<p>I'm in a predicament. My current math sequence goes like this: geometry (here right now as a freshman) -> pre-calculus -> AP Calculus BC -> Dual-Enrollment at best state public university. This is the fastest track at my school. But this way, I cannot take AP Statistics at all. Should I take pre-calculus over the summer, so I can take AP Calculus BC my sophomore year? Then my math track would look like this: geometry -> AP Calculus BC -> AP Statistics -> Dual-Enrollment. Would it be difficult to take this class over the summer? Thanks for the insight.</p>
<p>What about Algebra 2?</p>
<p>Algebra II and pre-calc get mixed together would be a good assumption since typical pre-calc courses are redundant.</p>
<p>I would say definitely no. You will not learn what you need to at an adequate depth to be prepared for AP Calculus BC, and you would end up struggling a lot. You need a stronger foundation than what you can get in a summer, and Calculus BC is a very challenging course even with a strong foundation. AP statistics doesn’t rely on this sequence so it would be a better course to take over the summer if you wanted to learn more, and then you could take the AP test if you are concerned about the college credit. If it is possible, you could try to add a statistics course to your senior year; statistics is a lot easier than calculus. I am a senior in high school. Last year I took Calculus and this year I am taking Statistics in addition to Abstract Algebra, and things are going well for me.</p>
<p>Weak foundations last a lifetime. Don’t do it.</p>
<p>If you want to take a class over the summer, do geometry, nobody cares about that unless you do contest math. Statistics might also be a good candidate for self-study because the concepts are not very difficult and a good student should be able to do it in a semester instead of a year.</p>
<p>Definitely not. There are concepts in Algebra 2 that are quite a bit harder than in Algebra one, add stuff like limits and sigma notation and you’ll be in way too deep. I too the JHU CTYonline precalc “honors” course after algebra 2 and it was pretty easy but if I hadn’t done Algebra 2, well that’s a whole different story.</p>
<p>By the way, I took geometry as a freshman and I’m in AP calc now as a junior. The reasons so many kids in my class do so poorly is because their algebra skill are horrendous. The best favor you can do for yourself is to have a strong algebra background because calc is really easy if you have the previous stuff down well. If you have to take the derivative of a logarithmic function and you suck at logs, well you’re going to be screwed, same applies for any other basic algebraic curricula utilized within a calculus question</p>