<p>My D asked for advice on selecting her calculus class. Unfortunately, her high school only offered the first AP Calc so she has not had BC. How difficult would it be for her to go directly into the first level of multi-variable calc? If she doesn't, she will be unable to take a physics class in the spring and that will put her behind if she concentrates in physics. Thank you so much.</p>
<p>You need BC to take multivariable calc. I can’t imagine doing multivariable with only a background in AB. In fact there are some people that took BC in high school and felt that they could use a refresher.</p>
<p>I don’t know much about the physics concentration but I’d be utterly surprised if it’s absolutely necessary to take multivariable your first semester freshman year.</p>
<p>If her particular case, the general recommendation would be to complete Math 1b during the fall term, then Math 21a in the spring.</p>
<p>What did the results of her math placement test say? That info should help you to decide.</p>
<p>D only had Calc AB in HS. Her placement test suggested she go right into Math 19a (the life science version of 21a). She was nervous and first backed down to Math 1b and then decided to destress and take MAth 1a. Turns out 1a and 1b are not stress free. D has said that she wished she had sucked-it-up, followed the placement suggestion, and taken Math 19a and been done with it.</p>
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<p>I’d advise against that. While I don’t want to suggest that 1a and 1b are easy by any stretch of the imagination, 19a would have been much harder without the basic calculus background. It’s usually better to err by taking an earlier course than err by taking a later course.</p>
<p>Dwight I completely agree and that is the same logic that my daughter used when she made the decision to take the lower level course. As for the 19a comment, those were her actually words and feelings at the end of freshman year. There is a thread around here were we discussed this topic earlier in the summer and I had expressed these same feelings in it. There was a response by an upperclassman (or maybe an alum) who stated something to the effect that the general consensus is that Math 1a and 1b should be avoided in any way possible. But again, I thoroughly agree. I wish it had worked out well for my daughter.</p>