<p>I'm a current highschool senior taking Calc C at a Community College. Last year, I took Calc BC and got a 5 on both parts of the exam (the BC part, as well as the AB subscore). However, the community college at which I'm taking the class only awards AB credit for 5 on the Calc BC exam.</p>
<p>The implication is that I'm basically retaking a course that I've already taken. Some of the material set to be covered in the last third of class is new, however. Though the pace isn't slow, I feel like I could be doing a lot more on my own time. Plus, the commute takes about 30 minutes each way.</p>
<p>Anyways, I'm wondering if it would be wise for me to drop out of this class and self study the material on my own. I am set to take Calc C and then progress to Differential Equations and Linear Algebra later in the year (Unfortunately, there's no open spot at which time I can add Calc D, so I'll need to skip that - it's not required as a prerequisite.)</p>
<p>The question is not whether I'm dedicated enough to self study the material - I have a Calc textbook covering material from Calc D and Calc C, so that's fine. Factoring in the time of commute, plus the month or so wasted on review, I think I'll definitely learn more from self-study. The question is whether it would be a good idea to do so in regards to college admission.</p>
<p>Some of the schools I'm applying to include:
*Stanford
*MIT
*CalTech
*Harvey Mudd
All of which place a great emphasis on math. What would those schools think about me dropping Calc C to self study it, Calc D, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Quarter system community college?</p>
<p>In some schools, calculus BC covers almost a year of freshman calculus. Some of those schools want you to take the course that covers the “missing” material, even if it repeats much of what you already learned. Others advise that you can skip it, but that you will have to self-study the missing material.</p>
<p>If you go to Caltech or Harvey Mudd, you will probably have to retake freshman calculus, which at those schools is accelerated and taught with more theory at what would be an honors level at most other schools. MIT’s freshman calculus covers what is ordinarily a year of freshman calculus (or calculus BC) in one semester, with an optional extra theory version available.</p>
<p>Stanford (which is on the quarter system) lets you skip freshman calculus (Math 19/20/21 or accelerated version Math 41/42 – each sequence totals 10 quarter units) with a 4 on calculus BC.</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus: Yep, the community college in question is on a quarter system.</p>
<p>However, I’m less worried about college credit than I am about the possibility that self studying the material would freak out admissions officers at the aforementioned universities. Are my fears grounded, or should I go for it? And if I do decide to self study the material, could I just list that fact on the “other” sections of both the MIT and Common apps?</p>
<p>My sense is that at least some of the colleges on your list would view your talent, deep interest and proactive self study in math very positively. If at all possible see if there’s a math or science teacher at your high school who would serve as your mentor/adviser in the advanced math courses that you’re planning to take. If your high school has a formal independent study program, then taking the advanced math courses as independent study courses would be ideal. You and your adviser can then decide on completion and success criteria. The courses would then be formalized in your high school transcript, and your adviser would be in a position to write a reference.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>In order for your self study to be recognized in the college admission process, you’re going to have to do what fogcity has proposed at your HS. Otherwise, there’s no way for you to demonstrate your progress to colleges.</p>
<p>If you are already done with Calculus BC with a 5 in AP exam, I am not sure why you are taking another Calculus class. You yourself said the material is mostly similar.
Where we are, the natural progression from AP calculus is Multi-variable calculus and some of the high schools offer it.</p>
<p>Also, to be honest, at this point, whether you take another calculus course at a community college is probably not going to define your admission. Ideal thing would have been able to take a concurrent multivariable calculus course or summer after junior year.</p>
<p>Honestly, I would not do 30 min driving one way for this class. If your other stats are strong with a strong course load, that will determine your admission, not just another class which, IMHO, is essentially a repeat of AP Calculus BC.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Unfortunately, there’s no such course offered at my school, nor one at my local community college. In order for me to progress to Differential Equations and Linear Algebra, I have to take Calc C right now. That is, unless I stop doing the community college thing altogether and self study the material.</p>
<p>I’ll take a look into my school’s independent study program to see if that’ll be a possibility.</p>