<p>Our HS's highest level math is AP Calc or AP Calc/Physics. S2 is taking AP Calc/Physics now as a junior. So what should he take his senior year? </p>
<p>He's not required to take a 4th year of math but it seems most colleges want to see a 4th year. His options are AP Stats or Computer Science at the local college. He could also take Calc II at the local college but he's struggling quite a bit in AP Calc/Physics so I don't see him wanting to continue down that path.</p>
<p>How difficult is AP Stats compared to AP Calc or Computer Science?</p>
<p>Ds1 did and ds2 will take AP Stats. Ds1 got a B in BC Cal but a 5 on the test. He made an A in AP Stats but a 4 on the test. He was disappointed with that 4.</p>
<p>Totally different mindsets. Math majors are separate from statistics majors, with separate departments in major colleges. He should choose the statistics or computer science based on his interests and goals. Some nonscience college majors require a statistics course and the AP one from HS may meet those requirements. I recall how gifted son got 100% on AP stats tests with zeros on his homework (affected his grade). My own eons ago experience with a medical statistics course was learning formulas and terms, nothing abstract. Needed basic precalculus math knowledge but not math learning ability. Computer Science only if he truly likes it- much time and effort writing programs in addition to learning lecture material.</p>
<p>Crossposted. AP course grades versus AP exam scores. So much depends on the quality of teaching. Son disliked his AP Chemistry teacher’s teaching, got a C last semester senior year (I suspect he learned the material but didn’t do/hand in all of the work) but a 5 on the AP exam taken a month before the course ended while his cousin in a different year and state, but also gifted, got an A in his AP Chemistry course but only a 3 on the AP exam. My son was far less diligent than his cousin- the cousin would have done everything asked in his course and have studied the material presented.</p>
<p>My son took Calc BC junior year and AP Stats senior year. He did well in both classes (A’s and 5’s on AP tests) but as someone who really enjoys math he preferred Calc. Freshman year he started in Calc 3.</p>
<p>How high are your son’s potential reach schools? If you are thinking top 10, they will want to see him take Calc ll, if it’s available to him. AP Stats is not considered to be a very challenging math class in terms of difficulty. Also, how does the local college teach AP Stat, isn’t that by definition a high school class? I’d say go with Computer science and Calc II if you’re thinking top tier schools.</p>
<p>Another reasonable option is to not take math and use the available class period for something else instead.</p>
<p>My daughter did this in 12th grade after taking AP BC Calculus in 11th. She did not want to take AP Statistics because she knew she would have to take a calculus-based statistics course in college as part of her major (economics), and she did not want to take the school’s multivariable calculus course, which few people ever get college credit for. So she simply took an extra AP course in another subject.</p>
<p>She had no trouble getting into a top-20 school ED. </p>
<p>“No math” is not necessarily a sin, and “4 years of math” does not necessarily mean “4 years of math taken in high school.” High-school level math taken in middle school should count. My daughter had 5 years of math on her transcript (algebra and geometry in middle school; algebra II, precal, and BC calculus in high school). </p>
<p>I have never heard of a college complaining that a student who has completed BC Calculus hasn’t taken enough math, just as I have never heard of them complaining that a student who has taken Level 4 foreign language doesn’t have enough foreign language – regardless of the year in school when these courses were completed.</p>
<p>Most HS’s will not offer a second year/semester of calculus. Premier math institutions won’t consider AP calculus as a substitute for their own math courses (it isn’t even for top level schools at the UW-Madison tier- many repeat 1st semester calculus or struggle ifchoosing the 2nd course). Math doesn’t seem to be his interest- why should he torture himself with yet another calculus class? Satisfy the need to be competitive by taking another year of a different math, if desired. However- colleges will look at him having had 5th year level math with the calculus as it is beyond the 4th level of HS math. He should get credit for having completed the math courses one or two years ahead of his peers. Unless he plans on college courses requiring more math he can substitute a more desireable course his senior year.</p>
<p>If it’s easier for him to take AP Stats at the high school instead of going somewhere else, that’s the way I’d lean. In terms of getting college credit neither AP Stats nor a CC comp sci course will count at many colleges. If he’s at all likely to go into a field that uses statistics I think it is still helpful to get a jump on the subject in high school. I agree with Marian, he doesn’t need to feel obliged to take more math - he’s had five years as far as any college is concerned.</p>
<p>Don’t think of this as a problem – think of it as an opportunity.</p>
<p>Many high schools have advanced or elective academic courses taught by teachers who love the subject and do a great job teaching it. Sometimes, these courses are AP; sometimes not. It doesn’t really matter.</p>
<p>Finishing a required subject like math or foreign language in 11th grade gives the student an opportunity to take one more of these courses than would otherwise be possible. Enjoy.</p>
<p>Just make sure that your senior year schedule includes at least five academic courses.</p>
<p>Completion of calculus is usually seen as being beyond 4th year of high school math, since the normal sequence 4th year of high school math is trigonometry and precalculus.</p>
<p>The normal follow-on to AB would be second semester freshman calculus at a college. After BC or second semester freshman calculus, the usual sophomore level courses are multivariable calculus, linear algebra, and/or differential equations at a college.</p>
<p>Depending on the intended major, college math requirements may differ. For students intending to major in math, statistics, computer science, physics, chemistry, engineering, or economics with intent to go to graduate school, the sophomore level math courses will be helpful. Some other majors like biology, business, and economics without intent to go to graduate school typically require just freshman calculus.</p>
<p>Statistics is generally useful for many students, although the AP course is not commonly accepted in place of college statistics courses for majors needing it (they often require a calculus-based statistics course).</p>
<p>Completion of calculus is usually seen as being beyond 4th year of high school math, since the normal sequence 4th year of high school math is trigonometry and precalculus.</p>
<p>The normal follow-on to AB would be second semester freshman calculus at a college. After BC or second semester freshman calculus, the usual sophomore level courses are multivariable calculus, linear algebra, and/or differential equations at a college.</p>
<p>Depending on the intended major, college math requirements may differ. For students intending to major in math, statistics, computer science, physics, chemistry, engineering, or economics with intent to go to graduate school, the sophomore level math courses will be helpful. Some other majors like biology, business, and economics without intent to go to graduate school typically require just freshman calculus.</p>
<p>Statistics is generally useful for many students, although the AP course is not commonly accepted in place of college statistics courses for majors needing it (they often require a calculus-based statistics course).</p>
<p>btw- son got an honors degree in math and added the comp sci major at an around 15th +/- ranked U for grad school in these programs without taking any statistics or stats courses crosslisted in the other two departments. His interests are more abstract than applied. It is good for students in many areas to have statistics knowledge to be able to evaluate material they read later in life- such as hearing about health/nutrition ideas but knowing they won’t hold up statistically even if the precise stats knowledge is forgotten. If college statistics is anticipated forgo it for now, otherwise it is a nice addition to an obviously math capable person’s repetoire.</p>
<p>Both my STEM major kids took AP BC Calc in HS, while one took multivariable calc senior year. When they got to college, both found that they needed statistics for their minors, and neither was happy about having to find room in their busy schedules for it. </p>
<p>If your child wants to be an engineer or math major, I’d look for another calculus course at cc or online (for instance, I know U of I has an online math program) because more calc is a prerequisite for upper division classes. If your child is not a future engineer, I’d take the AP statistics. </p>
<p>(Both my kids took a noncalculus based college statistics course, because that was all they needed, but said that they appreciated knowing the calculus behind some of the concepts.)</p>
<p>If your child is interested in math/science, then taking advanced calc might be wise. AP stat is somewhat easier than AP calc and is also a good idea. It is true that most schools want to see four years of math, but if your child is not interested in math/science, a different course would probably be fine as well.
Some (but perhaps not many) schools require a stat course - and AP stat probably counts.</p>
<ul>
<li> The AP Stats class would be through the high school</li>
<li> The Computer Science class would be at a good LAC here in our town. So maybe the credit would transfer??</li>
<li> Yalemom – No he’s not applying to a Top 10 school but one of the schools that he will apply to is a Top 30 LAC highly regarding for math.<br></li>
<li> His major is undecided.</li>
</ul>
<p>The reason ds1 took AP Stats senior year is that I figured it would be an easier math than taking MV, also offered at his HS. I wouldn’t let him take an off period, but I let him save up some easy required courses, such as speech and health, to make his senior year feel like a piece of cake compared to his junior year.</p>
<p>Well in a junior right now, and im in AP Calc BC. My plan for next year is to take the linear algebra course offered through CTY during school hours (my school allows this and I will get credit for the course).</p>
<p>My S took AP Calc AB as a jr. Made a B in the class and a 4 on the exam. He took AP Stats as a senior, made an A in the class and a 4 on the exam. He enjoyed Stats more than Calc. He got credit for both at our big state u.</p>
<p>CS courses are not as well standardized as math courses, so transferability to another college or university is less certain than for math courses.</p>
<p>That a school is highly regarded for math does not necessarily mean that it has heavy math requirements for students nor majoring in something that requires a lot of math. Schools like MIT (where even history and literature majors have to take multivariable calculus) are rare exceptions.</p>