Hi,
I am a rising junior that is deciding which math class I should take. I would like to either pursue finance/ business and sports management. Taking both would be pretty hard for me on the fact that I would then have 4 ap courses 3 self study ap courses. If I dont take calc ill take it my senior year, likewise with stats.
what should I do? kinda confused and people give me mixed responses on this topic.
Business majors typically need to take both calculus and statistics in college (AP credit may be accepted, depending on the college). At some colleges, calculus-based statistics may be required, so calculus may be a bit higher priority than statistics in high school.
Why are you self studying so many AP courses?
As long as you get to AP calc by the time you graduate, it doesn’t matter the sequence.
Bro stop studying AP courses, they don’t do anything.
I would also forget the self-studying. You time will be better spent focused on the classes you are taking in HS and in on making an impact in meaningful ECs.
If you have calculus by senior year that is fine. Given the choice, I’d probably take calc this year and stat next year since the material from pre-calc should be fresh in your mind now.
if your self studying APs for a leg up on college admissions they don’t work that way. Colleges are not impressed by self studied APs and would rather see you either in a class or doing meaningful ec work.
Plus, if your school is rigorous, but limits AP, it’s for a reason. You don’t need to assume more AP is the answer. Adcoms can see through that.
Personally, you have some rockiness to overcome. The answer is to become better informed what your targets want, directly from their web sites, what else they show. No top college out there says, “Self study AP!!!” Some of the tippiest tippy tops make it clear it’s not an AP arms race.
My own opinion is that, if you turn all this around, improve grades, scores, and ECs, you may have a shot at good colleges:
So take calc over stats. No pretending stats “may” help in college. First you need to get an admit. AP calc is more impressive than AP stats, a direct show of your capabilities. Get top grade. Rise to the right challenges.
Self-studying APs does not help you with admissions. They don’t look at your AP test scores for admissions…seniors who take APs don’t get the scores back until after they are admitted.
So if you do it, you would be doing it for College credit. See if your colleges of choice would give you credit and if that credit would be useful.
Also realize that doing well in your HS courses is vastly more important than self studying…also would you have time to do ECs if you are self studying?
if you do this, I woudl do less than 3 to increase chance of doing well on tests.
Take AP Calc as a junior and AP Stat as a senior.
Top colleges can look at AP scores. But not taking the real class is what’s off.
If you took precalculus sophomore year, take Calculus Junior year since it’s the next step in the sequence. AP stats senior year.
What else are you taking next year?
@lookingforward
Hi,
Thank you very much for the advice for all my threads, but I truly want to self study economics for my own benefit(micro and macro). my main reason isnt because of college admissions, rather it’s something I see I will be using in the future.
Not sure why I’m singled out when we’re all questioning your AP plans. And AP self study, to the high school format, and planning to take the test are NOT the only way to learn something about econ. You said, " I would then have 4 ap courses 3 self study ap courses," as if counting them.
There are other, better options, if this is a genuine interest. But, this could occur over summer or breaks. You have bigger fish to fry, right now, for admissions.
Hi,
Sorry, didnt mean to single you out but you have given me really good advice and I really appreciate you giving me advice. What are some of the EC’s I can do to positively impact the community? I was thinking about hosting a basketball camp for the people who are in need. What do you think?
I personally think inventing your own wheel is never an “it.” Go for experiences with adults, learn from them, challenge yourself and have some impact, even small. Right now, you have a sport and discip committee, right? What else, now? That’s very little for a prep (or a public.) Parts of Maine are terribly poor, the people incredibly needy. Go where you can directly support them, roll up your sleeves. And not just kids. (An establshed bball camp would be nice, but that’s about your interests, not the needs of others.) You could also get involved in local issues/advocacy.
Yes, some sort of buinesss internship, where you do- and learn- something, not just hang or update their website. Yes, other clubs at school, to show you’re willing to try new things, etc.