<p>I'm not sure about how I want to get my Calculus in next year (I'm a junior now).</p>
<p>My school offers no APs, so those are out.</p>
<p>Last year was the first year my school offered a Calculus class. Prior to that, the highest level was the equivalent of Pre-calculus. Then they started allowing 8th graders to skip to Algebra 1 instead of the usual Pre-algebra. OK so far.</p>
<p>Then I learned something unsettling. My brother, an 8th grader, was placed in pre-algebra, as was the rest of his class except for the ones who were below the normal learning pace and needed an easier class. The principal of the Jr High and High School said at a recent assembly that they would not be offering the Calculus class after next year because it doesn't fit the schedule very well. So that's why they don't let 8th graders skip anymore.</p>
<p>This doesn't directly involve me, but it kind of makes me worry about a few things. For instance, how reliable is this Calculus class if its lifespan will be a whopping 3 years? The teacher had never taught Calculus before, though he is certainly qualified to do so. He really is a great teacher, and I enjoy his classes very much. But how much faith should I have in such a short-lived curriculum? There isn't very much motivation to improve on a curriculum when my class will be the last one to take the course.</p>
<p>I am considering taking a Calculus course at the community college. The advantages are that I might have a better curriculum and thus learn more, plus it's one less class I have to fit in at school next year (many of my projected courses are only offered one period). The disadvantage is that I would not have this very good high school teacher, and the learning pace at a community college might be too high.</p>
<p>Is there anyone out there with some insight on this?</p>
<p>The learning pace at most community colleges is anything but high.</p>
<p>Community college is gonna be much eaiser. I know kids who went with C's in calc in my school (granted our calc program is prolly harder than most) and got high A's in our local community college (which is a really large community college so its better than most community colleges). Seriously high school is a great place to learn the fundamentals of calc, and if you say the teacher is chill than there is not problem.</p>
<p>Ok, so in that case:</p>
<p>I still have a year to decide this, but should I choose the community college, should i go for Calc II rather than Calc I? I've heard that generally it's advisable for students to skip Calc AB and go from precalc to BC. Does it work the same way at a community college?</p>
<p>Well you need calc 1, thats intro to derivatives. In college theres no thing like cal ab or bc, thats a high school thing. Calc Ab is calc 1 and 2 (at least that what it roughly translates to for the university near my house PSU) Calc bc i still Cal 1 and cal 2, but now with some parts of calc 3. Maybe things are diff at the community college you want to take calc at, but at PSU (Portland state not a community college) calc 1 is derivatives calc 2 is Intergrals (antiderivative) and calc 3 is sequences. You have to take calc 1 before calc 2. BUt you can take Ap calc BC before Ap Calc AB. What is did was took pre calc as a freshman, then ap calc ab as a soph. then this year as a junior i am taking ap calc BC.
If the program at your hs is truly weak the community college will be the best idea, and will prolly take you through the ap exam. I personally like to first exhaust the circullium at my H.S then go to college for courses, why not take it at your school of it is offered, cheaper, easier etc. I have freinds who took Ap calc AB at school, then over the summer took Calc 3 at our local community college.</p>
<p>To sum up what indianbasketball said, </p>
<p>Calc AB= Calc 1 at a college
Calc BC= Calc 1 AND 2 at a college</p>
<p>So in BC, you're not really 'skipping' AB, you're just going through 2 semesters work in a year rather than 1 semesters. I'm pretty sure the Calc 1 and 2 classes are a semester each, so just take both (in order of course) and you'll be set.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies so far.</p>
<p>I'm not really sure if this changes things, but I just did a little digging and discovered something else. The highest level of math course offered by the community college is Calculus II. So it doesn't have much of a curriculum either. This is making me gravitate more toward just taking it in high school. But I'll keep this option if, for some reason, the Calculus course does not fit my schedule.</p>