Hi, so in my junior year, I decided to self-study calculus AB and took the BC class and test and got a 5. I’m wondering if I should just skip right into 32A (I believe that’s the next one), or if I should just retake 31A and 31B for reinforcing the ideas and concepts.
I’m a mathematics of computation major and I’d really like some advice. Thanks!
if you report the AP credit and they give you specific class credit for 31A and 31B then I believe you will not have a choice; they won’t allow you to retake for credit a class you already passed. But I’m not a ucla counselor; check with them to be sure.
Ugh. Don’t listen to incoming freshmen; they know nothing 
31A and 31B cover differentiation and integration in two dimensions. This is what you should have learned in your BC class. Since you got a 5, you should be able to waive out of both of them. If you want a refresher, you can go ahead and start from the beginning.
As a CS major, I waived out of both. It definitely puts you “ahead” of your classmates as long as you know your stuff. You would have fewer classes to take and could fill those spots with other courses. Although as a Math major, it’s up to you as to whether you want to refresh your memory about those topics.
Is purchasing a textbook for 32A necessary?
@newapplicant It depends on your professor. Most often than not, you’ll have to use a textbook for either your homework or even just to prepare for quizzes and midterms (and the final).
If some of your friends are in 32A and have already bought textbooks, see if you can use/borrow theirs for homework/studying. Even if you don’t have the same professors, as long as you are both using the same edition of the textbook, you’ll be fine.
Also, it might be worth it to purchase the textbook for 32A because you’ll be using the same one for 32B (first half for A, second half for B).