<p>S has to choose soon....math teacher said he is invited to do either....he's now in honors precalc & getting B+ to A-....his toughest challenge this year as more of a humanities kid.</p>
<p>My gut is to let the poor guy have a break his senior year & take AB....that's what he wants....he really doesn't like math, and I don't think he's ever heading to a mathematically-intensive career. My only concern is if this somehow looks "significantly" less challenging to adcoms....he's aiming selective, but not top ivies level.</p>
<p>Take calculus AB. That is what most kids take even at the top prep schools. Many kids at public schools take pre-calc senior year. Half the kids at our high school last year who went to Ivies did not take any calc at all. The others took AB. Only one student took BC and this was a student who went on to a tech school. Your son knows himself-let him take AB (I am assuming this is an AP course?).</p>
<p>yes, AP course....its a prep school, and the brainiacs (he's been riding their tail for a while) will all be taking BC, but I'd rather he have a little more time to enjoy himself by signing up for only AB, but AB is certainly not "the most rigorous" available.</p>
<p>i agree with Catherine (although at my school, all the ivy-acceptees took Calc 3 as seniors and BC as juniors- i did the same...) but, senior year is no picnic, so let him have a break. AB will not effect admissions enough to really be an issue.</p>
<p>I am a senior right now, and I am taking Calc BC, but I had to take a year of AB first. Most schools make you take AB first. AB is tough enough, and I think BC would be way too hard and stressful for someone who is not a math person. It looks normal to have AB first, and I don't think colleges look for taking the absolute toughest schedule, but a rigorous schedule in general.</p>
<p>But just for general knowledge, my teacher says that 3/5 of the AP Calculus BC test is Calc AB topics. So there's not too much new stuff to learn in BC. I'd still definitely recommend the AB.</p>
<p>I also wanted to add that BC isn't just a "tougher" version of AB. BC is also known as Calc II. It has more topics, and AB topics are needed to understand anything in BC. That's why taking AB won't look bad, it's not just an easier class, it's one you need to take. Only math geniuses or the Magnet School kids take AB and BC in the same year.</p>
<p>I don't think math geniuses take AB and BC in the same year; Math geniuses are probably taking Linear Algebra in senior year. AB isn't really that bad. Some topics are tough, but I think one can definitely get through it with a good base of fundamentals. BC covers more topics, but I think it's only like 15 more than AB (AB covers 50). </p>
<p>But yeah, I guess if you aren't a math person, AB is the way to go. AB will set anyone up for a good foundation in calculus.</p>
<p>Go AB....although, I think anyone can progress and cover BC if determined enough (yeah, I'm like cliche central....).</p>
<p>well, I feel better, thanks. at S's school for the standard honors track, they move them straight from honors pre-calc as juniors to either AB or BC as seniors, depending upon teacher recommendations & then student wishes.</p>
<p>Many schools have a year of AP Calculus AB followed by a year of AP Calculus BC, which is a little slow for the math gurus but OK for everyone else. The alternative really should be called Calculus ABC, except that it is probably taken by students who have had a good start on Calculus A in an ambitious Pre-Calc class.</p>
<p>The only reason for a non-math non-science person to be leaned on to consider BC is if it will seriously affect the guidance counselor's answer to the "took most difficult course load" question.</p>
<p>yes, eulen, that's the basis for my concern....although S is in the honors math & science tracks (AP physics last year, AP chem this year), he dropped back to regular language from last year's honor track, so he's probably not in "the most difficult" anyway....but he goes to a very rigorous school, and that 2nd level is still pretty good....we'll see, at least their placement at top schools is great. (no english or humanities honors track there, btw) I think he's going to end up being an English or Philosophy major, wherever he goes.</p>
<p>well, if he is going to be an english or philosophy major then BC is definitely not needed. Even AB will look impressive for someone leaning towards the humanities.</p>
<p>I don't think you have to be taking 6 APs per year to get i the "most rigorous" box checked, even if your school offers 6 different APs. Would be nice to hear from some real GCs, though.</p>
<p>dadx3, i have experience with taking/not taking the most rigorous course load. I moved to my current school right before senior year, so i pretty much had taken different classes than what my current school offered. (this includes a few honors classes that my old school had that my new school did not and a few regular classes b/c my old school didn't offer them in honors). so when my counselor was filling out my school report he refused to check most rigorous courses b/c i did not take Honors World History- even though it wasn't offered at my old school and even though i had taken 3 extra honor science courses (that were not offered at my new school). so i basically had to beg an annoy him until he changed it...</p>
<p>but this may be an individual case, maybe your sons counselor is more lenient, Papa.</p>
<p>I already spoke of this likelihood with his GC (prior to the calc course selection quandry)....problem is that probably 15-20% of S's class take full 6 course load with maximum amount of AP & honors, so S with dropping one honors track (language) this year, is below top ~20% in rigor of curriculum already, they gotta cut the line somewhere...tough school, but the colleges presumably know this.</p>
<p>My son is interested in math, science & maybe engineering. He's a senior & taking AB this year & finds it sufficiently challenging. I'd suggest sticking with AB & doing well in his senior year rather than stressing out over BC. The way they explain it at the HS here is that AB is equal to a semester of college calculus & BC is equal to a year of college calculus (they take it right after completing trig/precalc in junior year).</p>
<p>hotpiece, both AP, but BC choice is most rigorous. I am resolved, though, the kid should take AB regardless of rigor appearances & have a chance to chill, if you call AB chilling! thanks again all.</p>
<p>I got an A+ in AG/Calc, but I found the Calc part difficult so I am taking AB. Best decision of my life. If you are extremely motivated and like Calc, take BC, but if you don't plan on being an engineer/don't really care for Calc, take AB. AB really challenges me, but it doesn't kill me.</p>