Current Junior here looking for advice. I’m deciding whether it would be worth it to skip pre-calc and go straight into calculus. I take all my classes at a nearby university and have placed out of pre-calc with my ACT score, but I am still unsure. If I take calc, then I would be able to take University Physics (calc-based). If I stick with pre-calc, then I would’t have calc in high school. I know there is a benefit when considering college admissions, not because it would “look good” that I skipped pre-calc and regular physics, but because most applicants have calc and physics. I am also interested in Astronomy/Astrophysics and have taken astronomy. However, I know I can’t decide to major in that before I take calc and physics. It would give me a chance to explore the major before I get to college, although I probably won’t pursue it as a career. My parents are for me skipping Pre-calc (it was actually their suggestion), but I still think there’s a chance it might be too much.
I would want to be sure that I had a solid understanding of whatever is covered in pre calc. There’s no advantage of being in a higher level class if you can’t fully understand it. Sort of like qualifying to run z race but having to do it with one shoe.
Could you take summer class, even online? Most of it should be easy if you are indeed mostly ready to skip it.
You may want to try this on-line quiz to see how well you know precalculus material that you will need to know for calculus:
The Calculus is a summer class so no chance to take precalc in the summer. Thank you both for the feedback!
To me skipping pre calf and taking calc 1 as a summer class sounds aggressive. How long is the summer course?
What about taking calculus your senior year of HS? What would your HS need as proof that you are able to skip precalc? Does it have to be a class or can you pass some sort of placement test the HS has?
Taking calc-based physics in HS is not actually all that common, but you do want to have taken some physics in HS even if it is trig-based like AP Physic 1 (& 2). Have you taken a physics class in HS?
Be aware that college grades this summer will need to go on your college applications. A time-compressed Calc 1 class along with a time-compressed Physics 1 class may be difficult to get an A in. Most of the students taking the college physics class will have had some HS physics and you will be competing against them. Do you have access to the typical grade distributions of these classes at the college you are considering? At some colleges, Calc 1 may be a weeder class.
I recommend finding a way over the summer to waive taking precalc at your HS next year. If you are thinking about Astrophysics, you will need a solid foundation, especially in trig identities. Also, the quiz @ucbalumnus linked to is good but doesn’t include introductory matrices, which is sometimes included in precalc, and will definitely be something an Astrophysics major will need at some point.
In terms of college admissions, you’re on a perfectly fine math track and there’s no need to accelerate further. The only case where accelerating is actually relevant to improving one’s chances at most colleges in the US is if the student is set to take Algebra 2 senior year and is unable to get to Pre-Calculus or College Algebra before graduating high school.
Most colleges don’t expect Calculus, but you are right that they do expect physics, so take that eventually (even if it’s regular).