<p>Here's the deal: I'm going to run out of math classes at my high school after this year (junior). I will have taken AP Calc AB & BC as well as Stats, so there aren't any AP tests I can self-study for. While I may take Calc III at a local university, that probably won't work out logistically. I'm thinking of self-studying a more rigorous single-variable calculus text. If I listed that on my applications (or sent an email separately), would that be enough to show colleges that I haven't dropped math? Since I'm hoping to major in applied math, I want to show that I continue to pursue that interest on my own.</p>
<p>I have plenty of time to think it over, so give me some early thoughts. Bear in mind that I'm mostly interested in numbers-based public schools.</p>
<p>They’ll see that you’ve taken AP Stat/Calc, it’s not going to look like you’ve dropped math. I’m in the exact same situation as you in that regard.</p>
<p>I believe mentioning a self-study would be a good idea. It shows you have initiative, self discipline, self motivation, real interest, and so on and such forth.</p>
<p>And while you implicitly asked, I seriously recommend “Calculus” by Michael Spivak. If you want to get serious about math, this (or a few equivalents like Apostol’s book) is pretty much the de-facto first step.</p>
<p>Perhaps you could find a teacher to work with and ask your counselor if you could have it show on your transcript? It doesn’t necessarily have to be a one-on-one class, but rather someone you could go to after school every once in a while with questions. Simply asking, whether or not it works, will give your guidance counselor or your math teacher to write about in a recommendation which would show your commitment to math.</p>
<p>If you’ve run out of math courses at your school, it’s not your fault. You have a few options.</p>
<ol>
<li>Take an online course.</li>
<li>Take some math electives if available.</li>
<li>See if you can design your own course in Calc II or something and have it approved by a math teacher at your school.</li>
<li>Just don’t take math.</li>
</ol>
I am planning on using Spivak (or maybe Courant, but that one sounds a bit less approachable).</p>
<p>I get along really well with my Calc teacher at school, so I might talk to him about “sponsoring” a self-study. All the teachers in my district are really overworked, but I might get him to sign off on a letter of rec mentioning what I do.</p>
<p>The only online course I took (a required class for school) was horrendous, and I’m not eager to repeat the process - especially if I have to pay some obscene sum for it.</p>