<p>Took AB this year, got a 5.
Taking Multivariable calc at one of the lower-tier UC's during summer (I won't divulge which so as to hide my location), with pretty much an assured A (unless I fail and forget to bring my ID card).</p>
<p>Spend $87 next year & take BC, or is that A in multivariable calc enough to place me out of stuff in college?</p>
<p>Don’t just take APs for the sake of taking it. Check your school’s AP credit policy. Some schools will place you out of calc for taking AB OR BC. You don’t need both exams.</p>
<p>I don’t really understand anyone taking AB → Multi-variable calculus → BC. BC is a single-variable calculus course and is usually less advanced than multi-variable.</p>
<p>As for the AP credit, it really depends on the colleges you’re planning to apply to. I know for MIT, they give credit for a 4 or 5 on the BC exam, but no credit on the AB exam (they can, however, place you in a more advanced 18.01 (single variable calculus) course). MIT gives credit for multi-variable calculus either through transfer credit or a passing score on an advanced standing exam.</p>
<p>5 on AB will often get you out of calculus 1 at most colleges (not MIT, which compresses three semesters of calculus into two semesters). Multivariable calculus is typically the third semester. What you may end up with, credit wise, is a “hole” where you have credit for calculus 1 and calculus 3, but need to take calculus 2. So it may be worth trying for a 5 on BC to fulfill calculus 2 if the colleges you are applying to accept it.</p>
<p>(Yes, many UCs and other colleges (CSUs, community colleges, and private colleges) in California are on the quarter system, but you could still end up with a “hole” in your calculus credit under the quarter system.)</p>