Hi there! I’m currently a sophomore in high school. Before this year, I was on the regular math track. I decided to do some summer work and jump ahead to the advanced track, so that I would be able to take AP Calc AB by the time l graduate. However, the class I’m currently in (Honors Advanced Algebra II with Trig) is VERY hard for me. I’ve always been a good math student, but I’m having a lot of trouble with this class. I was thinking about dropping back down to the regular math class (Algebra II) but I’m not sure how much it will hurt my chances at selective colleges (I’m looking at Georgetown and UChicago) if I don’t take AP Calc AB before I graduate. Do you think it would be better to stay in the advanced class and get a B or B+ but be able to do calculus OR to go back to the regular math class, get an A, but only be able to take Precalc by the time I graduate? Thanks for the help.
It depends on your major but with the core requirements at UChicago I’m pretty sure at the very least you would have to take calculus and having no solid background in it would make it much harder. I think Georgetown’s core doesn’t require a specific level of math from my son’s friends who go there. If you are going into a very liberal arts area it probably doesn’t matter as much but if you are planning on STEM then you probably should try and stick it out. Taking the most rigorous classes is also a big thing for these top schools so the rest of your schedule will also matter–like don’t drop down if you are taking a study hall and easy elective.
This is a variant of a typical frequently asked question. The answer is that a highly selective college would prefer that you choose the most rigorous option available to you and earn an A grade.
That’s not fair. At my school we have more people take ap Calc ab freshman year. How is this even allowed? Can’t we all be tested on same subjects. 
Either way it will depend on your major. If you apply for a stem major then yes it will hurt bit remember, it is better to drop the get a f or d in a class.
It’s better to get a B or higher in an advanced class, but worse if you get less than a B.
No college requires calculus from all students, but obviously if you’re aiming for economics or stem you’ll be at a disadvantage if you’vr never seen calculus. If you’re aiming for arts, humanities, and most social sciences, you’ll have a math requirement which can be either statistics or another type of math for general education (math for civic life, geometry and Islamic art, etc.)
You might want to step back and look at the bigger picture here. You did fine in the regular math series at your HS but find the pace and material of the advanced class “VERY hard.” Yet there are other kids in the same class, perhaps just a few, that can take the challenge in stride. The top kids in your class are just a sampling of the bright kids out there. Schools like Chicago intentionally select from the best kids they can find nationally, so the standout kids in your classes are likely to be middle-of-the-pack or worse at the national level. And yet you find the material the top students around you are able to master “VERY hard.” It might be worth thinking about whether you’re really going to enjoy attending a very selective college or whether you’ll find yourself drowning in the workload.
Students who do summer bridge work and skip ahead often find that they are in over their heads in the next class. This is more likely a reflection of the fast pace of summer classes than your ability to do college level math with a proper foundation.
We are still very early in the semester. If you still have a choice to switch back, take it. You will be much better off with a solid A and plenty of time to spend on your remaining classes than with hanging on to a class that is already going poorly.