<p>Right now I'm in Algebra II (standard paced Junior curriculum), and I plan on taking AP Stats (considered elective math class) and Pre-Calculus (standard pace Senior curriculum) next year. However, after learning how little colleges value Stats compared to Calc I'm questioning whether I should try to take AP Calc (in place of Pre-Calc).</p>
<p>In order to take AP Calc I would have to study and successfully pass my school's Pre-Calculus test-out exam at the end of the summer. Would it really be worth all the work?</p>
<p>Other then AP Stats my other AP classes will include AP US Gov and AP Literature.</p>
<p>The most selective school I'm interested in is NYU Stern. </p>
<p>If you are aiming for schools like NYU, you should be taking the most rigorous classes possible, getting As in them and 5s on the AP exam. Check out the stats on the current freshman class.</p>
<p>@FlMathMom right realize that, I just was’t sure, considering NYU won’t see my senior grades, nor receive senior AP score… would the difference between a schedule with AP Stats + Pre-Calculus and one with AP Stats + AP Calculus AB would really be significant?</p>
<p>No, do NOT take that class.
I had a friend last year who nearly ended his life because he couldn’t cope with the workload.
Then, one night, he drank himself into oblivion and stood in the middle of busy route 165 shouting “I’ll show you a derivative!” Luckily, authorities were able to pull him off the road before anyone was injured.
He has not been the same since; he went from valedictorian of our high school to being a drop out at our local community college.</p>
<p>If you plan to major in something quantitative in college, than AP Calc is recommended.</p>
<p>However, if you don’t plan on doing anything science/math/engineering related at the next level, you probably don’t need to push yourself to take AP Calc.</p>
<p>Calc I is required for NYU’s business program, so you can either learn it next year in high school or wait until college. You might want to check what the minimum AP credit for waiver in Calc is for NYU.</p>
<p>^^Uhm, that’s a very unique, uncommon situation. I would bet there is much more to the story than just the fact that your friend had trouble with Calculus. </p>
<p>I’m currently taking AP Calc and the workload is not bad at all. I have maybe 100 homework problems a week at the very most and I just got an A on my final (2 part final, I got a 100 on part 1 and a 98 on part 2; both tests were questions from released AP Exams). And I am NOT a math person. I just pay attention and do my homework and I study for the tests. I think Calc AB is really easy, even easier than pre-cal was for me. </p>
<p>A lot of kids in my school are in the accelerated math program so that they took AP Calc as a junior and are taking AP Stats as a senior. They unanimously hate Stats and wish they were still in Calc. I suggest taking it. I like it.</p>
<p>Colleges do see your senior schedule and your senior grades for the first semester. Familiarize yourself with the Common Application. You must list your courses & send in a Mid-Year report. Your GC also has to discuss the kind of student you are. Unless you are majoring in English or a language, you probably would want to take Calculus. That’s my opinion. You can also email NYU and ask them. </p>
<p>ll - I am sorry about your friend, but I don’t thing that is the norm for a high achieving student.</p>