At my school I can go into a very challenging IB program (with standard math progression), or I can do AP classes and make it to Calc BC Honors as a junior and then Calc III as a senior - but I cannot do both. Can anyone give advice on which plan would be better to be competitive for admissions? My strengths are in math/science, but I’ll do IB if it’s better.
…meant to say ‘further in math.’ Maybe I shouldn’t be in IB!
A reasonable number of AP 's (English language, physics 1+c, and a couple others of your choice) + math as far as you can go.
Don’t forget an in depth ec that demonstrates what you’re capable of.
My dc did AP Cal BC in Junior Year and IB HL in Senior year forgoing Cal 3/Diff Eq, but my dc is in the diploma program. Although dc will have to take Cal 3/Diff Eq in college, HL is still pretty challenging and is still further math. DC will start Calc 3 with more skills in Cal 2 and other kinds of math than someone who only took BC. Same goes for IB Physics vs. AP Physics C. If your goal is to start college in a higher level class, take AP/Cal 3/Diff Eq. If your goal is to learn more in the long run and/or earn your IB diploma, take IB HL.
For admissions, both are probably equal.
^True - that’s another possibility (BC then Math HL2)
That’s also what I’m doing. BC junior year, HL math year 2 this year. And I got into Caltech. If there’s any way for you to do that at your school, I think that’ll be a good path for you to take!
To be fair, most of Calc BC will be taken care of in HL Math, if your school does the Calculus Option. I’m only in HL Math year 1 and I know pretty much everything in the BC syllabus. So if your school does the Calc Option, there’s no need to do BC first then HL Math Y2, just go for HL Math straight away.