<p>@TotallyTrudy </p>
<p>But you essentially re-learn Algebra II in Pre-Calc, and really nobody cares about full comprehension, but getting ahead.</p>
<p>Getting ahead will do nothing for you if you don’t understand the concepts and therefore do worse in the advanced classes. </p>
<p>@bodangles
The point is that one can do Pre-Calc with a certain level of knowledge of Algebra II, not necessarily a knowledge that would equal that of taking the class.</p>
<p>@Apollo11 you don’t need any math over Algebra really for the AP sciences outside of Physics C. Getting ahead in math is not some crucial thing. I actually chose to take AB over BC to built a strong foundation as @bodangles is alluding to. I consider myself a great math student still (A+ in AB, always been at the highest level of non accelerated math, majoring in CS), and it is part of the reason I did well in the AP sciences. I never once used calc, and used incredibly minimal stats functions, all of which were plug and chug really. I did not take AP stats and it would have not helped my AP science grades if I did. Of course algebra is heavily used, but that is established very early and doesn’t need any advanced track.</p>
<p>Some students are ready to get ahead, but you shouldn’t force it if you are unsure. </p>
<p>Don’t. The only way to do it is to skip 6th grade math or Calc AB and you already missed the first opportunity.</p>
<p>@PengsPhils </p>
<p>I’ve found that AP Stats is really great for AP Psych, AP Bio, and AP Chem. AP Calc is also pretty good for certain concepts in higher level biology and chemistry, in addition to AP Physics C.</p>
<p>Also, the whole AB before BC is a prime example of a waste of time; BC is just two-three more chapters, but it literally covers the same thing as AB. You even get an AB subscore that colleges will take as an AB test if you do badly overall on the BC test.</p>
<p>Yeah don’t take AB if you’re planning on taking BC. As far as skipping algebra 2 goes, it’s based on school policy.</p>
<p>@Apollo11 </p>
<p>I guess my experience has been very different. Maybe it can help, but the math is not at all necessary.</p>
<p>In terms of AB / BC, I see your point if you plan to take both, but AB, since it does overlap with BC, allows one to build a very good foundation, and can be helpful when so much of some subjects are built on it (e.g. Engineering and Physics). AB / BC isn’t about the credit, but the foundation you choose to build on. Very high level math students won’t need AB, but that is a very small percentage of the population. The reality is that a lot more people take AB than BC. You are in the minority that it would be a waste of time for. </p>