I’m having issues with my course selection for next year. Long story short, my advanced math track I’ve been on since 6th grade (currently a junior) got badly messed up with the implementation of common core. 8th grade was algebra 1, 9th geometry, 10th algebra 2 (our pre-calc), and 11th Calc A. All my classes have been accelerated, which is above honors but below AP. However, this Calc A class is basically AP AB- we’re even considering taking the test in May, but it will not count as an AP because the course was not approved by CollegeBoard. What ended up happening was that this course was supposed to fill curriculum gaps related to pre-calc for the first half of the year, but it only took us a few weeks.
My question is, will competitive colleges like the Ivies/NESCACs want to see another year of Calc? AP AB would basically be a repeat, and AP BC is hard and my course load for senior year is already ridiculous (I’m planning on AP Physics, AP Lit, AP Gov, AP Psych, and Hon French). I plan to be a humanities major in college, so I wanted to take AP Stats instead of calc. Also, I struggled in calc this semester and barely got my grade together in the last month.
My basic question is this: will it put my admissions chances in jeopardy if I don’t do a year of a “real” AP Calc and take AP Stats instead?
Personally, I would take AP Calc BC. If you study hard enough and do well with your current class, and then study more over the summer with a prep book, then you should be fine for BC. If not, at least take AP Calc AB. Colleges would prefer to see an AP Calc over AP Stats. Since you want to attend prestigious schools, AP Calc would look more impressive. Honestly, any AP is time consuming but the ones you listed above (minus AP Physics) aren’t too hard and could be manageable with AP Calc.
Thank you! I don’t want to bother you any more than is necessary, but there is more info. The teacher of BC is notorious for being not the best…I have him now and struggle with his teaching style and honestly, I hate math. Physics will be horrible for me, and I don’t want to go insane senior year (which BC will probably make me). Also, I probably didn’t do a good enough job of explaining this, but the administration of our school really doesn’t want us going to AB. Should I go for it anyway?
If your current course covers AB (and you get a good score on the AP test to prove it), then it is best to take BC, since taking the official AB course would be a waste of time. Assuming that your school’s BC course starts where AB ends, that is a full year to cover what in college takes a semester or less, so it should be especially difficult.
On the other hand, if your intended college major is in the arts or humanities (other than philosophy) such that calculus is not required, and the school does not require calculus for all, it may be acceptable to take statistics instead, having already taken calculus. But some schools may prefer to see BC over statistics anyway.
No, but philosophy majors must engage in logical thinking, for which math is the best of the high school subjects for giving one practice. Philosophy has a reputation of being a rigorous major because it requires the type of thinking found in humanities subjects and the type of thinking found in math-based subjects – many students are strong in one but just ok or weak in the other.
Ask your current teacher: does s/he think you can take the AB exam and get a 3 or more in it? And does s/he think you can get a B or more in Calc BC?
If the answer is yes, then it’s really up to you.
If you do well in the Calc AB exam, it’ll be sufficient for all colleges, so you could take AP stats and not suffer consequences.
If you do well in Calc AB, then you’d have about half of BC already covered, so the class shouldn’t be the end of the world.
If you do poorly on the AB exam and/or your current teacher thinks you’re not sure to get a B or more in BC, then the choice is made for you, and it’s AP Stats (take the AB exam anyway, just in case).
Can you take a philosophy class at the local community college to test yourself?
