<p>Many schools have more than one calculus series. For example they will have calculus series for business majors, a different series for science majors and then a proof based series for math majors. </p>
<p>My oldest son is at a university with a very strong engineering program. He got a 5 on the AP AB test and started with calc. 2. He survived but he regretted the decision and he told anyone who would listen that they should “back up one”, i.e., if their test score on the AP AB allowed them to take calc. 2 take calc. 1 and if test score on AP BC allowed them to take calc. 3, take calc. 2. He strongly felt that the AP curriculum didn’t match the rigor of the college courses and he would have been much better off taking the whole college series as a STEM major. </p>
<p>My youngest son got a 5 on the AP BC test and he is taking a proof based series. He says that the proof series is nothing like the calculus he had in high school. In his case the university won’t allow students to use AP to advance in that series - they are required to start with calc.1. </p>
<p>I know the mantra at our local high school is … never substitute an AP class for a class that is required by your major. I think that’s pretty good advice.</p>