<p>You definitely do not have to be a math genius to get into Penn or any of the schools you are mentioning. It obviously helps, but it’s not required at all. I know plenty of humanities majors here who absolutely hate math and who desperately try to avoid calculus at all costs. I would recommend trying to take Calc AB though because it’s always good to know calculus even if you won’t get any college credit for it.</p>
<p>Poeme - That’s good to hear. Because I was like freaking out, lol. So if I was to go into pre-law at UPenn, you don’t think they’d really care if I didn’t have Calculus?</p>
<p>I am trying to get AP Calc, but they can be so stubborn. :/</p>
<p>likesMath: I can’t take the online classes 
They restrict me from sooo much lol. I don’t feel challenged. I know I could do WAY more. But there aren’t any more options for me except self-studying APs for fun. I enjoy that kind of stuff…so it wouldn’t be a hassle or anything. I love the humanities so much… I am so excited to take AP Euro next year I can’t even begin to tell you guys!!!</p>
<p>Bump 10char :)</p>
<p>BTW, I’m playing volleyball this year (didn’t play it last year) and I absolutely HATE it. Would Dartmouth, Penn, Princeton, etc frown upon me if I decide to do swimming instead next year?</p>
<p>I think it’s a disgrace that they’re trying to hold you back from taking advanced classes. Self studying is good for classes that can actually get you credits in college. Many universities don’t accept AP’s in the subject area of your major.</p>
<p>Also… self studying AP Calculus AB is not something your college will see when Darthmouth/UPenn look over your application. You apply to colleges before you take the AP test, so unless you’re actually in the AP Calculus class they won’t even see it.</p>
<p>Self studying for AP’s is very time consuming and is also very difficult. Self studying for APUSH was a challenge for me (and I love history), so I can only imagine what Calculus would be like. Self studying AP Calculus when math isn’t an interest/strength of yours is really pushing it.</p>
<p>But when they look at your application, despite popular belief when it comes to Ivy Admissions, they don’t just say “Oh this student didn’t take Calculus” and close the folder.</p>
<p>I recommend taking Calculus AB before your senior year, but that might not be possible. It’s true that you don’t need to be a math genius, but taking calculus is common. On the other hand, if your app is strong enough in everything else then you can still get in anyway. However, if a lot of kids are in calculus at your school and you aren’t that will hurt you. If your school doesn’t offer calculus (which would be awful) then that’s a different matter.</p>
<p>lol, but at Bobtheboy - It’s nearly impossible for me to get AP Calculus by senior year. I am not a good math student…at all. lol. And this year is hell for me mathematically because geometry is my weakest point. And regarding the amount of students that take AP Calculus…it’s sort of a mix up. We have students who are in Algebra II in 10th grade, and students that are in Geometry Honors in 10th grade, meaning that they won’t graduate with AP Calculus, either. From what I’ve seen, I’d say it’s about 50/50. One of my friends, though, is in 11th grade and he’s already in AP Calculus, because he took geometry in 8th grade. But all in all, it’s 50/50. </p>
<p>and to the poster above, lol, I found that funny 
^^ aha " ‘Oh this student didn’t take Calculus’ and close the folder." Hahahaha :P</p>
<p>I really don’t think it will matter ALL That much if I don’t have AP Calc if I go into pre-law though…maybe one of you can provide some insight on that?</p>
<p>Bump 10char…Bump please! :)</p>
<p>10char bump</p>
<p>@bobtheboy, the school I went to last year didn’t offer calculus haha. Or any APs. 4 honors courses were provided, they had no clubs or anything that I could join, and they didn’t want you to start any, either. There were eight 9th graders, and we all went to the same classes at the same time. This other girl and I were the only students in honors classes, and we had to sit in regular classes and for homework we got a couple of extra problems…<em>sometimes</em>. Oh yeah, that’s right. </p>
<p>It was pathetic. </p>
<p>AND, they hated me for being Catholic. They tried to save me SO many times and told me that I was going to go to hell if I didn’t convert to Calvinism. The other kids were kind of slow, too. There were no other schools available to me though, so I had no choice. I mean, I could have gone to my zoned school. But it is a D school and they’re about to close it down or turn it into a charter school. Besides, I already had my share of public schools. I could never imagine going through that again. </p>
<p>So all in all, last year was hell. No pun intended, lol. That’s why my grades suffered.</p>
<p>BUMP!!! lol</p>
<p>Like I said, self-study Algebra II. If they don’t believe you, ask them for a placement test and if you pass, you should be able to take PreCalc junior year.</p>
<p>Hmmm…that’s a good idea. But when I asked them about pre-calc they said I couldn’t test out of it, so I am not sure if it would be any different with alg. II.</p>
<p>That’s absurd. Why not? If they disagree, you should talk to a principal. If and only if he or she disagrees, speak to the Board of Education in your district.</p>
<p>@OP: They’re PROBABLY not going to let you test out of Alg. II, but what you could check into is taking Pre-Cal over the summer online and then taking AP Calc.</p>
<p>They won’t let me do that either…-_-</p>
<p>That’s all I can offer. You could take both Geometry and Algbera II at some schools, since they’re not directly related. But it might be too late for that.</p>
<p>Yeah, I guess. I’ll try with them. Thanks! :)</p>
<p>Well, I COULD take Geometry and Alg. II simultaneously, but…in order to do that, I have to be in Honors Geometry. Which doesn’t make sense…</p>