<p>Hi,
I'm currently a Freshman in High school and did Geometry in 8th grade and I'm getting A's in Fast Math Algebra 2. Should I do Pre-calc over the summer so I can start AP Calc in 10th grade? I wouldn't want to do it over the summer if it would eventually prevent me from getting A's in calculus. Is pre-calc much harder than algebra 2? Would this impress adcoms much since I'm already ahead in math? Btw I want to be a dermatologist when I grow up and probably major in pre-med or biology. Should I do a summer class later on in high school? Eg: AP stat over the summer since its not continuous like pre-calc and calc are?</p>
<p>You don’t really need anything beyond AP Calculus BC or AP Statistics to be done by the end of senior year for a medical profession. Even for engineering/physics/math majors, you’re “not expected” to have already taken some college level math. If you can, I wouldn’t try to rush any math classes. If you end up having to retake a math class because a university would rather have you take their class than accept AP credit, then it would be more advantageous to take calculus near the end of high school. If you want, you could also take AP Statistics senior year, or just take it sophomore year along with precalculus.</p>
<p>However, if you really want to get ahead in your school’s math sequence not for a direct gain, but to perhaps increase the “WOW” factor for prestigious colleges, then by all means go ahead. But, if your high school requires 4 years of math (not counting middle school or online classes) and you do get ahead, you might have to end up taking math at a community college. This is assuming that you would have exhausted your high school math options after AP Statistics and AP Calculus BC.</p>