<p>I just finished freshman year. I had to take Algebra I, unfortunately. But I did very well and finished both semesters with A-'s. I have to take Geometry next year (sophomore year).
This is a problem because I want (and kind of NEED) to take AP Calculus in my senior year.
I'm planning to take Honors Algebra II/Trigonometry in my junior year. After that, I'd have to take Honors Pre-calculus before I take AP Calculus. See my problem? :/</p>
<p>I have a few choices:
1. Take Honors Algebra II/Trigonometry AND Honors Pre-calculus at the same time in my junior year, allowing me to take AP Calc in senior year
2. Take Algebra II/Trigonometry over the summer. Take Honors Pre-calc in junior year, then AP Calculus in senior year
3. Take Honors Algebra II/Trig in junior year, then Pre-calculus over the summer, then AP Calculus in senior year
4. This one is kind of irrelevant, but I'm considering it: Honors Algebra II/Trig in junior year, Honors Pre-calculus AND AP Statistics in senior year (for another AP that's not Calculus I guess!)</p>
<p>Those are the options I've been taking under consideration.
I'd like to go to an Ivy and major in Biology or some other life science. Is Calculus absolutely NEEDED to get into an Ivy? Princeton University is my dream school, so I'd like to try to go there.</p>
<p>Any suggestions on which option I should choose? Or should I just take Honors Pre-calculus in senior year (and could I get into Princeton without Calculus)?</p>
<p>Please, if you have any experience in Alg. II/Trigonometry, Pre-calculus, AP Calculus, or AP Statistics I'd love your thoughts! And if anyone has gotten into an Ivy League school without Calculus, PLEASE let me know! Thank you!</p>
<p>Well, you should be able to get better than an A- in algebra if you want to go to an ivy. Since you didn’t start in algebra II, I don’t think it matters much. I would do number 2 if you absolutely believe you need to take calc I. But if your are not going to get an A in it, then it will only hurt you. Calc is 10x harder than algebra just to warn you. Worry about taking AP bio, chem, and either ap or honors physics and get A’s in those courses. You will most likely apply for college before you even get a semester worth of grades back from calc so I really don’t think it matters. Why not take geometry this summer so you can take alg II while a sophmore, and take precalc during your summer before junior year so you can complete calc I before applying for college.</p>
<p>1) You should do option 2. You would have to be insane to take Algebra II/Trig and Precalculus in the same year simply because 1/2 of Precalculus is basically review of Algebra II/Trig.</p>
<p>2) Calculus isn’t absolutely needed, but you would have to distinguish yourself from the other thousands of applicants with AP Calculus</p>
<p>@aopsgirl- You absolutely need precalc for calc I and II. You will fail miserably in calc without it. Thats like saying you don’t need to know how to paddle to ride a bike. Riemann sums, describing derivatives, oiler etc., many calc subjects are unobtainable without knowledge from precalc.</p>
<p>Is it too late to try to double Geometry and Algebra II for next year? That would be the best pairing, in my opinion, because you won’t have needed much Geometry knowledge to succeed in Algebra II. Doubling Algebra II and Pre-Calc in the same year isn’t great because you’ll probably do stuff in Pre-Calc where Algebra II knowledge is needed/very helpful. And Pre-Calc and AP Calculus in the same year is ridiculous. Not only will it lead to a failure, but I doubt the school would let that happen anyway. If you can’t double up next year, than try option 2. From what I remember, Algebra 2 is a lot easier to learn without a teacher because it’s very similar to stuff you’ll already have learned in Algebra 1.</p>
<p>Thank you very much for the rapid replies. Everyone has helped me so much!
I’m guessing I should go with option 2, considering most of you have advised that. I will see what the math department will let me do.
Thanks again!</p>
<p>@giatns4210- actually peddle means to sale lol…I meant pedal but I guess we were both wrong. Lol but mines is less dumb because I am using my droid x swipe and it autocorrected (wrong) my initial entry.
Again OP, taking calc wont help you because you wont finish before you apply for college. You won’t even have an AP score. Apps usually are in before January. You need to take it during your junior year for it to count. Taking AP science courses will suit you better than Calc. What science are you in now?</p>
<p>Everyone in this thread seems to be quite nice so far, but let me break away from that just a bit. Calculus is absolutely required for Ivy Leagues. Most accepted applicants take Calc BC in Junior year or below and go several years beyond Single Variable such as Multi-Variable, Differential Equations,and Linear Algebra. Even then, many students that have done this still do not get in. </p>
<p>You took Algebra 1 freshman year and received an A-. To me, it seems that you may find yourself having difficulty in Calculus. The majority of the kids in my grade took this in 7th grade. You’re still quite young, so I’d advise you seek other colleges at your level.</p>
<p>No, it is not required. If what you say is true, why would Harvard need to offer courses like [url=<a href=“Harvard Mathematics Department Administration and Finance”>Harvard Mathematics Department Administration and Finance]Math</a> 1a and 1b<a href=“freshman%20calculus%20over%20two%20semesters”>/url</a>? And they even have a light calculus sequence Math Ma and Mb, apparently covering Math 1a over two semesters. When I was in high school, students two grades ahead in math as you describe were very rare (one every few years).</p>
<p>The only schools where calculus in high school appears to be expected background are Caltech, MIT, Harvey Mudd, and (engineering majors only) Washington University. In the first three, freshman calculus is compressed into one semester, probably with more theory to be at what other schools would consider an honors level. At WU, engineering majors are expected to start in second semester freshman calculus.</p>
<p>For the original poster: if you want to take calculus before entering university, options 2 and 3 appear to be the best choices of your options. Or take a semester of calculus at a community college between senior year of high school and freshman year of university.</p>
<p>Actually, precalc is not absolutely necessary for Calc I. It may be necessary for Calc II, but that’s not completely relevant here… I know someone who is taking precalc and calculus at the same time right now, and she is acing both classes. That’s because precalc is basically just review of algebra 2, plus more in depth trig. Trig is useful in Calc I, but really, the basic trig you get in algebra 2 is pretty much enough.</p>
<p>We went through this with my youngest son. Is there anyway that you can take Geometry the summer prior to your sophomore year and start with Alg2/trig your sophomore year? He ended up taking Geometry online the second semester of his freshman year and caught up that way. Obviously the year is complete and that’s not an option. In my opinion the sooner you can get on a similar track to your peers the better off you will be.</p>
<p>Best of luck, and kudos for thinking this through. You are heads above most students, really. It just seems like ‘everyone’ else is ahead when we speak in inflated cc terms.</p>
<p>Would your school allow you to double up on geometry and Algebra II–possibly taking Algebra II instead of an elective? Algebra II does not “follow” from geometry but from Algebra I, so intellectually, you should have no trouble taking the courses concurrently.</p>
<p>ForeverAlone, thank you for the honest advice.
I went to a middle school that had a very weak math department I didn’t even take PRE-Algebra until 8th grade. They forced us into this very basic math class in the 5th, 6th, and 7th grades. There was no way to get into a more advanced class.
My Algebra 1 teacher was horrible. I understood the material very well, but his exams were literally impossible. Every student in the class ended up with a C, C+, or B- (besides me and one other girl who managed an A-).
So, I’m behind in Math unfortunately. I realize my goal of reaching Calculus is not very possible. I have lowered my level for colleges, and I’ve found a few non-Ivies that will do.
I will get to Honors Pre-Calculus for sure, and AP Statistics is a valid possibility as well.</p>