<p>Here's the run down. Ninth grade, I was in Algebra IIH. I knew all the information, got all homework questions correct, but something got messed up in my test taking skills (standerdized tests I am fine at), and I kept making unexplainable mistakes, plus the teacher, when I asked for help would just run quickly through the questions without explaining what I did wrong, despite the fact I pushed him to help me. So I dropped to Algebra II (9). In our school math courses go H/AP-> Accelerated->CP->MCP. (the math teachers are actually considering waiting the accelerated math courses .5 of a point gpa wise, due to the fact they are difficult courses, and are not CP level at all, considering CP is in Algebra I in freshman year) Algebra II (9) I did very well in. Great teacher, helped me out a lot. Due to this test taking problem where I make very weird careless mistakes despite me going slowly and checking after I finish, I got a B a marking period or two, but I got a 96 on the final. </p>
<pre><code> This year I am in Geometry X, yet again an accelerated course, and I have average grades for the course (As and Bs, A- average right now, geometry and me mix well). Next year I take Pre-Calc, and then senior Calc. The calc course, however; isn't an AP calc course. Is this really going to hurt me? Or will colleges recognize that I took calculus, and these "accelerated" math courses?
I want to go into mechanical engineering (im a girl, so its like unheard of in my school, im going to be the only one in mechanical drawing next year, and one of four in the arch drawing), but I am worried that not taking AP is screwing me over, and the school is strict about no AP calc unless you take pre-calc honors....I really want to go to Villanova or RPI, but im not so sure about that now.
<p>i suggest you epic accelerate your math track and finish calc 3 by end of senior year to be a competitive mechanical engineering major. do math over the summer or something.</p>
<p>Only problem, I don’t think my Geometry X grades are good enough to convince them, and the same horrible teacher I had for Algebra II Honors, teaches Pre-Calc Honors…</p>
<p>Will a kick ass SAT math score offset the no calc AP deal? As in 720+?</p>
<p>I suggest that you spend some time reading your Geometry textbook to make up for your terrible teacher’s style. If you’re good at math, it should be no problem to understand the material. I’m self-studying Calculus and I understand most of it.</p>
<p>SAT math is really unrelated to high school math, but you could try. Though I think anything higher than 740 is impressive.</p>
<p>Well I am planning on taking SAT II math 2, I just think the main problem with going back to honors, is I’m still trying to figure out what happened in the beginning of last year. Everything just sort of trainwrecked with my test taking, for reasons we (had a math tutor, my math teachers, other students, etc.) haven’t quite figured out. The concepts are all there, and then when huge cumulative tests come, like the finals, I nail the whole test. </p>
<p>Is it better getting an OK grade in pre-calc honors with a teacher who won’t be of any aide to me or taking pre-calc with the teacher I had in Algebra II accelerated who can actually teach with a solid A? </p>
<p>Fairy_dreams- I normally would get my parents involved, but as of now, I’m fighting the school to let me take APUSH next year because I took CP this year (my current teacher told me they should have waived me up freshman year), and I think they are quite frankly ready to shoot me…lol</p>
<p>Talk with your folks and consider taking math over the summer to help you accelerate in math. IF you take from a school your school respects, that should be helpful to perhaps help you get into a math class NOT being taught by the instructor you find difficult to understand. Have you & your folks considered a short term math tutor to help you figure out why you’re having problems and making careless errors in math that you didn’t used to make? It might be worthwhile exploring this issue, as having a solid math foundation is more crucial than whether your calc in HS is AP or “regular” calc. You can check with your college counselor on this, as well as the Us you’re planning to apply to.</p>
<p>I don’t think you’re DOOMED by not taking AP Calc in HS. My S is getting his degree in EE this spring. He took SATII MathII, which is mostly pre-calc. If you score well on that & your SAT in Math, it helps you get into most engineering programs. (He did find AP Calc AB & all the AP Physics & CS courses he took to be helpful. At their HS school, you can tak AP Physics AB before you take calc.</p>
<p>Take the calculus class on artofproblemsolving.com. It’s a lot more rigorous than most high school single variable calculus classes and if you talk to them, they can work out some sort of way to assess you and give you a grade.</p>
<p>They made the name of the accelerated Geometry class “Geometry X?” At my school Geometry X was special ed level. </p>
<p>There’s no need for you to speed through and get calc 3 done in high school or anything like that. But if you can find your way into an AP calc class, that would be best. If not, then don’t worry about it. It might not be optimal, but what can you do?</p>
<p>Especially since you want to go in to Mechanical Engineering, AP Calc is kind of important. Along with AP Physics C. If you really can’t take the class, the least you could do is perhaps self-study the material and still take the AP test. It hasn’t hard one anyways. In addition, you could always consider online classes like EPGY.</p>
<p>And if you want to try to compensate for your bad grades try to atleast get an 770+ on Math II. Because frankly a 720 wouldn’t be that impressive, since the curve is quite lenient and an 800 is automatically in the top 89%.</p>