Calculus BC, Community College, or neither?

Applying to College
1

Please do not judge me for wanting to have the best chance of admissions and look as good as possible on my application

I am aware that colleges and universities only judge the rigor of your schedule based on the courses offered at your school and I’m stuck with a problem. The two highest math courses at my school are AP Calculus AB and AP Statistics. I am a junior currently taking AP Calculus AB and next year I have already opted to take AP Statistics.

Based only on how good it will look to the colleges I am applying to, which situation would be best?

  1. I commute to a neighboring high school and have half of my classes there in order to take Calculus BC
  2. Have an unscheduled as one of my classes and take a night Calculus class (Multivariable calc.) at the local community college
  3. Do neither and just chill with AP Statistics

***The only problem I have with number 1 is that I am a STEM focused students and so many applicants will have had Calculus BC under their belt by junior year. My question is: Since Calculus BC is “technically” available via commuting to a local school, am I still seen as an applicant that had Calculus BC available to him? Or, is it better for me to make it seem as if Calculus BC was never available and go with option 2 or 3?

2

Basically, I would rather they see me as someone who didn’t have calc available and took the initiative to commute rather than a student who had Calculus BC available (via commute) and instead opted for the easier route (calculus AB). I am only worried because I see sooooo many juniors that take Calculus BC on here.

3

Did your Calc AB cover integrals and stuff like that? Because Calc AB is like Calc 1, BC is like 1+2, and Multivariable is usually like Calc 3. My Calc 3 class required knowledge from both calculus 1 (differential) and 2 (integral). If that’s the case with yours, I don’t see how you could take it without having Calc 2 / BC first.

4

@bodangles You’re right. Which class would I take then?

5

@bodangles Calc 2?

6

Is commuting to the other school something students at your school do often? If not, then it’s not really all that “available” to you – seems to me more like something extra, going above and beyond.