<p>What's your experience with the class?</p>
<p>I'm a sophomore right now finishing up advanced precalculus w/trig and am planning on taking BC next year along with 3 other AP classes. I haven't taken the final yet, but right now I'm standing at a low A. </p>
<p>Is this class do-able?</p>
<p>It’s doable, but the students self-select this course. It’s really the top math students in any given school. How much work depends on the teacher, but the concepts themselves are not hard to grasp for the dedicated math student.</p>
<p>One teacher had a 37% average and had half of her kids drop the course. Another teacher had 50% As because 50% of his kids usually get 5s. It depends.</p>
<p>^Speaking of statistics, everyone lauds our teacher’s ~4.3 average on Calc BC, and I’m just thinking “these students can learn calculus, but can’t realize that the curve makes his average much higher than other teachers.”</p>
<p>Really depends on the teacher</p>
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<p>Somewhat. I mean, even if you have a bad teacher, if you study hard, read the textbook, and are a motivated student who is good at math and wants to do well, there’s a way to succeed.</p>
<p>Where there’s a will there’s a way. (To use a clichéd phrase)</p>
<p>@DigitalKing The curve for AP calculus BC isn’t unusual. It’s about 63% for a 5 and 53% for a 4. This is similar to most other AP STEM courses. The reason over 45% score a 5 on this exam is because the top students are taking the exam. Your teacher may not be responsible for the high average but it is definitely not normal to have that kind of average without a great teacher and determined, talented students.</p>
<p>^Of course, I know that calc BC’s curve is so extreme because of the caliber of students taking it. I was just commenting on the perceived lack of statistical knowledge at my school. </p>
<p>Personally, I loved taking Calc BC. I took the dual credit equivalent through my school this year (they offer the course as a community college course, but it’s taught at the high school like any other class, so you get CC credit in addition to honors high school credit) and took the BC test last week. I’m one who really enjoys math, and so I found it interesting since you learn about how to do some cool things you wouldn’t be able to do with regular algebra. I would highly recommend taking it if you have the opportunity. I’m signed up for AP Stats next year, and I’m loathing it…I would much rather take another Calculus class than take Stats. </p>
<p>any recommendations on studying for the exam/course?</p>
<p>Doable, I did similar. I was in 2 APs with calc BC, but the rest of my classes were all honors (with the exception of band). Quite common at my school actually. My biggest advice is do the homework that they give you. For me it wasn’t graded but I wish I had done it because I would have done better on tests.</p>