I am currently a junior in AP Calc AB. I found myself to be pretty passionate about maths & engineering. I skipped pre-calc after self-studying. I have maintained an A in AP Calc AB this year. This is the highest level math course offered at my school, hence I would need either downgrade to AP Stats or take a CC class. If I take the CC route, I would need to be placed upon my AB score. So If I say I get a 3 or 4 on my AP exam, I would be placed into Calc 2. If I get a 5, then it will place me in Calc 3. I am wondering which one I should take my senior year? I am looking into prestigious publics such as Berkeley, UCLA and UW - Seattle. I am also looking to major in Electrical Engineering/Computer Science. Thanks everyone! Edit: Also if I go the CC route, since it is a quarterly school. I would be able to finish Calc 2-3 and Linear Algebra by the time I graduate from high school.
Are the Calc 2 and Calc 3 on a quarter system where Calc 3 is not multivariable calculus? If Calc 3 is multivariable calculus (“integrating in multiple dimensions” or something like that) and you are currently taking AP Calc BC, then you really need to take Calc 2 first, because it contains lots of stuff you haven’t learned yet.
I am taking AB, calc 3 is basically multivariable calculus.
Then you still need to take Calc 2 first. I don’t think understanding AB well enough to get a 5 has anything to do with covering the material that is covered in Calc 2. Also, taking Calc 2 at a CC will actually be better, because there are some topics covered in that standard UC-transferrable Calc 2 that are not covered in Calc BC, like an intro to differential equations. (It’s not like skipping precalc, where a lot of that is review of Alg II/Trig.)