So I am going to be a senior next year, and I am more than likely going to major in Computer Science in college. I consider myself above average in my ability to understand mathematical concepts, but I also happen to be a lazy student (although I do put an effort in if I need to and am prepared to put an effort in to whatever math class I take next year). I am already planning on taking AP Computer Science and AP Physics C and I have never taken an AP class before, but I got an A in the non AP version of those classes before. I have a ~3.4 GPA, and I currently have an A- in Pre-Calc. I already know and understand several things covered in AP Calc AB because I am working through a very math heavy programming book that requires knowledge of Derivatives, Series, and Integrals, but I am worried that my lack of work ethic will prevent me from getting a good grade. Any thoughts? Just some extra information: I go to a public high school in Washington which is the #8 high school in the state.
BC will cover material at the speed that colleges cover it, while AB covers it at a slower pace.
University of Washington gives the same advanced placement for a score of 5 or 3 on AB or BC, but advanced placement differs for a score of 4: https://admit.washington.edu/apply/freshman/exams-for-credit/ap/ . Other colleges may have different advanced placement policies for AB and BC.
I think if you already know some AB material, your grade for the first semester should fine since BC also covers AB material. By then, you will have already applied to colleges and your second semester grade should not affect you too much.
If you are a lazy student take AP Calc AB. You will be prepared for college. Most all STEM schools assume the curriculum starts with Calc 1 in college.
AP Physics C + AP Calc BC + lazy student = bad idea. Take AB.
I’m only lazy when it comes to stuff I don’t care about though, such as english, history, and spanish.
Start with Calc BC and drop down once the year starts if you feel like you can’t handle it.
If you take a slower moving math class, will you use the extra time to work harder in English, history and Spanish? If not, then I would say take BC.
If you are a lazy student take AP Calc AB. You will be prepared for college. Most all STEM schools assume the curriculum starts with Calc 1 in college.
Hell no, I am extremely lazy in those classes.
Will you be willing to work hard in Calc? I know that it can be a lot easier to do work for classes you actually care about.
you sound 100% like my kid. Take the BC class. You’ll be working your butt off with Physics C and Calc BC but it sounds like you can handle it. To take Calc AB would be the easy way out IMO. AP Comp Sci is pretty easy for the most part for someone like yourself. Physics C E&M will be the hardest class you will take in HS.
Have you taken Physics before?
For a student who’s never taken AP classes before, taking AP CS, AP Calc BC, and AP Physics C may be a recipe for disaster as those are among the hardest AP’s.
AP CS, Calc BC, and AP Physics 1?
Many students find E&M more conceptually difficult than mechanics. But then you have to add to that the fact that high school AP physics C E&M is typically taught when students have less of the desirable math background – college calculus-based E&M courses typically have multivariable calculus as a corequisite, while the high school AP course may have students concurrently in AP calculus AB. So understanding the concepts may be more difficult due to not knowing or playing catch-up with some of the math that can help understand the concepts.
I am taking physics right now, and I have an A from a historically difficult teacher at my hs
100%, I already know quite a bit about limits/derivatives/sums because I do computer science, and I love math.
I’m taking AP physics C Mechanics, not Electricity and Magnetism. my teacher has a masters in engineering and EVERYTHING he teaches is about classical mechanics