Not taking AP calc............

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<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>

<p>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? </p>

<p>I want to go into mechanical engineering (im a girl, so its very rare 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>

<p>Any opinions on this?? </p>

<p>I posted this in the high school life thread, but I wanted a couple of opinions from engineering majors.</p>

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<p>The fact that you’re a girl in ME is going to FAR overshadow the fact that your calc class isn’t AP.</p>

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<p>So essentially I should be fine?</p>

4

<p>What is stopping you from taking the ap test even if the calc class you are taking is not ap? The test is really not that difficult.</p>

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<p>Well is the school allowed to stop me? I mean we have a very rigorous calc class, its just not an AP course, and the teacher is supposed to be spectacular. Can I register for it, without the school’s input?</p>

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<p>no they shouldn’t be able to stop you from taking any AP test you want to take. But if you want to go into engineering, why wouldn’t you want to take honors precalc and therefor AP calc?</p>

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<p>The school can’t stop you from taking the AP test, they just may make you pay for it.</p>

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<p>collegebound_guy- I’d love to take honors precalc, but I don’t think my grades qualify to move back up to where I probably belong.</p>

<p>edit:</p>

<p>Now that I have thought about it a little bit…Geometry and me, we don’t go well together, it just bores me to death. Algebra and I, we are tight. I heard that Pre-calc generally relates more to Algebra then Geometry, so hopefully I can do well enough the first marking period next year, to see if my guidance counselor will consider moving me up…</p>