Hi,
I’m a freshman. I’m currently taking Honors Algebra 2.
In my high school, people who took Honors Algebra 2 take Honors Pre-calc, and then take AP Calc BC if they got over 90% in Honors Pre-calc.
I would like to skip Pre-calc and go straight to AP Calc BC in my sophomore year.
Since I skipped Geometry online last summer, I know how the summeronline classes work.
Should I take Pre-calc over the summer? Math is my favorite subject, and I know that I’m talented in math. I’m also planning to choose college majors that require high-level math skills.
If you are talented in math, the typical assortment of topics in pre-calc can easily be absorbed in a summer. Moreover, you will find that AP Calculus does not require every topic typically covered anyway, and really nothing in depth.
However, and this is a big caveat, consider what the rest of your high school years will look like for mathematics? Does your school offer two full years of courses after AP Calculus, or are there feasible dual enrollment options?
Why not go deeper into the high school topics instead? Have you looked into competitions? The AMC series is great for developing problem solving skills. Also, have you looked into summer math programs instead? Unfortunately, it looks like practically all are going to be online-only again this summer, but if you can get in, programs like Canada/USA Mathcamp and some others would be vastly more valuable to someone interested in math than a summer of precalc.
So, TLDR, yes you can do precalc in a summer if you have talent, but that talent might be better deployed elsewhere.
Thank you so much!
Is there other beneficial summer math or economics programs or camps?
I dont know much about economics programs, but you can find a fairly comprehensive list of various programs in math here (you need to use the filters): AMS :: Mathematical Opportunities
I can only comment on the ones with which I have had substantial exposure. If you are looking for general interest camps, it is hard to beat Canada/USA and HCCSiM. For a number theory-specific summer, look to Ross, Texas Honors Summer Mathcamp (Mathworks) and PROMYS. Hopefully, others can chime in as well here. Take a look at past entrance problem sets for Canada/USA and see if they appeal to you, HCCSiM is similar but perhaps not as difficult: Mathcamp: Past Quizzes
I suggest reading “Don’t Fall into the Calculus Trap” by AoPS founder Richard Rusczyk - Don’t Fall into the Calculus Trap
Summer camps on my D’s radar are SUMaC, Mathcamp, PRoMYS, Ross, HCSSiM, MathILy, and Awesomemath.
More can be found at Art of Problem Solving
Pre-calc covers a lot of material and is a foundation for future work. I wouldn’t suggest taking it in an accelerated, online manner that likely wouldn’t cover everything in depth.
The AoPS Number Theory and Counting/Probability courses are very good.
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Thank you so much for your advice!
Unless you have a local college to take more advanced math at after completing calculus BC, there is not a lot of gain by taking calculus BC in 10th instead of 11th grade.
You sound a lot like a former poster named m8thical. You may want to search his name to find his thread on the same subject. The general advice to him was not to skip precalc.