Calculus BC for a junior in Algebra II?

Applying to College
1

<p>I'm currently a junior in Algebra II Honors. It's safe to say that math is one of my strongest subjects; strong enough that i've never ever studied for a math test and made 100's. The problem is that i'm aiming for ivies and i feel that having calculus bc on my application would be a boost (aside from my URM status jeje). I would take precal this summer at a local high school--it would be a regular precal course. My question to you is, from a scale of 1 to 10, how much would you say precal helps one if he is deft in math?</p>

<p>in case you're wondering, i'm not already in precal because i dropped out in middle school because i felt the students were being hostile and discriminatory toward me. i know it's a foolish assumption now, but that's how i felt.</p>

<p>tahnks for any input</p>

2

<p>At our school you take AP Calculus AB before AP Calculus BC. If it is the same at your school then how will you be able to take BC next year?</p>

<p>I have heard that schools really like when you take both AB and BC.</p>

3

<p>In my experience algebra II honors was pretty much the exact same thing as precalc except for a few minor topics like intro to limits.</p>

4

<p>It’s doable. I self studied through Calc BC during the year I had Algebra II. Didn’t get to sit for the exam that year, but I’m sure you will have no problem.</p>

5

<p>Lots of schools don’t require AB for BC. My school doesn’t let you take BC if you’ve taken AB.</p>

6

<p>“Lots of schools don’t require AB for BC. My school doesn’t let you take BC if you’ve taken AB.”</p>

<p>That’s interesting. We have to take AB to take BC.</p>

7

<p>it’s doable, however for me, the jump from precalc to calc was completely different than the one from alg 2 to precalc. math is one of my stronger subjects too, but for some reason, it took a little while to adjust, and this was for the AB class, since my school does not offer BC</p>

8

<p>my school gives you the option of either AB or BC… you don’t take both.</p>

9

<p>At my school, precalculus was basically some advanced algebra and trig. Both are pretty necessary for Calc. I know a few students in your situation, though, and they did fine by taking Precalc in the summer and Calculus the next year.</p>

<p>Your situation does depend on how your school treats Calc AB and BC. At our school, we take Calc AB for a semester, and then if we want to continue, Calc BC. If your school incorporates the AB material into BC, then great. But if you are forced to take AB for an entire year before BC, there’s no problem in just taking AB before applying to Ivies. Also, self-studying for the BC portion of the exam is not super difficult if you take AB, and as you put it, and are “deft” in math.</p>

10

<p>Wow, I’ve never heard of having to take AB before BC, because BC covers all of AB. But I guess that depends on if each is a semester, or a year. Ours are both a year, so it makes no sense whatsoever to take both, or take both tests. But if you’re applying to ivies, calc will help. Don’t overly stress yourself out to get to calc, but if you make the effort to, they will notice.</p>

11

<p>Honestly you could probably self study the necessary material that is in Pre-calc over the summer if you are good in math. There are only a few necessary things to know and the concepts are not hard.</p>

12

<p>Pre-Calc is like the same as Algebra 2, so just review your Algebra 2, find out from the pre-calc teacher any differences between the two that you need to catch up on. Then if you work hard you should be fine for BC.</p>

13

<p>At my school there’s no point in taking AB before BC as BC covers all of the AB material anyway.</p>

<p>You sound like a solid math student so I think studying the precalculus topics and reviewing algebra II over the summer will be sufficient. Topics from both of those courses are extremely important for calculus, but many of the topics overlap. The reason precalculus is emphasized so much (IMO) is that continued exposure to the topics really help to ingrain them in your mind, which can really help in calculus where you need to pull these things from your head instantly to perform more complex tasks. So that is where you may be at a disadvantage for not having taken the yearlong course, but again I think you’ll be fine.</p>

<p>Keep in mind though that a lot of students hit a wall in math, some in geometry, some in precalculus or calculus, or other areas. You don’t sound like the kind of student that would, but it could happen.</p>

14

<p>At my school, you have to take trig, precalc, AND AP Calculus AB (even after Honors Algebra II) before you can take AP Calculus BC. You may be good at math, but that’s a lot of math to miss.</p>

15

<p>At my school trig is part of algebra II and precalculus, so for most students its geometry, algebra II, then precalculus, then they can choose between AB, BC, or one of the IB maths.</p>

16

<p>Thanks you all for your insightful responses. in my school you can only take either calculus ab OR calculus bc. again tahnks. i’ll take calculus bc next year :D</p>

17

<p>Like others have said, Precalculus repeats the trig covered in Algebra two but introduces limits. I would def do this, Calculus (especially BC) in considered the “big kahuna”.</p>

18

<p>“Ours are both a year, so it makes no sense whatsoever to take both, or take both tests.”</p>

<p>We take both, and both tests.
…but I got to a magnet math and science high school so the courses are even harder math and science and we learn some different stuff besides what we need to know.</p>

19

<p>yeah im in the same boat. taking regular alg. II, going to take precalc over the summer, and then calc AB (if im lucky BC)</p>

20

<p>Mine goes Geometry –> ALG II –> Precalc (Includes limits and trig) –> Calc AB –> Calc BC</p>

<p>ALl of them are mandatory prerequisites with no option of skipping one even if you self study/show proficiency, etc. So for me, I’ve never really questioned whether its necessary or not as it’s necessary regardless of knowledge gained.</p>