<p>I recently took a tour of the college and absolutely loved it. However, during the Eagle Eye information session, I was saddened to learn that BC wants four years of math. Although I know this is part of the academic rigor expected (and rightly so), I did infact take all three years of my required math courses. I did, though, begin these courses in 8th grade–which BC doesn’t accept. Therefore, I took the senior level math class (pre-calc) in 11th grade and all that is left for me to take is calculus.</p>
<p>I am not interested in math at all. Because of this, I wanted to fill my senior schedule with electives that related to my future major and interest (history and education). The admissions counselor I spoke to said most students at BC took calc.</p>
<p>So my question is, if I don’t take calc but still take a rigorous schedule my senior year on top of taking 2 foreign languages at the college level, being the president of NHS, being VP of two other clubs, and playing soccer with all good grades, am I really hurting my chances of getting in?</p>
<p>Also, please list if you actually took calc yourself.</p>
<p>I would say you are, if they actually told you they want four years. Sure, you may have some nice EC’s, but that’s a given for anybody wanting to go to BC–but what others have that you might not is that fourth year of math.</p>
<p>You have to take a math course for your core curriculum anyways… So look at it this way, you have two options:
Take Calculus now.
Take Calculus in college.
Would you rather take it in high school and be able to place out of it, and never have to take it at the college level? Or
Would you rather spend time taking HIGH SCHOOL classes for your perspective major, and then have to take calculus in college? Which, keep in mind, would take away one course you would be able to take for your major.</p>
<p>I hope this helped. I took four years of high school math and got in, btw</p>
<p>Honestly, I don’t think it matters that much at all if you take a math your senior year.</p>
<p>Yes, BC does look for and like well-rounded students who filled their schedules with all disciplines but it won’t make or break your application. Some of my friends here never have and never will take calculus.</p>
<p>Like pbbuff said though, would you rather take it in high school, that way you can take extra classes toward your major that will really interest you or would you rather wait and take it at the college level which could prevent you down the road from taking all the classes you would like?</p>
<p>It’s a simple judgment call but either way it will not make or break your application to BC.</p>
<p>No, there are other options for math. Some majors require calc but since you want to do history you could take Finite Math to satisfy the core. And no, only AP calculus or statistics would fulfill your requirement.</p>
<p>Yes, you may be hurting your chances of admission if you don’t take that 4th year of math. Will it knock you out completely? Possibly, or maybe not; none of us here can really say. But with the acceptance rate as low as it is, why give BC a reason to make it easier for them to choose someone else for next year’s freshman class rather than you? </p>
<p>Go ahead and take calculus. Even if you don’t get AP credit for it, it will show you are willing to take challenging classes (even outside your main areas of interest) and it will give you a solid background for whatever math class you do take at BC.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies. If I take ap stat, which I got recommended for, does that count the same as if I took average levelcalc? In other words, would bc consider taking ap stat good enough?</p>
<p>Dunno about BC specifically, but in general, every college that says that they want four years of math means thru pre-calc, which you have. Thus, you satisfy the requirement for most colleges.</p>
<p>wrt highly selective colleges, such as BC: they expect that you will take the most rigorous curriculum that is offered at your HS (and challenge yourself). That doesn’t mean that you have to take every AP offered, but if half the seniors take Calc and you do not…</p>
<p>does your HS offer calc AB over one year? can you take AP Stats? Sure, Stats is considered an AP Lite, but so is Calc AB. Either would be better than another humanities course. Don’t forget, BC is a college with a Core curriculum – math is required. But if you AP out of the requirement, you can take more electives at the next level – and BC has a bunch of GREAT electives.</p>