Will taking Calc my senior year hurt my chances at top universities?

<p>I'm on the regular math track so I end up taking calc during my senior year. However, I attend quite a prestigious school. Will this hurt my chances at schools such as Cornell?</p>

<p>At a lot of high schools (I’d even wager most) taking Calculus senior year is not that norm, and is what the most advanced students do. Sure, there are a few cases where kids go above and beyond, but I don’t think Cornell is going to take that against you…</p>

<p>So what class would regular high school students be taking senior year? Pre calc?</p>

<p>Do you mean as opposed to the two AP Calcs? Because I think regular Calculus is pretty standard for seniors, while AP Calc is standard for seniors applying to Cornell. It also depends on your major, though… if you’re not a math-related major, it’ll count less against you.</p>

<p>I know many people who got into universities like Cornell and took Calculus their senior year. I doubt it will count against you.</p>

<p>What OACLJV is right, most high school seniors don’t even get to Calculus. At my school, maybe 25 advanced students take Calc as seniors. A handful take AP Stats or Pre-Calc, but the vast majority (120+ students) take College Algebra. So Calc as a senior is quite advanced compared to most students. </p>

<p>It’ll only hurt you at Cornell if your school offered you opportunities you didn’t take. If Calc as a senior is typical for your school, you’ll be just fine.</p>

<p>My school offers two AP Calc classes, Calc AB and Calc BC</p>

<p>It honestly depends on your school. At my school–except for about 5 kids every year who take accelerated math in 8th grade and are then a year ahead in advanced/AP math once they get to high school–everyone in the advanced/AP track takes calc senior year.</p>

<p>good to know thanks everyone but… only 7 replies + 160 views come on guys!</p>

<p>My school is a fairly small school and AP Calculus AB was offered as a senior course (pre-req of Pre Calculus). “Regular” Calculus was not offered, and AP Calculus was the “highest” math anyone could take. I tested pre-algebra in middle school so I remained a year ahead of everyone; I took AP Calculus my Junior year in a class of seniors.</p>

<p>Taking Calculus would definitely look good, because most students in my school who do not take AP Calculus opt for a much easier route with either Trigonometry or Statistics. Especially if you plan to pursue a math rigorous major, taking Calculus would look good and would help you when you have to take it in college.</p>

<p>In my D’s school, more than half of the students are not even able to take any Calculus at all. Most of those who take Calculus (AB or BC), they take it in Senior year. Only 5% of so can take that in Junior year, and there may be one or two students take that in sophomore year. I would say taking Calculus in senior is definitely above average already disregarding whichever grade one gets.</p>

<p>At my school, there were three math tracks. Advanced, regular, and basic. In the advanced track you take algebra in 7th grade, eventually progressing to AP Calc BC senior year of high school. I’d say taking Calculus (one, I’m assuming) is pretty standard senior year. If you can, do the AP option. Calculus BC doesn’t cover that much material (the class at my school is only 3 days per week); If you are really worried about it, self-studying for the BC might be an option. If all else fails, you’ll still have your AB subscore. My BC class actually used a flipped classroom where we would watch MIT open courseware lectures at home and do problems in class. I’d say using that MIT program wouldn’t be too hard to do independently.</p>

<p>But I wouldn’t worry. Penn, for example, assumes that all students entering Wharton has already taken calculus one, but not two. It won’t hurt you, it just probably won’t help you.</p>

<p>^ I think that is pretty common in most school district. Only advanced student can take Calculus in senior year. Taking it earlier than senior would require some Summer classes and/or test out at least one or two Math classes.</p>

<p>@billcsho: I failed to be specific enough. At my school, most students take Calc AB (on the regular track) their senior year. Basic students take Pre-Calc senior year.</p>