Help! Calculus Placement and what will Columbia think?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

<p>Hey everyone,</p>

<p>so today I just received my A.P. score report. I have taken a total of 9 A.P.'s (junior + senior year) and gotten a 5 on 8 of them and I got a 3 on the Calculus BC exam -_-My AB subscore was a 4... I'm worried because Columbia will see: 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 3 ...... and since I got an A both semesters in Calculus they will think something is wrong with my math abilities? I have gotten A's in all math classes throughout high school (800 on SAT Math IIC and on the Math section of the SAT I) and I failed the AP Calculus test so miserably because my teacher is very lax on grading hw (basically 100%) so i bsed the whole year and did no hw and our tests are basically the same as group tests.... so while I got an A in the class I failed the A.P and got a 3. </p>

<p>I am currently preparing during the summer (so I won't fail Calculus at Columbia) and I want to take Calculus II at Columbia. I read that the placement policy for Calculus 2 is:</p>

<p>-have a 4 or 5 on the AB exam or,
- have a 4 on the BC exam, or
- didn't take an AP exam but received a grade of A in a full-year high school calculus course.</p>

<p>Since I received an A both semesters in a full-year high school calculus course.. am I still eligible? Because the requirement says "didn't take an AP exam" and I DID take an A.P. Exam... Also... will my Calculus AB subscore of 4 count for the requirement? Since on the back of the A.P. score report it says something along the lines of "schools should see the A.B. subscore as the same as a score on the AB test." </p>

<p>So can i still take Calculus II or will i have to take a placement test during orientation? >_></p>

<p>Plus.... do you think Columbia will think I cheated in my math classes or something because all my other A.P.'s are 5's.... and a 3 is such a drop?</p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

<p>Stressing out here.</p>

2

<p>Yo dude! Thinking way too much here…it’s really not that big of a deal!</p>

3

<p>Yeah, you’re reading a little too much into it. No way they’re gonna think you didn’t take an AP exam or you cheated your way through the class… everybody knows you can have bad days and will have the occasional hiccup. Its not like they’re going to get your score report and have your transcript and SAT scores right beside them and compare. </p>

<p>I’m not sure there’s a placement test for calculus… but remember, all the stuff about AP and placement into classes are all just guidelines. If you talk to your adviser, and especially the person that teaches the course, I’m sure you can get bumped up to the appropriate level of class. If a professor thinks you’re supposed to be in his/her class, you’re supposed to be there. No argument or need to see AP scores there.</p>