Should I take AP Calc AB or BC?

Test Preparation AP Mathematics & Computer Science
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<p>I'm an incoming junior, and I've been debating back and forth whether I should take AP Calculus AB or BC... I actually signed up for BC with my guidance counselor before the summer but since I had switched back and forth a few times, they mistakenly put AB on my schedule. However, I'm not sure if I should ask to switch it back or not - I'd originally wanted to do AB, even though I was recommended for BC.</p>

<p>I really dislike math and have zero interest in it. I've gotten straight B's in math ever since middle school, always the only B's (usually B+'s, but last year they were solid 84/85's) out of all my classes. It's not that I'm that bad at it, it's just that I don't try since I hate the subject - I ended up slacking big-time in honors precalc last year...at one point I had a 50% in my homework category, and I usually slept through class and studied for tests the period before. I'm sure that if I applied myself I could do much better (I regularly got B's on tests though I slept through class and studied only the day of - not good, but not too bad either), but I just dislike math and have no interest in it at all, so I don't. </p>

<p>I'll also be taking Chinese 3, AP Eng, AP Bio and honors physics, and I'm thinking of majoring in something biology-related in college, in hopes of entering dental school later on.</p>

<p>I was wondering, would it be better for me to take Calc AB instead of BC, given my dislike and lack of interest for math, and my track record? I think I would do better in AB than BC grades-wise, but would AB put me at a disadvantage in terms of college admissions for the more competitive colleges, since it's not as rigorous as BC?? Would it be a disadvantage since I'm looking into a biology-related major?</p>

<p>Should I just take BC and actually TRY in math this upcoming year, even though I dislike math? (...or am I being too optimistic about being able to change my study habits/grades when it comes to math...)</p>

<p>Or should I take the "safer" route by taking AB, which I'll probably have an easier time with, even though it's the less-rigorous course? (I guess I just feel a little weird taking AB...almost everyone else from my precalc class is taking BC, and I've always taken the hardest math class possible, so I'm feeling like an underachiever....)</p>

<p>Thanks, and haha sorry for this super long post...</p>

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<p>Dear god that post was long! But I would recommend calc AB since you have a distaste for math. AB is a slower-paced class and helps those transition into a completely different way of thinking about math. Plus, BC has more advanced topics that are very esoteric in normal math</p>

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<p>Agreed. If you have zero math interest take AB calculus. BC covers transcendentals (log and exponential) and applies AB to complex topics like series. It can be complicated and if you don’t like math don’t put yourself through it.</p>

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<p>take BC, for some bio majors, u only need 2 classes of calc, BC will cover that for u unless you want to go to a school that doesn’t take AP credit (like MIT)</p>

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<p>thanks for all the feedback (and for taking the time to at least skim through my huge post! hahaha), i decided to take calc ab… so far, no regrets. :)</p>