The Gap Between AP Calc AB and AP Calc BC

<p>What exactly is the gap in difficulty/content for these two math courses?</p>

<p>I've just taken a look through AP Calc AB's topic list and the material in there is extremely easy. However, AP Calc BC seems to be a completely different story (though this could just be because I'm not as familiar with the content covered there). </p>

<p>For those who have already taken both, it would be great if you could give me some feedback comparing the two in terms of content/material/difficulty/etc.</p>

<p>Thanks :)</p>

<p>Um, I'll summarize it as easily as I can.. I warn you though, my brain's shut off over the summer..</p>

<p>Calc AB is more a fundamentals course, it's not very hard, but you need to know it well to excel in BC. BC goes more in-depth on what AB covered, and also introduces new concepts based on the old stuff you learned (power series, vectors, other stuff I can't remember). I have a friend who studied over the summer and went straight to BC. He kind of staggered through the first semester, but I think he ended up doing well enough.</p>

<p>I believe I'm in the same position as your friend right now. I can easily cover AB's material by the end of the summer. My worry is that I will not be able to get a start or a feel for BC at all, and because I suspect there is a bit of a jump between the two I am rather hesitant on skipping AB and going straight to BC.</p>

<p>On the other hand, if I do manage the skip I will have a "free-er" senior-year schedule etc.etc.etc.</p>

<p>The problem is whether it is possible to do so and still excel in BC. It seems to be more of an application/thinking process than AB. Could you confirm this?</p>

<p>I'm assuming you'll be taking a class in school, and in that case your teacher will be able to help you along if you need it.</p>

<p>If you feel that you can cover AB thorougly over the summer, I'd say do it and go ahead and take BC next year. It might take a little longer to familiarize yourself with BC concepts since AB concepts will be so new, but I doubt you will have trouble with it. BC applies much of what you learned in AB, so if you have AB down, BC shouldn't be much of a problem at all.</p>

<p>I never took AB and went straight to BC (this is very common and I believe most people that take BC follow this path). If you are comfortable with the topics in AB you should definately take BC.</p>

<p>if you are planning to skip AB, but you're not a math whiz, i'd recommend getting a tutor for at least the first half of the school year. that way, you can maintain your grades if BC turns out to be a little tough</p>

<p>simply put, ab covers calculus I only. bc covers calculus I and II. </p>

<p>cant wait for bc to be honest, my dad forced me to learn it this summer but hey, i guess ill be prepared.</p>

<p>I took AB this year and received a 5. As everyone said, BC is a culmination of AB and much, much more. Ideally, take AB and then BC. I wouldn't recommend going into BC unless you have a solid foundation of limits, derivatives, integrals, and volumes of revolution, which incidentally, is the AB course material.</p>

<p>Do you know what the BC class at your school actually covers? Does it expect you to know AB already or does it cover everything? At my school you can only take one, senior year, so everyone in BC goes straight to that from precalc. We go through everything, move quickly, and most people do extremely well.</p>

<p>My school is also like that. After precal there is no AB, but only a BC, because BC is a year-long class and we get 1.5 hours a day in it.</p>

<p>Hm..according to the course descriptions of both courses it seems that my school teaches more than just what is required for each AP..everyone therefore has to know the AB material well.</p>

<p>For example for AB they go beyond what is needed..that's a bit strange and is the same case for BC. Hm. </p>

<p>I've already more or less completed the AB material..began a bit last summer, finishing it off this summer. I guess if there's too big a gap I won't go straight to BC since I have 5.5 credits of APs next year, especially if the school teaches extra in the AB course.</p>