I’m a sophomore in high school, and in my situation, I will have the ability to take AP Calculus AB, but not BC. BC is available in my school, but unfortunately I haven’t had the opportunity to take honors math courses and moving up is practically impossible. I really like math and this year I have learned quite a bit if calculus I on my own time for fun. I think that AB will be rather easy, as I know most of the material, and though I can’t take BC, I can take the exam. Having only AB knowledge, what would I have to learn to succeed on the BC exam, and how difficult would this be? I think I’m capable of doing well with BC topics, and the extra college credit would be very beneficial (I would like to go to a competitive computer science school such as UIUC).
To answer your question first: If you do well in AB and are self-studying calculus for fun, then you will probably do well on the BC exam. You can find the material that you’ll need to study for it pretty easily I expect.
Does your school typically offer a choice of either AB or BC? That seems to be common but in my son’s school the classes are taken as a two year sequence. This allows them to go for added depth in the BC year, which he’s doing now and really enjoying.
If this is the sequence in your school, then absolutely try to take BC in your senior year (assuming you’re taking AB next year). The extra AP rigour will look good on your college applications. Ask if you can get into BC if you get good grades in AB.
If your school’s pattern is one where you take either AB or BC, then petition to get into BC if you can. Since you’ve been studying already, ask if one of the calc teachers would be willing to give you an informal entrance test or interview. I was a late bloomer in my love for math and was never able to move from the regular to honors track. So I really feel for you. Despite that, I ended up with the school’s highest SAT math scores and became a math major in college.
One thing to note about college itself: good college programs in CS and math understand that kids are coming in with vastly different backgrounds in math. Any college you choose will likely offer their own assesments to figure out where you should start.
Thank you very much, this is a perfect reply.
Why be in such a rush?