I’m currently a High School Freshman but I’m trying to plan ahead my classes. My high school’s most advanced mathematics course in senior year is Honors Multivariable Calculus. Seeing how I so far have an A in every class this seemed like an interesting goal. With my currently planned Honors/AP course selection, I will culminate in the second strongest course of AP Calculus BC. While that would be a desirable outcome, I wondered whether a more advanced course will boost my likelihood of getting into a prestigious college. However, my family and friends seem to disagree. My family believes it unnecessary to undertake the more advanced choice because it will require going to a summer academy and a bigger workload. My friend’s advice was that it was more important to maintain a good GPA rather than pursuing more advanced courses, or at least early on. What do you think? Which path will make me the most desirable for a college?
Completing calculus BC in 12th grade is fine.
Multivariable calculus in high school is unlikely to get you more advanced placement, unless it is an actual college course, or you attend a college that allows placement by exam or some such.
No.
There is something to be said about spending summers doing things other than academics. Top colleges are not interested in one-dimensional applicants, and doing something other than classwork over the summer will leave you fresher in the fall.
As @ucbalumnus correctly points out, even for top STEM-schools, there is no expectation that any math beyond class is needed for admissions.
No.
There is something to be said about spending summers doing things other than academics. Top colleges are not interested in one-dimensional applicants, and doing something other than classwork over the summer will leave you fresher in the fall.
As @ucbalumnus correctly points out, even for top STEM-schools, there is no expectation that any math beyond class is needed for admissions.
Thank you for your responses.
No summer classes just to get ahead. Use that time to work, start a club or charity, shadow someone with a career you are interested in, take an online college course that sounds interesting for fun, play a sport, do research at a University, etc. The key is to enjoy what you are doing. Whatever you do become really good at it, you can increase your acceptance rate to 'elite colleges if they are looking for someone with your talents. Elite colleges will get tens of thousands of ‘well rounded’ applications with high academics but they may need a world-class oboeist or a D1 or D3 squash player.
This all said if you are getting easy A’s you may toy with jumping ahead in math from Pre-Calculus to AP Calc BC if you were considering taking AB prior. But that may incur some risks. My DD took Honors Pre-Calc her Freshman year and went then enrolled in AP Calc BC as a Sophmore. She got her only B from that class. However, only about 1.8% of AP Calc BC test takers are Sophmores. Get a 5 on the AP exam and that will get some notice. You would be one of only a couple thousand students to pull that off.
@SummaDad - “However, only about 1.8% of AP Calc BC test takers are Sophmores.”
I’m curious - where can you find the statistics for numbers of test takers by grade?
And to the OP - yes, there is no reason to accelerate in math by taking summer courses, but if you have a STEM major in mind, it couldn’t hurt to go deeper into high school math and high school math competitions. There are many math-focused summer camps that might carry some weight on a STEM-focused college application, the most prominent of which are probably Ross, PROMYS, Canada-USA MathCamp, HCCSiM and SUMaC.
You’re 14 or 15 years old.
There’s an awful lot to be said for developing all the different sides to you in the next 3 years. Sure, grades matter, as do the courses you choose to take.
But there’s so much more to life than all that, in spite of what you read here in CC. You’re working on the adult you’ll someday become. You’ll want to be well rounded-- the kind of adult who can make small talk at a cocktail party, who can get through an interview, who can make others feel at ease during a conversation. You’ll want to develop interests outside the classroom, to be involved in extra curricular activities NOT for their resume building value, but because you’re honestly interested in what you’re doing. You’ll want to become the type of person who can find someone to spend the rest of your life with. You’ll want to travel, to learn from other cultures and types of people.
Sure, grades are important. But keep your eye on the big picture.
Kudos to you, @ScholarShipper, for looking ahead at curriculum choices. I would like to suggest one other factor to consider - the teacher. High schools try to make it difficult for students to choose teachers, but sometimes you can strategize. If the only teacher who does AP Statistics is awful, avoid the class. If a teacher you loved for freshman bio is also teaching an Earth Science class that wouldn’t normally interest you - take it. A good teacher whose style matches how you learn best? Priceless, for your education and also for future college recommendations.