No more math classes offered at high school!!?? What looks best for princeton?

<p>Hey Guys,</p>

<p>I am a high school junior and I have taken Geometry Honors, Algebra 2 Honors, Pre-calculus Honors, AP stats and AP Calculus AB. My high school has no more math classes to offer me. I thoroughly enjoy math and would like to pursue it in college so i obviously want to take an advanced class senior year. What are my options and what would look the best for colleges?</p>

<p>I could either take classes at a community college, online classes, or self study. (These are the only options i am aware of) so my question to you is what option would look the best on an application? Is there any other options that i was unaware of? and what class should i study/take (calculus BC, calculus 3 etc.)</p>

<p>Thanks in advance for your responses!! (i have also posted this in other forums)</p>

<p>You could actually try any I’d those or just not take a math class? Schools see that you have taken every available class and won’t penalize you for not going further (because obviously your school doesn’t allow it).</p>

<p>However, if you really want to do a math class next year then try whatever you think will help you learn the most.</p>

<p>You should probably take an online course that has merit, maybe a course through CTY. After Calc AB comes BC, so take Calc BC.</p>

<p>Thanks balerdash,
What does merit mean? and what is the difference between AB and BC Calculus</p>

<p>If Calc AB is equivalent to Calc I in college, then Calc BC = Calc I + Calc II. BC has AB in one semester then the actual “BC” part in the second semester. Getting a 5 on the AP Exam would allow you to go directly to Calc 3 in college. </p>

<p>When I say “merit,” I mean online courses that are accredited by basically every college. Compared with credits from a community college, CTY courses or EPGY (Standford program) courses would be more recognized.</p>

<p>in addition to the suggestions voiced above, there’s also the option of findin a mentor to independently study multivariable calculus (which is not unheard of)</p>

<p>I chose to take my post HS math classes at a university, which I think I the most credible option. So go with the comm college.</p>

<p>From an admissions standpoint: you’ve capped out the math offerings early, which is impressive. So I wouldn’t worry about that too much.</p>

<p>What I would worry about is getting credit/placement once you get to college. Community college / local uni is probably your best bet for that. You want to make sure you have solid fundamentals so that you don’t have to re-take things at the college level!</p>

<p>(Princeton will NOT accept credits from any university from your high school years IIRC, but I think placement is fairly straightforward.)</p>

<p>The difference in placement between Calc AB and Calc BC is that AB allows you to place out of MAT 103 at Princeton and Calc BC allows you to place out of MAT 103 and 104. Having said that use extra caution if you are thinking of using an online or self study AP course to place out of a university class. Princeton courses are MUCH more in depth than what is offered at the AP level. </p>

<p>I heard of a first year math major at Princeton who had done AB, BC, multivariable calculus and linear algebra before coming to Princeton, and he still finds parts of his courses difficult.</p>

<p>Much depends on the flexibility of your high school. Would they allow you to take an on-line math course during school hours (when you normally would be scheduled for math) and allow your grade to appear on your high school transcript? That might be a way to go, if they will allow it.</p>

<p>At my son and daughter’s high school, there is a community college across the street. When kids max out on math, the school, in conjunction with the community college, places students in an appropriate class and the credit hours appear on the high school transcript. The school blocks out a double period – one for math and one for lunch – to give the student enough time to go back-and-fourth. I guess the kids eat on the run. What that be an option?</p>

<p>actually you can talk the Math department into letting you take anything. I know someone who only did AB and he’s enjoying himself in 218</p>