<p>I'm currently a junior and will be taking Calc AB next year. Will not taking Calc BC hurt me when I apply to Engineering schools (Columbia, Cornell, Berkeley, etc)? If so, how much will this hurt my chances of acceptance?</p>
<p>Most colleges care more about if you did the most you could with your available resources. On a side note I can guarantee that Cornell Engineering will not give you credit on the AB even if you get a five.</p>
<p>My school offers BC but only to a limited number of students. Unfortunately, I wasn't selected as one of those students due to a tough entrance test. So, this will probably hurt - won't it?</p>
<p>I don't think that will be a big deal. Study hard for ACT/SAT, that will be a much bigger deal.</p>
<p>Take the BC if you can, since you can get an easy 5 on the AB subscore. You only cover 2 more topics in BC, but those two are pretty hard, especially taylor series.</p>
<p>I am not sure how tough your school is, but if your college knows that your school, emphasis on your school, didn't want you taking BC, then it might not look too good with these top engineering schools. My suggestion is to do the best you can in AB, maybe some self-study during the summer, so that first quarter of next year when you are in AB you can show the teachers that you are in the wrong class and they can put you in BC before it is too late. Taking AB b/c your school doesn't offer BC doesn't look bad. Taking AB instead of BC b/c you didn't want to take it, doesn't look really bad, but doesn't help, Taking AB b/c your school wouldn't allow you to take BC, looks a little bad. So try hard during the summer possibly, and during the beginning of next year so you can get into BC, and hopefully it will help your chances at the schools you wish to apply to.</p>
<p>Thanks to all for your posts and input.</p>
<p>psquared: A lot of smart, hard-working students didn't make it into AB Calculus somehow this year. Our school has tough standards to allow students to take BC, including have a straight A both semesters of Pre-Calculus Honors (I had an A- first semester). Should I take an EPGY course (Calculus "C") during the school year?</p>
<p>I really wanted to take BC Calculus not for college chances, but because math is my favorite subject. Not getting into BC has been somewhat disappointing, since I plan on majoring in Engineering in college...</p>
<p>Just for others to give a better opinion, I'll share which Engineering colleges I plan to apply to....
Cornell
Columbia
UCLA
UCSD
UIllinois</p>
<p>I'm looking at similar colleges (minus cornell add michigan and CMU) and am taking the AP AB exam.</p>
<p>BTW, you should consider michgan and berkeley, and possibly Harvey Mudd.</p>
<p>ashernm: I still think we're both in different situations since you'll be taking AB this year (and BC next year?). Can anyone say what impact this will have?</p>
<p>So far, everyone I've talked to has said it won't have a big impact, but I wanted to see what other opinions were out there. Thanks again!</p>
<p>I think it looks bad if you're applying to Engineering programs, your high school offers BC, and you're taking AB. They'll assume that you either were too lazy to take BC or that your school didn't allow you to take it, neither of which looks good for you.</p>
<p>It seems like you really love math, and you want to be in BC, but for whatever reason your school won't allow you. I am not sure to whom you have talked to or how high up they are on the food chain, but you should consider talking to some higher up people in the math department at your school, and explaining your situation. Maybe ask them if you could take a proficiency test at the start of next year. Like a Calc AB mid-term. If you score an A on the mid-term, it would mean you are proficient in the first half of calc AB, or the A part. This means that you would be going into BC with no problem having already completed the A portion. There is a solution somewhere, and if you are truly dedicated and devoted to being in Calc BC you will find a way. </p>
<p>Some people may say it has no impact, but an A in BC looks a lot better than an A in AB.</p>
<p>It's illegal(my guess) for a school to deny you entrance into any class. I'm sure if you get your parents to talk to the guidance counselor or principle you well be let in the class. In my school if a kid wants to get into a class, and they haven't met the requirements, the guidance counselor and teacher have to sign to let them into the course(formality), and your parents have to sign for you, stating that you want to take the course. The only drawback, however, is that you can't drop the class. This may or may not be how it is in your school, but if it's a public school they have no right to keep you from taking any class that you wish. That's why your parents pay taxes.</p>
<p>How much harder is BC compared to AB? What is the difference between these two classes?
If you take BC as a junior, what should you take at a community college as a senior?</p>
<p>BC is not harder than AB, it just covers more topics. AB often gives you 1 semester of college credit while BC gives you two. If you take BC as a junior, you should take Calc III (multivariable calculus) at a community college and either Differential Equations or Linear Algebra spring semester.</p>
<p>i think BC is harder than AB because it covers a few more topics, including sequences/series which can be very confusing (just like anything else, practice makes perfect). also, the BC curriculum goes at a lot faster pace than AB because of the more topics BC has to cover. you really have to be quick at learning or take time doing the homework and making sure u understand it or you may fall behind.</p>
<p>dontmispell: I go to a private school, so I doubt they'd legally be binded to allow me to take the class.</p>
<p>How about taking calc Ab as a junior and then calc2 and calc 3 at a community college senior year? Any reason not to do this?</p>
<p>Well, if your school offers BC, it may seem kinda weird as to why you were taking the course at a local CC...</p>
<p>Ach, I'm jealous of you all. I'm taking AP AB as a senior next year, and thats the highest math class at my small private school. The alternative is precalc and "applied math" whatever that is.</p>
<p>Well, it is the most rigorous math class available but its nothing compared to you guys. Should I take community college classes after senior year? Do 4 year colleges like Cornell accept community college credit, if the class is advanced enough?</p>
<p>Definitely take community college classes if you've exhausted your high school classes. It's more about showing colleges that you can handle advanced work, rather than trying to transfer the college credit.</p>