How essential is Calculus?

College Majors Business Major
1

Hi, I’m an upcoming freshman attending Northeastern University, and I recently switched my major to finance from engineering.

I took Calculus BC junior year (skipped AB) and got a 4 on the exam with an AB subscore of 4. I’ve been emailing my academic advisor for the business school and she said that I would only need to take one math class, which is Calculus for Business and Economics.

She also said that my exam score would let me opt out of that math class and fill it in with a different non-math class. I responded asking with what classes I could take in replacement, but she hasn’t replied yet.

Here’s the thing: I don’t know if I should use the AP credit because I haven’t seen calculus in over a year, (took Lin Alg senior year) I know I forgot a crapload of things. I wasn’t that good at it anyways, though I somehow managed a 4. I just don’t want to opt out of it, then hurting myself in the long run.

That being said, to any current finance/business majors, how useful is Calculus and do you recommend I retake it?

Also, an overview of the course:

“Provides an overview of differential calculus including derivatives of power, exponential, logarithmic, logistic functions, and functions built from these. Derivatives are used to model rates of change, to estimate change, to optimize functions, and in marginal analysis. The integral calculus is applied to accumulation functions and future value. Emphasis is on realistic business and economics problems, the development of mathematical models from raw business data, and the translation of mathematical results into verbal expression appropriate for the business setting. Also features a semester-long marketing project in which students gather raw data, model it, and use calculus to make business decisions; each student is responsible for a ten-minute presentation. (Graphing calculator required, see instructor for make and model.)”

2

You won’t need to use calculus in business so if you get the AP credit that is fine IMO.

3

You won’t need calculus unless you are going to major in econ or stats.

4

Agreed that you won’t be facing much calc as an undergrad major other than simple derivatives at most. Skip the class unless that marketing project sounds interesting to you.

5

@AoDay @CheddarcheeseMN

What if I want to do accounting on top of finance?

6

Still don’t need it.

7

Agreed, I’m a CPA as is my S and there is no need for calculus. Never used calc other than in the required math courses. If you still have any doubts you can reach out to an advisor/dean in the b-school at your college.

8

Agree, you don’t need or use it in the profession. I too am a CPA. You only need to have taken it for business school admission, at least the competitive business schools.

9

Take the credit. Your other math class will have to be statistics. This is more important to your future and job than calculus. :slight_smile:

10

@MYOS1634 Also got a 5 in Stats. Think I should use that credit too, or no?

11

No, because a college course is likely Tobe more complete. You can also take stats applied to business, or calculus - based stats.
Finally, while employers couldn’t care less what you did in high school, they will appreiate seeing a statistics clasbunser 'relevant coursework ’ on your resume.