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<p>When I was in high school, about 8% of the senior class was in calculus (a year ahead). A junior in calculus (two years ahead) came through perhaps once every few years and was known as the top student in math; no one doubted that calculus BC in one year would be an easy A in the class and an easy 5 on the AP test for such a student.</p>
<p>I agree that there are diminishing returns with respect to scheduling for an engineering major for taking math beyond the BC level while still in high school (unless one wants to take more advanced math courses as free electives). Starting college in multivariable calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations is advanced enough to remove as much of the lower division schedule pressure as possible for an engineering major.</p>