<p>My son is not good in math, he is taking Pre-Cal right now in 10th grade. His counselor said he can take IB Math Studies HL instead of AP Cal AB in 11th. She said that's easier. But when I searched online, most ppl said it's even harder than AP Cal BC. Any comments? PS. He is not planning on math/science majors and they dont offer Cal in regular. Thanks.</p>
<p>He is two grade levels ahead in math but “not good in math”?</p>
<p>Also, isn’t IB math studies an SL, not an HL, option?</p>
<p>The way colleges view the IB and AP math for advanced placement is usually approximately the following:</p>
<p>IB HL >= AP BC > AP AB > IB SL</p>
<p>I have never heard of Math Studies HL, Math Studies is an standard level course or at least that’s all I’ve ever seen it listed as. Math Studies SL is not difficult and is more of a pre-calc to calc class. It will prepare you for AP Calc AB but not for BC. </p>
<p>Math HL on the other hand, as I understand it is MUCH more difficult than AP Calc AB/BC - but that is from third person. My son took Math Studies SL and AP Calc AB - no problems with those two.</p>
<p>oh sorry, I made a mistake. Yes, I read the catalog again, it said SL. So I think he should be able to handle it then. </p>
<p>@ ucbalumnus – when he was in ms, they placed him on a fast track math, he did pretty well at that time. But when he started 9th grade (Algebra 2 Honors), it was a nightmare. He struggled in both semesters and finished it with a C. This year, he does not want the stress anymore and picked Pre-Cal regular. So far, he is fine, at least within his level, but he does not like it at all. We figure out that he can do it if he is in regular class, taking into consideration he is already ahead of others. But next yr, their school only offers Cal in AP, so that will be tough. So his counselor suggests IB math studies SL, then AP Stat in 12th. She said colleges will be ok with IB math instead of AP Cal since he is not planning to go into math/science majors. Right???</p>
<p>and thank you both of you for your quick responses and pointing out my mistakes. I feel easier now :)</p>
<p>My younger D claimed she was not good in math, so she took IB math SL. She did very well. Now, the only down side was it didn’t prepare her for SAT II. She had to self study, but did get a decent score.</p>
<p>AP calculus AB will be like a semester of college calculus taken at a slower pace (over a year in high school).</p>
<p>Note that some non-math/science majors do require more math:</p>
<ul>
<li>Economics: calculus and statistics, and a lot more math if one wants to go to a PhD program in economics</li>
<li>Business: calculus and statistics</li>
<li>Most social studies: generally statistics; calculus and more advanced calculus-based statistics may be desirable or necessary in PhD study</li>
</ul>
<p>My S school offers IB math as a HL(methods) or SL (studies) option. S (a junior ) who has just started IB HL said it is challenging and it is the first time he has had to put effort into math. He said between this course and IB physics HL he cannot afford to miss one day of school.</p>
<p>D took SL IB math studies. She is not a math kid. I was impressed by the course and thought of it as a good capstone course.</p>
<p>At S2’s IB program, he took AP Calc AB junior year and then took the IB SL Math Studies exam and AP exam. Did well on both. The pre-IB part of the program made sure the kids covered what was specific to IB curriculum before getting to Calc. He then took AP Stat senior year.</p>
<p>This was one way he tried to maintain sanity in IB. Just be aware the SL Math Studies is not likely to get your kid college credit.</p>
<p>thanks everyone for all the valuable inputs. He has more confident this yr in Pre-Cal regular, but is afraid to take AP Cal next year as he will be taking AP Bio or Physics H, AP Eng at the same time. That’s why he wants to be safe and try IB SL instead. He wants to go Psychology or CIS. @ ubcalumus – so you mean even he may be in business or social studies, they would still prefer to see AP Cal instead? </p>
<p>Anybody knows how is AP Bio vs Physics Honors?</p>
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<p>It may be less relevant for admission, but if he wants to major in something that requires calculus (typically business or economics at the undergraduate level), he will eventually have to take it either in high school or in college.</p>
<p>However, there may be options which are less difficult than the normal college calculus 1 and 2 courses:</p>
<ul>
<li>AP calculus AB – covers college calculus 1 over a year in high school (slower pace).</li>
<li>College calculus 1 and 2 for business and social studies majors, which is a less difficult version than the normal college calculus 1 and 2 for math, physics, and engineering majors. However, this course may also be offered to biology majors and pre-meds, so it may have a lot of grade-grubbing pre-meds repeating their AP calculus credit for what they assume will be an “easy A”.</li>
</ul>
<p>thanks ucbalumnus. </p>
<p>Someone told me that AP Cal AB only covers 6 chapters, it’s not “that” difficult. They said actually Pre-Cal is the toughest in high school math. I dont know about that. Just that Cal is an “AP” course kind of scare him. </p>
<p>He is also debating between AP Bio and Physics Honors. He does not like Bio in particular but the teacher is ok, and he thinks he can do it as he is concerned that Physics Honors will require a lot of math (or Calculus??) He would rather handle Bio than one more math course. What’s your opinion? Does Physics H require good math base? He is taking Chem H this year, not hard but the teacher is completely insane, so he does not want to take AP Chem next year. </p>
<p>Sorry for all these questions. His counselor is not really that helpful, so I don’t have much resources. Thanks for your time.</p>
<p>When S2 took Honors Physics, he was taking AP Calc AB, but he said the math involved in the physics class was more along the lines of pre-calc.</p>
<p>FYI, AP Physics B is non calculus-based. AP Physics C (Mechanics and E&M) does require calc.</p>
<p>thanks, so glad to find this site :)</p>
<p>Just read their school catalog… they do have AP Phy B and their recommendations are Algebra 2 or concurrent enrollment and 1 science class. So I think he may be able to do it as he is taking Pre-Cal right now. Is it less math involved than Physics Honors?</p>
<p>High school physics or AP physics B does not require calculus, but AP physics C does. However, high school physics tends to use more math (algebra, geometry, trigonometry) than other high school sciences.</p>
<p>he likes earth science, but that’s offered as a regular class. Since he does not like math, so he tends to go AP Bio, which is not his fav either. But if AP Phy B does not require Calculus, he should be able to handle it. That will give him one more option. I just told him about this so he can check out who is the teacher for AP Phy B.</p>
<p>Oh sorry ucbalumus, one more question 
… I saw on college site that there is a cap on how many AP or Honors you take in a year. Is that right? so if he takes AP Eng, AP Bio, and AP Cal (or IB SL), one of them won’t be weighted? If so, do we get to decide on which one, or they decide it? Pretty confusing to me… thanks.</p>
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<p>That is probably in relation to a specific high school or college.</p>
<p>Or perhaps the weighted GPA calculation used by California public universities, where at most 8 additional semesters’ worth of +1 points are given for honors, AP, or college courses taken after 9th grade.</p>
<p>yes, that’s what they said, but I don’t understand.</p>
<p>I took IB Math Studies last year when I was a senior in high school. Math Studies is a mostly stats based course which would help him in AP Stats but there is there one unit on the beginnings of Calculus. It’s the very beginning of Calc so it wouldn’t be too difficult. I think it would be good for your son if he is not a Math person. I found the course fairly easy and I am not a Math person at all and taking it did not impact my college acceptances at all if that is what you’re concerned about. If you have any ore questions about the course, I’d be happy to answer them.</p>
<p>thanks Ambitious Dream… my son can handle Pre-Cal regular right now, feels pretty confident, but last year Algebra II honors was a big challenge for him. So he feels more comfortable taking math in “regular” level. </p>
<p>He can either take Stat in regular for 11th grade, then AP Stat in 12th. Or take IB Math SL in 11th, then AP Stat in 12th. His counselor advises IB SL then AP Stat. And after reading all the comments, I think that’s a better choice too. Just the name of the course being “IB” makes him worries if that’s = to a honor math level.</p>