<p>I'm thinking of studying computer or electrical engineering at University of Ill. at Champaign, but am currently a senior in high school. I'm taking AP computer science, but am afraid I should have taken AP Calc. I've never taken a calculus course (besides honor pre-calc junior year). Will this look bad? Should I drop comp science and go into AP Calc?</p>
<p>why not take both? you don’t have that many classes left for senior year</p>
<p>You are not required to have Calc to get admitted and a number are admitted without it. However, be aware that there has been annual discussion in the engineering department to actually require Calc (not necessarily AP) for admission to the engineering college and numerous comments have been made by those who make admissions decisions in engineering that they really like to see calc on the transcript. Rather than requiring it (the problem was that there are still some Illinois public high schools that don’t have calc) they took a halfway measure by setting up two Calc I courses for freshman, the 5 hour Math 220 and 4 hour Math 221, which teach the same things but the five hour course is designed for those without calc in high school. For engineering, only 4 hours of that 5 hour course count toward a degree. There has also been mention at meetings that having computer science in high school adds little to the application although having any AP course helps.</p>
<p>drusba is clearly an authority on this. I’d add that having taken Calc in HS will make your first year physics classes much less daunting. Plus if you do well on the AP exam you might get to skip ahead in Calc. Doubtful they allow that in Computer Science (for a Comp Science major.)</p>
<p>At my school anyway, it’s common to skip at least the first two calculus courses with a good AP score, but I believe (and I may be mistaken) that the AP CS score will only get you out of 1 CS course. That’s 8 hours versus 3 hours here, anyway… so the AP Calculus would get you more bang for your buck.</p>
<p>AP comp sci doesn’t even get you any useful credit for the EE program at the U of I.</p>
<p>Skip AP comp sci, you won’t learn anything important. It is taught in Java, which is a horrible first language. I have nothing against it after you already know another language, but don’t start with java. Also, AP Calc will make your first year or two much easier, even if you repeat Calc, it will make the class easier, plus it will make physics easier.</p>
<p>take calculus. If BC is offered, even better.</p>