Hi All,
My son is a sophomore in a Math/Science magnet that is pushing PreCalculus BC and Calculus BC for his next two years. I think he can handle the work (he’s highly gifted and has a 4.0 average now) but it means giving up his one opportunity for an elective. The rest of his schedule will be very demanding since he’s taking the new AP capstone course, AP history, etc. He thinks he wants to study biology in college. Possible elective choices would be animation or art (expanding STEM to STEAM), but his magnet coordinator suggests computer science. Aargh. Thoughts?
Thanks!
If he’s attending a math/science magnet, why wouldn’t he take calc BC? What would be the other math choice? While not knocking the arts cl;asses (and I have taken several over the years), I’m not sure why art vs. math comes into play at a STEM-school.
The other math choice would be calc AB. He’s going to a math/science magnet because that’s the best school in the area, but he’s very creative as well.
You mean he would take calc AB as a junior and then not take math as a senior? This seems unwise to me for a kid considering a STEM major.
Is there really no room in the schedule at this school for electives? They only take 5 core subjects? That’s not very many credits.
Bio is one of the least math intensive sciences.
Kids take calc AB junior year then calc BC senior year in my son’s high school. Can he do that?
No, he would take calc AB as a junior and then Statistics as a senior. His upcoming schedule is supposed to be Pre-AP English, AP World History, AP Capstone (yr 1), Chemistry, Spanish, and then Pre-Calc BC, which would require an extra class period.
Why is precalculus a double-period class?
Animation would include computers right? And he may change his liking too over next 2 years. Plus, if he is going towards elite colleges, most students applying there would have completed Calc BC - in some colleges / subjects, that is even a requirement. So, if he wants to keep his options open, Calc BC is better choice. If he is intent on biology only, then look for colleges that allow no math. As @mathyone says, many good STEM colleges will likely require this to be compelling student.
I guess the school has a separate, more difficult precalculus class for kids going on to calc BC, and it requires an extra period. If he stays in the calc BC track, he would be taking Calc 3 as a senior. Is that something that good STEM colleges expect?
Calculus 3 typically is not needed for biology majors. Also it is two grade levels ahead of the usual expectation, which is precalculus (I.e. student is ready to take calculus in college).
Note that college calculus is similar pace to high school BC, while high school AB is slower pace. It looks like normal precalculus is double period, while inferior precalculus is your other option.
Calc 3 is not necessary, but I think Calc BC is a better choice than Calc AB (one semester of college calc stretched out over an entire year) and AP Stats (a non calc based course that won’t give him the statistics he should have if he goes on in biology.). In our high school everyone takes the same honors pre-calc course and some go on to AB, others to BC, and still others do stats (mostly the non-science kids who still feel they ought to take four years of math). Both my kids one mathy, the other non-mathy took BC, the mathy one as a junior, who then took Linear Algebra as a senior the less mathy one as a senior.
If you son has a sound knowledge of algebra and trig functions, precalc shouldn’t be particularly difficult. I found taking Calculus BC to be helpful since I didn’t have to spend two semesters taking Calculus in college, freeing up time for other classes.
More than likely, the class will get a jump start on the AB topics in the Spring.
Anyway, back to the original question. Many colleges, and certainly all “top” colleges that are frequently mentioned on this site, advise that applicants should pursue the most rigorous schedule available within the structure of the curriculum available. Not taking BC without a very compelling reason, particularly is the college receives multiple applications from your son’s school, will probably raise an eyebrow. Calc 3, would not be expected or necessary.
Our pre-calc classes vary, my younger son’s class covered the entire AB curriculum by the end of June. Not in time for the test though! He was the only one that got that far, but they all did dip into calculus before the end of the year.
When I was in high school, precalculus (regular or honors) was a normal single period course. Students who completed it in 11th grade or earlier took calculus BC the following year. Anyone taking precalculus in 10th grade was presumed to be a top student in math.
Mine too, but there are 30,000 high schools in the US and among AP’s, the calculus sequence (and its preparation) seems to be one that has the most variation among schools.
Calc BC is not needed for neither Biology nor CS.
My own D. never took Calc BC, she was a Zoology major (close enough to Biology) at college.
A student majoring in either subject will likely have to take a full year of college calculus if not exempt with AP credit. I.e. the student will either have to learn calculus in high school, or learn it in college. Of course, this requires a strong precalculus background. It is worrisome that the high school is basically saying that a good precalculus course (suitable to prepare for high school calculus BC or college calculus) is a double course, while the normal single course precalculus is some kind of inferior variety.
Why not finish math sequence (precalc, calcBC). Then as a bio major there should be plenty of time to take electives and depending on colłege may have a broader range of options than animation, art or CS.
CS major at UMich does require Calc1 and Calc2 which can be placed out by AP Calc BC. No calculus is really required for college application for any major. It may help for some STEM field applications. Even engineering major may start Calc 1 in college and many students do.