Course selection

Applying to College
1

Hello all,

I have a question regarding course selection of calculus AB vs BC
I’m a sophomore in my second semester. I’ve gotten straight A’s in the top classes and I am first in a class of 800. I have focused and well developed extracurricular with leadership positions and awards that revolve around politics/business and economics and STEM specifically sustainability engineering which is what I want to study in college. (Just wanted to give info on my student profile) At the moment I plan on taking AP Lang, AP euro, and Italian 3h ACP. Then for STEM related courses AP stats, Calc AB, AP physics, and AP envisci. (for junior year)

I will be in a college level calc 2 class senior year. I think taking calc AB will be good balance to my schedule and where I can definitely earn an A if I work very hard. This will also give me time to work on my 3 other Stem courses. I plan on taking 3 AP sciences (comp sci A, chemistry, physics C) senior year and college calc 2.

However, my school offers BC. If I take BC I feel I should not do APES or Ap stats due to balance in my schedule. This would put me in calc 3 senior year.

Does it look bad that I will be taking calc AB or do the 3 other high level stem courses compensate?

Personally I would rather do AB so I can have time to take the other three classes but I wanted to hear others genuine input if they were me.

Thanks!

2

I would normally expect students two grade levels ahead in math to be those who find all high school math courses (including one year calculus BC courses) to be “easy A” courses. Do you believe that to be true for yourself?

3

No admissions officer is going to see a sophomore taking Calc AB as “slacking off”. It’s meant to be a college-level course.

4

Also to my understanding calc AB is calc 1. Calc BC is 1 and 2. This means I will by the end of my senior year have covered all the information in calc BC. (since ill take calc 2 senior year)

5

That’s not necessarily correct. It depends on how your school teaches it. In my state, AB is a prerequisite to BC, which is then the prerequisite to Calc 3. You should probably talk with your GC or a math teacher to see how the curriculums overlap.

6

Hello,
I consider stats to be an easy A, Calc AB I would see as a class I can get an A in with hard work. Most Other sophomores at my school who will be taking calc AB next year like me would wholeheartedly agree. With this in mind does this change your position?

7

Hello,
I consider stats to be an easy A, Calc AB I would see as a class I can get an A in with hard work. Most Other sophomores at my school who will be taking calc AB next year like me would wholeheartedly agree. With this in mind does this change your position?

8

didnt mean to double comment