I’m doing the Cambridge International AS & A levels, and I’ve taken (regular) Math as one of my 3 subjects (the other 2 being Physics and English). I’ve heard that it’s not considered to be a very advanced course when compared to others at the same level, e.g. IB HL Math. To offset this, I want to take an AP calculus course. Math is not really my forte: I’m able to fundamentally understand advanced concepts, but I make silly errors while working the solutions :P. I want to show universities that I’m capable of Math, which is of a higher level than A level math, but I don’t want to get a score lower than 4 either. College credit is nice too. Which of these courses would you recommend in my case?
Thank you!
P.S.: I would really appreciate if you could also give me some online AP calculus course recommendations. Currently looking at Stanford OHS, but not very sure. I’ve already done other AP courses with Johns Hopkins CTY, Northwestern CTD, and UC Scout, and am looking to broaden my horizons with different providers.
If math isn’t your strong suit, then taking Calculus AB would be the wisest option. You seem intelligent and objectively speaking, earning a 4 or a 5 on the AB exam would looked upon more favorably than a 3 on BC by elite and reputable colleges. In math, it’s essential to establish a good foundation so you will have less difficulties understanding advanced topics later on and in Calculus AB you have more opportunities to do that. I’m in Calculus AB and I’m so glad I’m not in BC, my teacher teaches the material at a slower pace so our class can understand the lessons, I can have more opportunities to fully study the lesson so I’ll do well on future tests. In Calculus BC, your teacher will already expect you to know concepts taught in AB can will therefore move considerably faster. If you are new to Calculus, then understanding the material would be more difficult. I currently have friends in BC and back in November, they learned the product rule, quotient rule and chain rule all in one day whereas in AB we were given three separate days for learning each rule. There’s no shame in learning at a slower pace if you can understand the lesson, and by fully or mostly comprehending them, you will have fewer issues studying for the AP exam during the latter half of the course and you’ll likely earn a high score on the AP exam. As for online Calculus classes, prepscholar provides good online course recommendations, although I’ve never taken an online course. Good luck!