<p>Here is a another course selection post. I really don't know which math course to take. I don't really have a passion in math, but I do pretty well in it, and I want to take a math course next year (senior year) . </p>
<p>Here is some background info on my math strengths: I find Algebra II Honors to be very easy and I understand it immediately after she teaches it; I got good grades in Geometry Honors, but it involved a little bit more thinking on my part. I won't be able to take Calculus, because Pre-Calculus is a prerequisite for the course and there is no chance that they will let me skip it. </p>
<p>Here are the colleges that I will most likely be applying to (if it even matters): Brown, Rice, USC, Nortwestern, WashU, and Univ. of Houston</p>
<p>Relate your experiences with AP Stats and Pre-Cal, talk about whether taking Pre-Cal factored into your success in AP Stats, and discuss class difficulty in both courses, the difficulty of the AP Stats test. </p>
<p>For people who have been accepted into college already, discuss whether or not you think it helped or not.</p>
<p>i have heard ap statistics is very easy, i have never taken it though. i am in precalculus this year and its a bit hard but not impossible. my class and book seem to extend on advanced algebra concepts and introduce elementary calculus and statistic concepts.</p>
<p>I did a quick check to see whether all the colleges on my current list would accept the AP Stats credit. With the exception of Brown (credit varies upon one's major), all of the schools accept Stats to fulfill a math course or a general ed/distribution requirement. </p>
<p>I still want to know whether or not taking Pre-Cal Honors or AP Stats will make a huge difference in admissions decisions for me.</p>
<p>To andrea: Thanks for the quick response! Yeah, I heard the Pre-Cal is basically an extension/more advanced version of what is learned in Algebra II.</p>
<p>I'm in both PreCalc and Stat (as a soph). Both are incredibly easy - precalc is just algebra II concepts (with trig, in my case) and stat is just substituting formulas and knowing when to use what. However, Stat is generally regarded as a "light" AP and taking that would, I think, look like taking the easy way out - so in that case, I would either suggest taking both, self-studying stat (both of which would probably look best for Brown), or taking precalc alone.</p>
<p>To me, Pre-Cal was a general review of Geometry and Algebra II ideas, but we went into more detail on a few topics and we also covered trig. I'm in Honors+ Stats (my school offers that, not AP) right now, and I disagree on the easy thing. It might just be my book, but I think it's pretty hard...it's a lot harder than AP Calculus, which I took last year.</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure that I won't end up taking Calculus in high school or in college (based on the ones that I'm looking at and on my possible majors). Keep the responses comng!</p>
<p>Take AP Stats...Precalc is only for ppl who want to take AP calc...and that is too late for you to do because you will be a senior..at my school seniors are not allowed to take Precalc because they will never be able to take Calc unless in college...so it would not make sense to take Precalc as a senior..take AP Statistics...also it might look bad to colleges that you would be taking Precalc as a senior...they will wonder why you arent in an AP math by your senior year...you might as well do AP stats...i am in Precalculus and it isn't really anything big..i think AP stats is your best route lol</p>
<p>if you really want to, take both stat and precalc
precalc for me was almost algebra 2 all over again, so it's really not that difficult if you did well in algebra 2</p>
<p>Based on this thread, tt seems like the general belief is that I should take Pre-Cal, because it will benefit me in the long run by building a foundation for me, and is more interesting course overall. If I took Stat it might look like I'm taking the easy way out, because it is generally considered the easy AP.</p>
<p>There are very few people supporting the idea of taking AP stats, but the ones who are supporting it generally believe that there is no point taking pre-cal if I will never take Calculus.</p>
<p>Thank you all for all the responses, great advice, and comments! I will keep on updating until I make a final decision.</p>
<p>Question... What about taking AP Stat after one has completed AP Calculus? I know generally people probably take multivariable calculus or something, but it seems like AP Stat would be more useful. I don't want to look like taking the "easy way out" though...</p>
<p>I don like people saying taking the easy way out....If it is able to be an AP class, colleges dont see "easy way out" they see AP...no matter what it is...there is no such thing as "easy way out"..the fact that you are taking AP is enough..I mean the college admissions officer may think AP Stats is harder than Precalc....it all depends on who is admitting you...i dont feel like AP Stats is an easy way out...it just uses less math, but it makes up for it with the reading...i dont agree with people when they say certain AP classes are crap.</p>
<p>Thank you all for the advice! I am considering taking both Pre-Cal and AP Stats at the same time. I will talk to my counselor and see what is up with the Internship (they might cancel the whole program, due to lack of applications :( ). If the Internship is going to happen, then I might consider having that as an eighth period (only class that you can have as an eighth period).</p>