No calculus, no chance?

@Knowsstuff Thank you for the advice. I’ve never taken physics before and I don’t think I will be able to fit so many AP classes in for my senior year, but I could focus on prioritizing what I can.

We’re all coming down hard on you skipping out on Calculus because it just isn’t a good idea for many reasons. It’s not an absolute deadend— we have no idea who you are and what your background and specifics are. Yes, there are STEM majors who get into top schools without taking calculus. I’m married to one who went in to become very successful both in academia and business, very much in STEM. But it does lower the odds. It makes things much more difficult freshman year.

@cptofthehouse Right, I agree. The only thing I’m confused about is whether in-state universities like UF and FSU consider declared majors for freshman admissions. I remember reading many times that major is not considered, not even for CS, but I’m getting different responses on this thread.

*For OOS and top schools, I might be penalized if I’m applying as a STEM major without AP Physics, AP Chemistry, etc., but does the same apply to in-state universities? Does major truly matter for public universities in FL?

The OP is not “skipping calculus” after completing precalculus in 11th grade. She will be in precalculus in 12th grade due to middle school math placement decisions to put her on the normal +0 math track instead of the +1 math track.

Most colleges do not require calculus while in high school for frosh admission: http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/21642599/#Comment_21642599

UF CS course plan starts math with MAC 2311 calculus 1: https://catalog.ufl.edu/UGRD/colleges-schools/UGENG/CPS_BSCS/#modelsemesterplantext

It can be advantageous to have AP credit that allows starting in a more advanced course (freeing up a free elective slot in you college course plan), but it is not essential.

@ucbalumnus Thanks for the help.
I’ll find a way to take Calc AB (online if I have to), but I’m worried about applying as a CS major and not having AP Physics, AP Chemistry, 1500+ SAT and the like.
I only began considering CS in junior year. If UF and FSU consider major for freshman admissions, I basically have no chance as a CS major. I won’t be competitive at all compared to everyone else applying in CS.

WRT Physics, doesn’t FLVS offer some sort of AP Physics? If your school doesn’t offer AP Physics and FLVS does, I wonder if UF expects you to take the online class. (It’s a question, I don’t know the answer to this). This might yet be another option to take.

@ProfessorPlum168 My school offers regular, honors, and AP (calc) Physics 1. FLVS does not have any AP Physics, but they offer regular & honors Physics 1.
I was enrolled in FLVS full-time for freshman and sophomore year, so UF expectations might be based on all previous online school/current public school course options.

I do not know specifically if UF, FSU or a number of schools would look at majors when looking at admisuions. I know they do for engineering, nursing and some other majors. When the seats are full, that’s it. I know that a number of the California state scolls have what they call “impacted majors” , and it does matter if you are applying to them. Whereas certain majors are not impacted and the head count not so carefully tracked.

It makes sense that schools keep some sort of balance as to what majors they are accepting. There are only so many seats or students that can be accommodated. It can be more difficult to gain acceptance in popular majors like premed st Hopkins, certainly CS at Carnegie Mellon. It varies from school to school, and the impact of major choice can vary too.

What I was asking was if the CS program you are interested in was in the college of engineering or college of Liberal Arts and Sciences. UF offers both. UF may not admit by major, but I’m pretty sure they admit by college.

https://catalog.ufl.edu/UGRD/colleges-schools/UGLAS/CSC_BS/

https://catalog.ufl.edu/UGRD/colleges-schools/UGENG/CPS_BSCS/

Interesting…Look like you apply to the school, and then declare during orientation:

https://www.cise.ufl.edu/admissions/undergraduate/

As a mom to 2 Florida CS students, I would say your both of your summer activities are very appropriate. FWIW, SAT and GPA are the most important data points at the state universities (yes, UF is holistic, but still considers standardized test scores “important” - see their “Common Data Set”). So keep prepping!

That said, having a jump on calculus is really helpful, since many programs require Calc 1 & 2 plus 2 more higher level math courses. If you can’t finish pre-calc before school starts, perhaps you could take the AP course through FLVS flex as soon as you are able. If not, I wouldn’t worry too much. As @ucbalumnus mentioned, Calc 1 is in the course plan for CS. You can take it as a university freshman. You seem very motivated and I’m sure you’ll kill it.

Good luck!

If CS is a major for which a freshman has to qualify to do declare, it is wise to have calculus. It seems to me that most kids have had it in high school and are retaking the course freshman year. If you bomb Calc in college, which too often happens, the chances of getting into a CS major radically decreases. I’ve known too many kids who did qualify for programs because they were oversubscribed and they didn’t make the cut.

Again, there are those who can walk into calculus cold, and ace, but it’s usually a tough course for those who’ve not had exposure to it and take it at college for the first time.

I’ m not going so far to predict doom to OP’s plans. I am stating that they do not give an optimal chance of getting to where OP wants to be

@3boystogo @cptofthehouse Thank you for the advice.

I posted on a thread titled “APtest Disappointment “. Note the last sentence I wrote.

A lot of STEM majors, in fact most all of them, do not have a calculus requirement upon entry. You take Calc and maybe Physics when you start freshman year. Many Physics courses that do use calculus are set up so that you can take calculus concurrently. So, strictly speaking neither Calc nor Physics essential for these programs.

BUT:

  1. Most of the kids in those classes are RETAKING Calc and Physics that they already took in highschool. It boosts their GPA and gives them a bit of a breather on two essential courses that are brain and time busters. That really raises the difficulty level of the course, the expectations of the professors, and the grading curve if there is one. It also puts you at a distinct disadvantage when you have to learn these difficult concepts that take a lot of grunt work in problem practice to get proficient when everyone else is cruising.

  2. The above can be a disaster if you are at a school where your freshman grades determine whether you get into an impacted program. There are usually limited seats and if you aren’t in the top whatever number, you don’t get into that department. It’s a powerful advantage to just be repeating known material on what are. the keynote foundation courses of one’s major.

  3. Colleges, and other places are notorious about understating and overstating requirements. It’s rare you find a school that requires a computer, for example. Or a cell phone, a smartphone. But realistically, life at college without owning these devices is a distinct disadvantage. In fact, I’d throw s printer into that mix too. Calculus falls into that category.

With regard to grade-grubbers retaking their AP credit to try to earn A grades at schools where entry into the CS major is competitive or has a high GPA minimum, is that a concern at University of Florida, where there is no mention of any competitive admission or high GPA minimum to enter the CS major, according to https://www.cise.ufl.edu/admissions/undergraduate/ ? (Also, some of the grade-grubbers do not pay enough attention in their retaken courses and end up with grades worse than the “easy A” that they were expecting.)

The major web pages do mention that some critical tracking courses do require a 2.5 GPA to stay in the major. These critical tracking courses are lower level math and physics.

Uf doesn’t admit by major but does consider college. Since CS is offered though CLA, apply there and check you’re okay with starting in the summer.
What’s your current Unweighted/weighted GPA and test score?
To have a real shot at UF you’d need 4.3/31-32.
Do try to take Calculus through FLVS (AB is fine) and do take AP Physics 1 (which is NOT Calculus-based - the Calculus based physics course is called “C”).

@MYOS1634 If I apply for Fall term, would UF automatically consider other terms (so I don’t have to apply separately to different terms)? My unweighted GPA is 3.92, weighted 4.6. I can take Calc AB through FLVS, but my school doesn’t offer AP Physics 1 and neither does FLVS. I think I’ll have to take Honors Physics, so hopefully that doesn’t diminish my application.

@ucbalumnus @cptofthehouse I’m not sure about “grade grubbers,” but I will probably retake Calculus, Physics, etc. because I know that college courses are on a different level + higher in quality when compared to high school courses. For my first two years, I might opt out of using some AP credits if it’s in my best interest to keep my grade floating. I haven’t really thought this far ahead.

Also, the only limitations that I know of for CS majors are GPA (min 2.5 gpa?) and a minimum grade of a C in critical courses.

I do not think characterizing retailers as grade grabbers is always accurate. There are students who want to make sure they have a firm foundation in the materials. I would recommend this to most students, in fact. Also that it helps the gpa and odds of getting into grade dependent situations makes it a pragmatic and smart decision to do.