<p>Here's the thing. I'm a freshman at my high school taking precalc. I was going to be taking honors precalc, but my counselor said no because I am already taking AP World History and Honors Bio. Because I'm taking regular precalc, I have to take AP Calc AB skipping AB to BC. </p>
<p>But a friend I was talking said I should take Calc at the local community college over the summer. He told me this would let me skip AB and BC (will it?) letting me go to either AP Stat or AP Com Sci. I will also be taking summer school to finish up an easy grad requirement. </p>
<p>Is college a lot harder than regular precalc or calc at high school?
And have anyone you done this and know if Calc boosts GPA.
Also, I will be having a of studying to do over the summer. I have to test out of English 10 (or whatever its actually name is) to take AP Comp and Lit. English 10 isn't too bad. I also want to take AP Micro-Macro, instead of USH or APUSH (you need to complete one of those to graduate). So, A couple of friends and I are studying over the summer. I also need to study to test out of Spanish 2, which is easy.</p>
<p>This also leads me to my second question:
Is to-be sophomore schedule too hard?
Science- AP Bio: Pretty much tortue like any other school
Social Studies- AP Micro-Macro: Simple and fun.
English- AP Comp and Lit: pretty fun in our school. Don't know about how hard it is though.
Math- AP Com Sci(if it all works out): Hard and challenging.
Foreign Language- Spanish 3- if i pass.
Elective- some blowoff class.</p>
<p>No need to spend your summer adding a math class. The difficulty and amount of material in any calculus class varies with the school. AP calculus does not cover everything a first semester course at a top flagship U does, a college course could cover more than the AP class but not as much as the flagship and an Honors flagship or elite college course would be different as well. Difficulty- it all depends on the ability of the student.</p>
<p>My gifted son did as many AP and other top courses as you are doing- no study hall and no big deal. He had Orchestra and plenty of time for running (CC and Track) and other, academic, extracurriculars. Others would have found such a schedule daunting. Your schedule may be just right for you even if it is too hard for another student. Never let anyone tell you you shouldn’t do as much as you thrive on. Make sure you don’t lose sleep doing too much. Be sure to have time for the extras and unstructured time for yourself. None of us know you well enough to determine what your optimal schedule is. Son did an Honors math major at an elite flagship and added computer science to it. He got to take several grad level math courses as an undergrad as well as the Honors math sequence.</p>
<p>If you feel comfortable- go for it. Max out your HS experience. At the same time don’t worry about trying to forge too far ahead with math- the courses will be much better at the high caliber college you are likely to attend. Finishing 4 years of HS Spanish will complete any school’s requirements for graduation- freeing up your college schedule for other fun courses.</p>
<p>What are the recommendations of your guidance counselor and parents? Getting too far ahead in math in HS may mean no courses left at the local community college before you finish HS. It also may mean missing out on theory based (versus problem based) calculus you could take with intellectual peers in college.</p>
<p>Allow yourself to enjoy you last years as a child. There is plenty of time to do academics, only do it in summer to keep your brain from boredom. Consider other mind broadening activities besides getting further ahead in math. Do fun reading- fiction and nonfiction. Consider working on subjects that are not your strengths- being well rounded is a good thing.</p>
<p>That sounds like really bad high school counseling.</p>
<p>You are three years ahead of the normal level in math, which means that you are one of the top math students. Math is probably your best and easiest subject, so taking the honors courses in high school (and calculus BC in one year instead of two, assuming your high school offers BC to students who have just completed precalculus) should not be especially difficult for you.</p>
<p>A summer session college course would typically be equivalent of a one semester college course (though at a faster pace, since a summer session is half the length of the regular semester). Note that high school calculus AB approximates the first semester college calculus course, while high school calculus BC approximates the first year (two semesters) college calculus courses, although minor curricular differences between colleges’ and AP syllabi may exist.</p>
<p>However, even if you stayed on the slower math track that your counselor is recommending, you will still complete calculus BC as a junior, allowing you as a senior to take more advanced math courses at a local college if you choose to do so.</p>
If you mean any college’s requirements that’s not true. Tufts has a three semester language requirement (plus three more semesters of language or culture courses). It takes a good AP score or approximately a 600 or better (it varies by language) score to get out of the first part of the language/culture requirement.</p>
<p>I agree with UCB, that if you are taking precalc as a freshman I can’t imagine why you’d be stuck in a lower track of math, that makes no sense. I would have put you in honors precalc too. I don’t know what to advise you though, because I am appalled by your schedule in general. I really think most students shouldn’t be taking a bunch of APs as freshmen. I don’t see the need to be taking AP English as a sophomore you can take AP Lang as a junior and AP Lit as a senior. I’d much rather you spent your summer doing something different from school (volunteer, camp, working, internship) than stuffing yourself with more classes. I hope you are planning to take a US History course eventually, in our state it’s required, as IMO it should be.</p>
<p>Have to agree – level 4 of high school foreign language does not automatically fulfill every college’s foreign language graduation requirements.</p>
<p>For example, here is the foreign language graduation requirement for UC Davis. Note that not all divisions or degree require it, but those that do make no provision for high school language courses fulfilling it (although AP scores, SAT subject scores, or departmental placement tests may fulfill or partially fulfill it).
[University</a> of California - Davis](<a href=“University of California Counselors”>University of California Counselors)
Other UCs’ policies can also be checked at that page – note that some do allow completion of high school language level 3 to fulfill the requirement, without any additional testing. There is no UC-wide policy.</p>
<p>As ucbalumnus pointed out, you are already on the advanced track. I would suggest taking AP Calc AB next year, and then taking the corresponding AP test. If you do well in that (i.e. you’ve learned enough calculus to show that you know it by getting a good score!), then you could follow the path that ucalumnus suggested (AP calc BC junior year, then more at a local college.) Alternatively, you could move forward and take Calc 2 over the summer between your sophomore and junior year, which would free you up to take additional math your last two years of high school, if you have easy access to a college.</p>
<p>My kids’ high school doesn’t have AP classes. They can take the AP tests. My youngest is also a freshman and will be taking advanced pre-calc this year (math is a two term course instead of an all year course, so he doesn’t have a math class this term). Next year he will take advanced calc, then take the AP calc AB test. He may opt to take Calc 2 over the summer, which is what his older brother did this past summer between his freshman and sophomore year. </p>
<p>Oldest kid took Calc 2 at the local state university because it was easier to get into a class there than the local community college. He didn’t find the class difficult, as apparently the advanced calc class at his high school delves into AP calc BC territory. Calc 3 (multivariate)is being taken this term at a private LAC, and he is finding it wonderfully challenging (but is earning an A).</p>
<p>The issue with taking a college class in math in high school is that you have to fit the class into your already crammed schedule. You also have to do a great deal of homework. You are learning at a faster pace. The study groups that you may find yourself a part of may be meeting during your school day or well into the evening. The class may be accepted by your high school for credit, but you must ask your own school counselor before taking the class. You may or may not be able to get the university that you attend post-high school to accept the credit. But for my oldest, it has been a rewarding experience so far. He loves the challenge. </p>
<p>Take it one year at a time. If you love math and understand it, then go for it!</p>