<p>My DD is only coming out of Sophomore year and going in to Junior. But, she has already completed pre-calc. However, for the junior year, her school says they cannot fit her in to AP Math AB/BC. She will have NO math for her junior year. As a result, my DD bought a calculus book (one I picked and like) and studying calculus on her own. My understanding is that the SAT 2 Math 2 test covers only through precal. If this is true (please tell me if it is) then perhaps she should go ahead and take Math 2 test right away this fall? I was thinking this would be a good idea so she would not be stressing about getting the math test done this spring when she is also working on the SAT 2 Chem test. (she will also have AP exams this spring).</p>
<p>By the way..why so many exams? My understanding is that she should take all these..and in fact, some schools require the SAT2 and she needs the AP exam if she wants credit. But why couldn't schools just take scores from one test in place of the other? I understand that the AP tests would have more on them than the SAT 2 tests, but if you have the AP test, why do schools still want the SAT 2 test? I know College Board likely makes more money, the more tests they sell. But, why would it really matter to the colleges? That is just a side question of course.</p>
<p>The short answer to your ‘Why’ question is that AP courses were never intended to be used for admissions purposes – many high schools don’t even offer one AP course. Moreover, it’s only the highly selective colleges that require subject tests. </p>
<p>Yes, Math 2 covers thru precalc only, but each HS curriculum is different so not all topics covered on the test may have been taught in your D’s classroom. (It’s a good idea to brush up on basic stat formulas.) If she has no math this year then take a practice test at home and see how she does. A little review and she’ll be good to go for Oct.</p>
<p>Best time to take other ST’s is during spring with the relevant AP course. So, take the Chem ST next May as a warm-up to the multiple choice on the AP exam.</p>
<p>Don’t forget that many colleges will waive the ST’s if the applicant takes the ACT instead.</p>
<p>As a side note, it’s a little surprising a high school would not have room for a student to advance in math. I wouldn’t be able to let that go too easily.</p>
<p>There’s general agreement that the best time to take Math 2 is at the end of precalc. Since she didn’t take it this spring, the fall would be good. Be sure to have her check out the subjects covered and practice tests on the CB website; there’s also a Math Subject test prep book available (actually several, but I would recommend the one by the CB). She will want to review because some of the math is fairly easy, but she won’t have seen it for awhile and speed is important in the test.</p>
<p>If she’s taking AP Chem next year and preps adequately for the AP exam, she won’t need to do any extra prep for the Subject test.</p>
<p>I, too, am concerned that the school has no room for her in AB/BC. Do they teach Calculus AB? Can she take Calculus at a nearby community college?</p>
<p>I agree with the others, she needs to talk to the guidance office and get into a math class for junior year. Not only is skipping a year of math a bad idea, she will need the math to help prep for the ACT/SAT tests junior year and while Calculus isn’t on those tests, having to do math all year will keep her algebra skills fresh. I would also suggest that she get her hands on a geometry book to review for the ACT/SAT. Do NOT accept that she can’t have a math class junior year.</p>
<p>Agree with all who say taking the SAT II after Pre Calc is good timing. </p>
<p>As far as not being allowed to take a math class - is the AP Calc class at your school a good one that is well taught? If so, I would make a stink to get her enrolled in class as well. Colleges want to see 4 years of math, she’ll get rusty if she doesn’t take math for a year, and she’s an advanced math student and yanking the math “rug” out from under her now is downright criminal. Heck, to graduate high school with honors in our state requires 4 years of math.</p>
<p>If the class isn’t good, or if they just won’t budge in getting her into it, look into taking Calculus through the Art of Problem Solving website. It’s pricey ($500 with textbook), so I don’t know if that’s a possibility for you. I wish I had found AoPS earlier for my two older math loving boys. My youngest has taken a couple classes from them, and we’ve bought the textbooks just to supplement his school courses. It’s a high quality program, and I’m sure she’ll learn calculus well. [AoPS</a> School Class List](<a href=“http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/School/classlist.php?#cd_calculus]AoPS”>http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/School/classlist.php?#cd_calculus) Self studying is really hard, and she may or may not do it successfully. This course has a text written to be good for self study and weekly chat sessions with instructors. They get into subjects pretty deeply with a lot of sideways, out of the box thinking on challenge problems.</p>
<p>This personal anecdotal experience is offered just to reassure readers who may not have picked the exact right moment to take SAT II exams.</p>
<p>My D2012 was an advanced math student who took precalc as a high school sophomore and AP Calc BC as a junior. We weren’t well acquainted with the college application process, so although she got the SAT reasoning test out of the way in junior year, she only belatedly figured out that she needed SAT IIs, at the start of senior year. This left just the October test date as an acceptable option. By then she felt a bit rusty in subjects that might have been good SAT II choices for her, that she’d taken in junior year. So she picked Literature and Math 2 as the tests on which she felt she could probably do best without much preparation. She scored a 780 on the Math 2, although it was by then a year and a half since she’d taken precalc course.</p>
<p>So … clearly it’s preferable to plan in advance, and choose the most strategic time to take the subject tests. However, an advanced math student (according to my sample of one) may do well on the Math 2 exam at any time. I think romanigypsyeyes is likely right on this one: it’s not that hard for a good math student.</p>
<p>I’ll second the AoPS classes for math-loving kids. If it doesn’t seem like something she’d like (or the class sessions don’t work for you), there are plenty of other online options for calculus. Just google. I think that in your daughter’s case it will be much better to have a course that’s transcripted and that both her high school and the college can see proof that she did the math.</p>
<p>SAT II at end of pre calc is good-- even better at the end of BC because you just learn to think at a deeper level. You also know how to use your graphing calculator to solve lots of questions ( haha). Can your daughter take AP Stat? I know it gets a bum wrap from a lot of CC posters but I thought it was a good class ( my HS had an incredible teacher). It was also good for learning how to think. It also does a good job at teaching probabilities; something my other classes just barely touched on.</p>
<p>Many advanced math kids at my HS chose to postpone BC until senior year because they didn’t want to take online or CC classes (the kids that did more than study all day). They wanted BC as a senior so they wouldn’t be rusty going into college.</p>
<p>I think she is going to have to wait until fall now anyway to take the Math II subject test (no SATs offered in the summer). I would suggest she prep a bit this summer and take it this fall. If it goes well, she is done and can just use that score. If she needs to take again, she will have other chances later in the year to sign up and do that. D2 just took it, and was not thrilled with her score… she will be prepping this summer, planning to take it again in the fall. You can use score choice… if you are not sure she will do well, don’t send the scores out. You pay some extra afterwards if you do want to send it, though.</p>
<p>Agree with all of the above regarding pitching a fit to get her into AP Calculus. But if it doesn’t work, then I’d suggest looking into her taking a calculus class at a local community college.</p>
<p>Studying on her own is admirable, but if there is any alternative, that would be preferable. It’s unlikely that either her own high school (or a college admissions committee) would give her much credit for just working on her own, unless she’s able to document what she’s learned . . . although I guess she could do that with the AP Calculus AB test.</p>
<p>Four years of math is a standard part of high school education. It’s a school’s job to educate its students. If AP Calc is the next class in her math sequence, they should provide it, assuming Calculus is offered in the curriculum. I’d take it up the entire chain of command to the school district level if need be. If your school offers it, they should find her a seat in the class if you let them know you won’t be taking no for an answer.</p>
<p>weatherga, my very good math student didn’t take Math II subject test until his junior year when he was in Calc BC. He got an 800. I don’t think he did any review at all, but I wouldn’t recommend that approach for someone who wasn’t a serious math person.</p>
<p>As for the OP, I agree that they should make a stink about the lack of an appropriate math class. Going for a year without math is a very bad idea.</p>
<p>I would be screaming bloody murder if my kid got shut out of math. That said, now is the time to take the SAT math (right after pre-calc). As others have said, take a look at review books and make sure she’s familiar with all the topics. I think my younger son said there was an easy matrix problem on the test.</p>