<p>As mentioned earlier, AP Stats is nothing like any math you've ever taken before. Given, you might have gotten some exposure to it in Algebra II (probabilities, means, whatnots), but it kicks it up a notch and requires quite a bit of logical thinking. </p>
<p>Initially, I took AP Statistics because the AP Calculus teacher here sucks. But, I'm actually enjoying it. It's the only math I've taken so far that is remotely applicable to real life situations. It's kind of cool being able to estimate the percentage of people who drink the milk left after eating their cereal.</p>
<p>If you're good with logics and looking at the big picture, go with Statistics (bear in mind that there is a lot of writing involved). If you're better at memorizing formulas and plugging in numbers, go with Pre-calc.</p>
<p>To Daderoo: I am going by quality of advice, if I wasn't then I would even bother replying, but sometimes it helps to organize my thoughts in a numbers format for comparison. Sorry if I offended you by putting into a vote.</p>
<p>whartonalum: There is nothing left for me to take except for the maths and sciences if I stay and extra year. I guess that would be good to take if I was going to go the pre-med track or science track, but I know that I won't go down that lane, and I know that I would not enjoy a schedule of just maths and sciences, and I've also taken the highest liberal arts classes at the local CC during the summers. </p>
<p>Another reason I am graduating early is that my bro. is two years apart from me, graduating early will give my dad an extra year to get more money for my bro. to go to college.</p>
<p>My son is at Wash U and took honors precal and then AP Stats. AP Stats was not difficult for him. But he got in for 2004, and this is a whole new year for admissions. My daughter, on the other hand, was just rejected at Northwestern. The reason given was basically that she didn't have the more advanced math (and she's taking honors precal and getting As) and science courses. Northwestern is extremely competitive, and although my daughter takes advanced English and History (and applied for journalism), she didn't take advanced math or science, just honors. And with schools as competitive as both Wash U and Northwestern, you need those top courses. Since you can't take AP Calc, maybe the AP Stats would be better than honors precal. Both schools prefer that you take the most advanced courses offered.</p>
<p>This would be a good question to ask a few of the colleges you are considering applying to. As has been mentioned by previous posters, AP Stats is not a substitute for precalculus. Some of the most selective schools highly recommend that you've taken a precalculus course. While they may not require it, you may be at a disadvantage in their applicant pool, even if you have taken an AP Stats class in its place.</p>
<p>If you think you might do something that requires math during college, take PreCal Honors, then AP Calculus. If you get a high enough score on the AP exam, you might be able to skip the Intro Calculus class and move on to some more advanced math classes.</p>
<p>If you're interested in Psych or Sociology, taking AP Statistics could be very useful since Social Science majors require a lot of statistics knowledge. Econ is the exception: it requires hardcore math.</p>
<p>If you're gonna do Humanities, Arts, Music, etc, and don't need to worry about math ever again in your life, take AP Statistics. Then again, PreCal Honors might be easier (and you could probably stop there).</p>
<p>I have a couple of math degrees. Although having an AP course on your transcript might help a little for admissions, you have to take pre-calc just to cover the material. Pre-calc basically covers trigonometry. You can't really go to college without covering trig. If you did, you would have to take a remedial non-credit course before you could take any other math courses.</p>
<p>Pre-calc : Useful
AP Stats : Pretty much useless</p>
<p>I don't know about you all, but I find things like normal distribution, poisson distribution, etc to be boring and useless when compared to pre-calc.</p>
<p>To ThreeKids: I am so sorry that your daughter didn't get into Northwestern, but I know that she will get into a good college and pursue her career of journalism, because she seems so passionate about it (based on your other posts).</p>
<p>To abe1957: You are right, it would be a good question to ask a few of the colleges that I might apply to, but I don't want to reveal a weakness. Even though there is a weakness in my science and math courses, I plan on portraying it as a strength. Don't know how I'm going to do that, but I'll figure that when it gets closer.</p>
<p>I am considering taking both Pre-Cal Honors and AP Stats at the same time. Thank you all for the advice!!</p>
<p>Taking both at the same time would be reasonable if you are interested in math. AP Stat is not considered one of the harder AP courses, at least compared to AP Calc AB/BC, AP Physics or AP Chem. There is nothing in the AP Stat course that would require a knowledge of trig. Statistics in college for math majors is a much more difficult course and has calculus as a pre-req, but AP Stat is more like a College Business Statistics course.</p>
<p>I am not interested in math,though. I just do well in math, and I want to have a math course for next year, so I can have four years of math. I don't want to confuse the admissions officers, because I heard they look for well-lopsided people, and I don't want to give the impression that I like math if I take two math courses in a year...</p>
<p>not to disagree with my own mother (ThreeKids), but...
a. my brother and I took H. Calc senior year (he also took AP Stats). Neither of us took h precal.
and
b. From what I've heard, while it's good to take tough courses, precal may prepare you better for what lies ahead. If you're required to take math in your chosen college, precal may make it easier for you to get the grade.
Maybe you can balance it out with a tough science course.</p>
<p>I’m currently in Honors PC, and I have a C average.
For me, math is EXTREMELY difficult; English foreign language, and music are my strengths.
My question, will it really look bad on my application if I take Stats instead of calc?
I want to major in music.</p>