Hi,
I’m currently a sophomore in high school wondering if taking precalculus over the summer is a good idea. I’m taking both geometry and algebra 2 as honors courses this year and managed to pull off an A in geometry and A- in algebra 2.
I am a strong student in algebra but geometry has always been harder for me. I’ve always heard that you’re either an geometry person or an algebra person, and I definitely think I am more algebra inclined.
My guidance counselor is known to be strict on letting you take things over the summer. I’m probably going to be met with resistance–he even tries to get the teachers to talk you out of it. He DOES know that I am taking all of the honors courses I can, plus a college course, and I am doing well. I’m not sure if going though all of this is worth the effort, because although I love math and wouldn’t mind taking it over the summer, I would like a strong foundation in precalculus. (I plan on majoring in engineering/math/astrophysics.)
What has your experience been in precalculus? Would you recommend I take it over the summer? If not, what are other ways I can accelerate my math to be in at least calc lll by the end of high school?
I actually did pretty much the same thing as you over the summer I took Algebra II. So this year(Junior year) I could take Pre-Ap Calc. What I have been told specifically by the Calc teacher at my school is that it would not be smart at all to take Pre-Cal over the summer. The workload would be very intense to try that over the summer and if you don’t have a strong base with Pre-Cal you are going to be miserable. I honestly don’t know how you work under pressure so I would just say really look into how much of a load you think you can handle. Also, try doubling up on math next year even that I don’t recommend but that would be the best way to go about it.
I’m an algebra-inclined junior currently enrolled in precalculus. I’m doing pretty well, since the concepts are similar to algebra, but some do require that spatial thinking you use in geometry. Overall, it feels more like algebra to me. Also I’ve noticed about my math class is that people either get it, or they don’t, so that’s something worth thinking about.
I would not recommend that you take it over the summer, as in summer school (or at least where I live), you really zoom through everything, and it isn’t as complete of a learning experience as a traditional school course, so you would definitely have to devote more time and effort to learning and mastering faster to get your “strong foundation.”
I don’t know exactly why you want to have completed Calc III, but the average student finishes Precalculus by the end of high school, and the overachieving students typically took AP Calc (AB or BC) in their junior year. Colleges won’t mark you down if you haven’t reached Calc III.
Most of this is my anecdotal thoughts, but I hope it helps 
good luck!
@Julie0635 @bubblylaugh Ok, thank you for the advice. It looks like I’ll maybe have to find some other way to accelerate my math. What I could do between my junior/senior year is take calc 1 over the summer at a community college, which is three months rather than 6 weeks long in my regular summer school.
Hmmm. Or I could get a tutor with the summer school course. I’m not exactly sure what I want to do at this point. I’ll have to talk to my guidance counselor.