I am scheduling my courses for my senior year. I am planing on majoring in political science or economics. I am pretty good at math with high 90s in my junior year precalc and AP Stat classes. My school has a lab with AP Calc BC. If I take AP Calc AB, I will have room for College Public speaking, which may be useful for my career. I am planning on applying to elite schools. Which course would be better for my prospective major and for a competitive college application?
Thanks in advance
Courses already planning to take: AP Lit, AP Gov+Politics, AP Spanish, AP Physics 1, Advanced Science Research (Economics/political science research project), Health
I’m taking BC next year, and when I was deciding between the two, my teacher’s insight was that AB is essentially an abridged version of BC. BC is the same as AB, except it covers a few more chapters and therefore has to move at a faster pace to fit the added in.
A friend of mine is an Economics major and said that taking Calc BC was very helpful to him - you need a really strong calculus background, and BC will cover more. Not sure about political sci.
Depending on the college, the economics major may require:
A. No calculus.
B. Single variable calculus.
C. Multivariable calculus and/or linear algebra.
Sometimes, there may be options of intermediate economics courses with different math prerequisites. Those intending to go on to graduate school in economics should favor the math-heavy paths.
A high enough score on calculus AB usually gives subject credit for the first semester of single variable calculus, while a high enough score on calculus BC usually gives subject credit for the first and second semester of single variable calculus.
The economics major will also require statistics, but it may be calculus-based statistics at some colleges.
Obviously, this varies by school, and I am merely a junior, so sorry if my advice is wrong. It’s okay to take it with a grain of salt. However, my Pre-Calc Honors teacher,no matter what grade you receive in the class, always recommends AP Calc AB unless you intend on majoring in Math, Physics, Chemistry, or Engineering. Otherwise, she believes AP Calc BC is a far better choice.
In the end, I would recommend the Public Speaking option simply because you are looking at majoring in Political Science, and the class will significantly help you.
It makes little difference for the college application, assuming the choice does not impact the rigor rating that your GC gives your schedule (which it probably would not). For the major, it depends on the college;mine only requires Calc 1 (plus many statistics classes) - others will vary.
Personally, unless you have a burning desire to learn Taylor polynomials in HS, take AB + public speaking,and take whatever additional math you need for the major once you get to college.
If taking calculus as a senior, and the school’s options are either AP or BC (some schools teach sequentially, requiring AB before BC), then I’d agree with the teacher in general; there may be circumstances for an individual student that warrant a different suggestion
Based on your schedule and your purported academic interests, I’d consider Calc AB+Public speaking better suited.
If your college requires you to take Calc2, you will do that in college. Odds are that you won’t need Calc2 but you’ll need Public Speaking (everybody does), it fits with your interests, and you still get the rigor mark for taking calculus.
@cram545 it sounds like you’re at a school where you take either Calc AB or BC (that’s a good thing). In this case, AB will cover 2/3, maybe even upwards to 3/4 of what you would cover in BC. If you were hung up on BC, you could self-study Taylor series and a couple of other things and simply take the AP Calc BC test instead of the AB test. (the BC test includes AB). Kids “moving up” to take the BC test was somewhat common at my kid’s HS for various reasons. So a vote for AB plus Public Speaking from me.
In your college applications, in the Additional Notes do mention that you couldn’t take BC because of a scheduling conflict with a Public Speaking class. This might be needed in case someone thinks you weren’t taking the most rigorous classes.
“I’m taking BC next year, and when I was deciding between the two, my teacher’s insight was that AB is essentially an abridged version of BC. BC is the same as AB, except it covers a few more chapters and therefore has to move at a faster pace to fit the added in.”
It is always intriguing to hear about the differences in schools.
In DD’s high school, the “honors track” takes Algebra 2 & PreCalc as a sophomore, Trig & Calc A as a junior, and Calc BC as a senior. The “accelerated track” (the next track down) takes Algebra 2 as a sophomore,Trig & PreCalc as a junior and Calc AB as a senior. You can’t jump tracks without making a strong case (and by then it is probably too late, unless you have supplemented your math over the summer or online), so there is no choice between Calc AB and Calc BC for us (but both tracks can choose between calculus of their level and statistics).
The “regular” track (on level) is Algebra - Geomentry - Algebra 2 - Trig/PreCalc.
For OP’s situation and interests, I’d go with AB + public speaking.
Not a fan of rigid tracks like that described in reply #10.
Some high schools have parallel regular and honors courses in math (for calculus, the honors track is the AP courses), where taking the honors course requires a B in the previous honors course or an A in the previous non-honors course.
Being able to move between tracks means that the middle school placement decision is not a high stakes critical decision for the student’s future like it is where the tracks are rigid and the student cannot move between them.
Just to clarify the track is my high school for honors is Geometry—>Algebra 2–>Precalc—> choice between AB or BC senior year. BC has an extra lab period. I also doubled up this year, and am taking both AP Stat and precalc.
Or I agree with you anyway.