<p>The only non-humanitarian course I'm signed up for for next year is AP Stats- I know, it's considered one of the easiest APs, so as a CCer I should pass with flying colors, right? Not really the case- I'll be lucky to make a B+ in my current college prep math class. </p>
<p>Also, I may not be able to even take AP stats next year because (and I didn't realize this when I was choosing my classes) I don't fulfill the requirements (at least an A average in all math classes from freshmen to junior year). </p>
<p>I don't care about math or science- I don't plan on focusing on either of the subjects in college. I'm not interested in either. Would taking ALL humanities courses look horrible, or look like I just know what I want to do?</p>
<p>*Other than AP Stats, I could maybe take AP Enviro, which I probably won't dislike as much as the other science/math classes.</p>
<p>Your intended major in college? Note that social studies majors often do have to take statistics or a major-specific quantitative methods course in college, so you want to be prepared for that if you major in a social studies subject.</p>
<p>What math and science have you already completed in high school?</p>
<p>I’m interested in a variety of things, such as communications, linguistics, international relations</p>
<p>I’m completed bio, chem, and (will complete this year) physics. I’ve also completely Geometry, Algebra II, and (this year) Advanced Math w/ Trig- that means no pre calc.</p>
<p>Isn’t “advanced math with trig” another name for precalculus? I.e. if you took another math course, the next math course you would take (either in high school or college) would be calculus?</p>
<p>It also depends on where you want to go to college. If you are looking for admissions to a competitive school or program, they greatly prefer seeing 4 years of math, in particular. Some specify they prefer students who have studied calculus.</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus- Kids who had less than then an A average in Algebra II go into Adv. Math. If I took another math next year, it would be pre calc, not calc.</p>
<p>@Lizzie- Well, I can’t take Calculus even if i wanted to. If I’m also not put in a AP Stats class, should I just go ahead with precalc?</p>
<p>That seems pretty strange. The usual math sequence is:</p>
<p>algebra 1
geometry
algebra 2
trigonometry / precalculus
calculus (whether in high school or college)</p>
<p>I.e. not two years of high school math between algebra 2 and calculus.</p>
<p>Perhaps you can try this placement exam to see how ready you are for calculus (in either high school or college) if you decide to take it:
[Calculus</a> Diagnostic Placement Exam | Department of Mathematics at University of California Berkeley](<a href=“http://math.berkeley.edu/courses/choosing/placement-exam]Calculus”>http://math.berkeley.edu/courses/choosing/placement-exam)</p>
<p>That’s the schedule for most (maybe 70%?) of the kids in my school, but if a kid doesn’t do well in Algebra II, they get sent to Adv. Math for a year first. </p>
<p>And on the test…I got three reds, three yellows and two greens. How should I interpret that?</p>
<p>I would go with the fourth year of math, whatever you can fit into your schedule. Do you have a Guidance Counselor you can talk to? If you have any idea of your possible college choices, your GC might be able to tell you how important the math will be in the admissions process, based on previous years admissions outcomes.</p>
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<p>A student ready for calculus should get mostly greens and should not get any reds. The test covers what is expected knowledge for a student who has completed the fourth level of high school math (trigonometry and precalculus math).</p>
<p>If you intend to take calculus at some point in the future, you would either need to self-study the “red” and “yellow” material, or take a preparatory math course that covers that material.</p>
<p>However, if you do not need to take calculus for your major, you may not need as much preparation, though some of the topics would be useful for statistics or similar courses needed by some majors.</p>
<p>Do you think even if i get into AP Stats, I should take pre calc?</p>
<p>I am currently at an Ivy, and I did not take math and science during senior year of high school. Granted, it scared the hell out of me because it was a risky decision, but I made sure that I had very strong humanities credentials and explained that I’d taken 4 years of math and science before and not intended to major in the science in college. It worked for Penn, but it did not work for any other Ivies, except Harvard (waitlisted). If I have the choice again, I’d not have done that.
Also I’m thinking of switching into computer science this year, and not having the proper background in math and science, I’m having a difficult time. So take advantage of what high school has to give you, because once you’re in college at an Ivy, there are many smart people in the class</p>
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<p>Is there a possibility of any major that requires calculus (including economics or business)?</p>
<p>A stronger math background may also help if you have to take a college statistics or quantitative methods course for a social studies major.</p>
<p>Since you intend to major in humanities, I would take AP Euro rather than AP Stat. You’ve been identified as having great difficulty with math. If they allow you to take AP Stats after the “Advanced math” class you may do that only if you are sure you can get that B+ and nothing less. Talk with your counselor. BTW have you been tested for dyscalculia (like dyslexia, but for math/numbers)? In any case forcing yourself into taking Pre Calc wouldn’t serve any purpose considering how you’ve been struggling so far - it’d probably result in your spending hours trying to pass and not getting the results you could in your other classes. If your abilities are lopsided, make the best of your abilities and showcase how good you can be with humanities-related subjects. Try to take a Philosophy 101 class at a local community college, for example. Push yourself in that area.
You CAN take more math in college if need be and if you have a motivation perhaps you’ll do better. You can also explain that you’re interested in maths& sciences in relation to humanities so you wouldn’t mind some of the gen ed classes (some colleges have “art and geometry”, “chemistry and global issues”… for non-science majors).But unles you intend on applying to Ivies I wouldn’t worry and take AP Euro since you’ve completed what your school has prescribed for struggling math students and tried to do your best in that sequence. (I assume your counselor will explain the course distribution). Not all students can be brilliant at everything and outside of the Ivies/top20 schools, that won’t matter IF (and ONLY IF) you have strong credentials in humanities.</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus- Well, I’ve thought a bit about taking having a business major, but there’s only 3% chance that I’ll actually do that.</p>
<p>@MYOS- I haven’t been diagnosed with that, and I’m pretty sure that’s not the problem. Maybe I’m just not patient with numbers, I don’t know. I’m just not good at math.</p>
<p>I can’t take AP Euro unfortunately! My classes for next year are:</p>
<p>AP Human Geo
AP US Gov
AP Lit
Law Honors/Genocide Honors
Japanese II Honors
US History Accelerated
(AP Stats/Pre-calc/I don’t know)</p>
<p>There aren’t any more AP or Honors humanities courses I could take in school (the only other one is AP Psych, and I took that this year).</p>
<p>Can you take classes at the local college?
Philosophy is as abstract as math, and thus would look as rigorous as calculus in terms of “academic rigor, intellectual challenge” outside of math. Not many seniors take Philosophy (except for the IB students who have TOK) so it’d definitively set you apart and it’d prove you’re not being lazy for math.</p>
<p>Why can’t you take AP Euro? Not offered? It’s not the end of the world, your schedule looks good.
See if your school allows seniors to take classes at the local college/community college for credit, or if they allow students to take AP classes online (some states/districts have that especially if the school is small). You have the regular period and an adviser for the AP online thing.</p>
<p>And, yes, some people just aren’t good at math. But I wanted to ask about Dyscalculia because it’s little known (compared to dyslexia) and it’s a huge problem for kids who aren’t diagnosed. Obviously it only applies to some cases (just like not everyone who’s bad at English or doesn’t like to read is dyslexic 
)</p>
<p>I don’t think I can? And even if a I could, I probably wouldn’t be able to handle the work load?</p>
<p>When you say i should take philosophy (are you saying i should take it in place of math?), do you mean only if it’s at a college? Because there’s a philosophy elective in my school, but it’s college prep and only one semester :/. There’s also a class called Human Relations, which apparently has something to do with philosophy (it’s also college prep, but it’s a full year).</p>
<p>I would find a way to take at least one science or math class senior year. you don’t have to do both (though it’s recommended), but having neither could look bad.
could you take a math class over the summer so you can take calculus during senior year?</p>
<p>@stressed- With my current schedule and past in doing poorly in math, I don’t think it’d be best if I took Calc senior year. The question is, if I don’t get into AP Stats, should I settle for pre calc?</p>