Hi,
Facing a dilemma here. As a transfer hopeful, I obviously want a course-load that puts me in the best light. In high school I had already taken Calculus BC + multivariable, but my college does not allow people to test out of classes, or AP credits to transfer. Therefore, I must take calculus eventually for my major. Will the colleges I apply to know this? I feel like if they calculus on my college transcript they might think I am trying to boost my GPA.
In other words, should I not take calculus and try and take it later (junior year), as maybe the colleges I’m applying to will assume that I tested out…or should I take it, get an easy A, and risk the colleges thinking I’m taking easy classes to pad my GPA.
Thanks!
EDIT: If it makes a difference, I am looking at transferring into top 20 schools (USNEWS) as a computer science major.
What college are you currently at? What was your AP test score, and was multivariable calculus a college or dual-enrollment course, or just a high school course?
If you do transfer, the transfer and AP credit policies of the college you transfer to will determine whether your previous credit will fulfill subject requirements there.
@ucbalumnus Yale-NUS, AB subscore was a 5, BC was a 4, and multivariable was a high school course.
EDIT: Multivariable was more thorough than most college courses because our teacher was amazing (although colleges have no way of knowing that).
AP classes are just that, Advanced Placement. Emphasis on the placement. Most community college have a placement test you can just walk in and take any time you want. There’s no credit here.
You don’t get credit unless the college decides to give you credit for minimum score on the test at their discretion. (Speaking AP exam here)
However, what are the AP exams for? They clear major prep and place you in higher classes. Some think this is an excuse to take fewer classes. A driven student will still take the same amount of classes, just at higher levels because of the “advanced placement” get it? Also, I have never heard of a Multivariable Calculus in HS. If there was, shouldn’t it be Calculus CD? This is probably what your counselor thought and decided that the class was not up to par with their calculus 3.
If I were in your shoes, Id take the Multi-variable Calculus at the college. Your counselor probably knows of a policy you don’t. I’m sorta in the same situation. I requested to be put into Calc 2. To my surprise I made it. But I still am going to take the Calc 1 at the same time because I know University of California doesn’t like testing out of classes in an unofficial way. (Challenge by Exam, etc…) Especially major prep.
It is unlikely that you will get subject credit or placement for multivariable calculus due to it being a high school course. A few universities may allow subject credit or placement by their own exam.
However, a university that you transfer to may give you subject credit or placement for your AP calculus scores. Check each university’s web site for its policy.
Yale-NUS mathematical-computational-statistical-sciences does not seem to require the usual frosh/soph level calculus courses, according to https://www.yale-nus.edu.sg/curriculum/majors/mathematical-computational-and-statistical-sciences/ where you just dive right into proofs and such. So would you actually have to retake calculus or multivariable calculus if you stay there?