later). In college, you are likely to have the opportunity to take a more in-depth calculus-based statistics course if you want.
If you’re not interested in Stats, not a good idea to take it. Unless you don’t like your other options which means MVC at college or AB → BC, which is quite a slow progression. Although, chances are that you will take some form of Statistics if you go into STEM, so high school might be the perfect opportunity to knock that requirement out.
Also you may be able to take Multi-variable Calculus either through your HS or you local Community College through Dual Enrollment.
Does your high school offer a math class after calc bc?
Stats is an elective. No matter what plan to take math in college.
If you live math, see what Art of Problem Solving offers.
BC is the farthest class.
Can you take multivariate calculus at a local community college through dual enrollment? Through a virtual school? Ask your GC.
After you complete BC and if truly you’re thinking of being a math major, you should try a math course senior year.
Should I do BC Junior year?
If you aren’t able to take ANY further calculus senior year, I would recommend holding off BC until senior year and taking AB junior year, even if you excel at Pre-Calculus. That is, if your school lets students get HS credit for both AB and BC.
Alright, thank you. I am sure my Precalc teacher will help me make the decision.
If BC is suitable for students who just completed precalculus, and the student is a strong student in math, taking the slow route seems to be a waste of schedule space.
Yes, but a full year without math senior year without any math is even more of a waste… The optimal solution would be class in Linear Algebra, Multivariable Calculus, or Discrete Math, taken at a local CC through dual enrollment.
While that can be optimal after taking a one year BC course, there are other options for senior math if the more advanced college courses are not available due to scheduling difficulty. The other options to stay in practice with math or math-like thinking are to save statistics and/or computer science for senior year, or (if available) take calculus-based physics (AP physics C) senior year.
^OP, are those options available?
Especially the AP Physics C option for senior year?
I do not enjoy science and I don’t think that AP Phys C would work out.
I am currently in Biology and next year I am going to take Chemistry. I am sure I could get an A in the honors classes of Bio/Chem, but I don’t like the subjects and don’t want to torture myself.
It is best to take all three of biology, chemistry, and physics in high school. Since physics is more math-based, you may like it better than biology or chemistry, if you like math.
Note that math major programs at some colleges do have physics or science requirements.
You need a physics class too. But I agree it doesn’t have to be C. C would make sense for a student who likes math and has completed calculus (it’s a hardcore physics class that supposes a previous physics class and calculus). Physics tends to be the favorite science class for math students who don’t like science.
If you’re good at math, a few science classes at the honors level should be ok though - consider that you don’t like biology because it’s taught at the regular level rather than more in depth. But you can take bio and chem regular, then Physics1 or honors.
If you like math, physics honors or AP physics 1 would be the best choice - basically it’s applied math. Regular Physics on the contrary is light on math.
To answer your first question: Based on what you say though, the best path would be precalculus-> calculus AB → calculus BC.