Limits Precalculus --> Honors Precalculus

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

Yo,
I’m a high school sophomore and was considering maybe switching into honors next semester from limits precalculus(level in between honors and regular, still prepares for AP level calculus). I started off the school year with honors, but it was my first time actually going to high school so I kinda got super stressed out with all my classes and didn’t even know we had a quiz on the day we had a quiz. I got a 7/21 on that quiz, and I got a 5/10 on the algebra 2 honors diagnostics(We all know what happened last year). The teacher said I should drop to limits and get all my fundamentals down, and get used to the flow of school.

As the year progressed to know in limits. I am actually doing pretty good. It’s still a tough course and a lot of my friends have a C- high D in the class. Some have a high A, some have a B. I have an 86 right now in the class.

The only reason being the 1st quiz transferred over to limits course, and I screwed up the 2nd quiz in limits because I’m an idiot. However, I quickly recovered from these L’s and starting to increase my test scores dramatically. Went from around an F-C average to a B-A average on quizzes and tests.

I would say my skills in math have dramatically increased and I’ve gotten used to high school. While, it’s unlikely I’ll get an A in limits. It’s very likely I’ll get a high A next semester with my work ethic and my dramatically increased test scores. I actually did so well on my last test I got only -2 points out of a 70 point test with 25 problems.

I want to take ap calculus bc next year(and parents want me to), however limits only prepares students for ap calculus ab. Both are very difficult courses from what I’ve heard at my school and in general from everyone around the world in high school.

That’s why I want to give honors a second attempt in 2nd semester and see if I can start strong and maintain that strong start throughout the entire 2nd semester. I believe I will be more prepared for ap calculus bc and receive honors credit in the process.

Since the limits course is around maybe 1/4-1/2 a unit behind the honors course I’ll need to catch that up with a tutor.

Can I receive some thoughts on this? And also can I even do this, and how will it look on my high school transcript?

2

I’d be surprised if your school allowed you to move back up after you moved down. Every time you move it’s an adjustment. No one here can tell you what your school will allow you to do. They might be more receptive to it if you had a high A, but you only have a B. In my opinion, you would be better off staying where you are.

Why is it important to take Calc BC instead of AB next year? I really don’t understand that. It’s not like you are breezing through what you are doing now and need the extra challenge. You will be a junior next year. Taking Calc AB as a junior is already ahead of standard math pacing. No college expects BC.

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Parents lmao. I would’ve just taken ab as well

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I’m probably sticking to limts tho

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This is something to discuss with your math teacher and guidance counselor but sounds to me like you are In a good place now where you can work hard, understand the material, and be successful. IMO it would be hard to switch back into the higher level class and make up all the material you have missed.

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Not sure if you can do that, and even if you could, I wouldn’t. It will be strange to switch to a different class next semester and your grades may suffer from the adjustment.

So maybe stay where you are and really try to do well.

I’m a senior in AP Calc AB right now, and I will say it is very challenging. For context: I recieved a 97 both semesters in Pre-AP Secondary Math I freshman year, 100 both semesters in Pre-AP Secondary Math II, 99 both semesters in Honors Precalculus. Now in AP Calculus AB I’m always shifting between a 93 and a 90. It is very difficult, so I would suggest AP Calc AB next year instead of AP Calc BC.

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Dang ok. I’m probably not switching or anything then.

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Stick to Limits, try to get an A throughout the redt of the quarter and theoughout 2nd semester (it’s going to get tougher) then take Calc AB next year. Keep BC for senior year and you’re good for every college out there). If you take AB then AP stats it might limit you a little bit in some very specific circumstances (like, for MIT, Harvey Mudd, or Cal tech :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:) but otherwise that’s a fine path to be on, even if aiming for top colleges.