I am going to be a sophomore next year taking Algebra 2. I see myself as being behind because a lot of people took algebra 2 in freshmen year. I know many people taking pre-calculus during freshmen year too! Although I am still technically ahead, most people in my school are took geometry too, so it became normal. I didn’t really worry about it at first because I am more of a science person but then I realized how it could affect my chances.
I can’t really take a class over summer because the highest my school county provides for summer course is algebra 2, so I am too late for that. The local colleges for me classes are at least 1500-2500 dollars but I don’t want to put that much money into it (unless it is my only good choice)
An option is for me to take pre calculus ONLINE in addition to algebra 2 next year. This option would be more affordable as it is only 400 dollars, and I have enough money saved up for it.
The other option is to take AP statistics as an elective along with AP calculus during senior year.
What are your opinions on what I should do- stick with the one year ahead path or try to get another year ahead.
That many of the students in your school are even further accelerated than you are is nothing to put yourself into a panic over. Do the math series at the pace that works for you. You will be fine.
No. Geometry as a freshman is a common course for advanced 9th graders and gets you to calculus as a senior. Freshman taking A2 or above is rare, but even still, where one starts the math sequence in HS will not matter. What will matter are HS grades. SAT/ACT scores, and (for ultra selective colleges) ECs, essays, recs.
You are on track to take calculus in 12th grade. No US university requires or expects frosh applicants to have taken math beyond calculus while in high school.
I just had a conversation with the dean of admissions to a VERY competitive program (low single digit admit rate). For his program, they wanted to see BC Calc in high school. He did not care if it was at or before 12th grade. The only thing I would check with your school is whether your sequence terminates in AB or BC. My daughter was on track for AB calc and she is now self-studying to get into BC instead. Its a pain. However, I believe this is only an issue for the most selective programs in the country.
OP, we don’t even know what sorts of colleges you may apply to and exactly what major. I agree with @gallentjill that, i you want a top college (and everything else in your record lines up, this is realistic) you want to get as far as you can, with math and science. For some top schools, AP level will help. But we don’t know if your hs will let you retrack.
@ucbalumnus I don’t want the thread to veer too far off track. It was for a BS/MD program with a very low admit rate. BC calc isn’t explicitly required, however, the Dean told us that regardless of the stated admissions requirements, kids without BC had no chance.
My point was only that even at this very competitive program, they did not expect calc prior to senior year. They did, however, expect the highest high school level of Calc.
Don’t rush with the hopes of pleasing a school where there’s a 95% likelihood that you will not get in even if you’ve taken multivariable calculus. You’ll just compromise your understanding trying to cram a class in during the summer. The chances of receiving any dividend for the effort is remote. Stay on track and form the most solid foundation that you can. Even Caltech starts at Calc I. Don’t sweat it.
@gallentjill - Which school indicated that she expected Calc BC?
@panicb - What are you interested in majoring in? STEM? Social Sciences? Humanities?
An admissions person at Pomona indicated that they expect a student to make it through Calc AB (but not necessarily BC) but unless it’s a STEM kid applying to engineering programs at MIT, GT, Mudd, etc., she should be fine with AB. Just make sure she takes honors Pre-Calc.
Most of the non-STEM kids I know that got into single-digit admit schools didn’t have BC.
@LoveTheBard I am planning on majoring in chemistry which is a STEM major I believe so that’s why I am worried. Yes, I am planning on taking pre-calc honors during junior year.
I took honors geometry freshman year and was considered on the advanced track. You are doing just fine, you are on route to take calculus senior year which is what most people do considering it is the highest level of math offered in most High schools…
@gallentjill I have asked many of my friends and for some reason they are all skipping over calculus AB and going straight to BC, no matter if they are really ahead or not(this is allowed in my school without needing to ask the counselor). I only know 1-3 people who are actually going to take AB. My friend who took pre calculus in freshmen year is taking calculus BC next year as a sophomore which makes me feel worse because she wants to major in chemistry too. I am still deciding whether I should skip it or not since It seems risky.
OP - Talk to your math teacher and the calc teacher about how BC is structured at your school. It’s possible that since so many students skip AB, that the “A” part is covered in pre-calc or they have materials for you to prepare over the summer. Get more information directly from your school before making any decisions.
I believe AB and BC are the same everywhere. College Board sets the curriculum. BC repeats most of AB over 2/3 of the year and then adds a bit of new material in the last 1/3. Most schools won’t let you skip AB. Whether you skip AB or not should really boil down to the quality of the instructors of each. My son is a Mechanical Engineering Masters Candidate. To this day, he would say his AB instructor was one of the best teachers he’s ever had. It gave him a great foundation for all his math that followed. His BC instructor, not so much. Had he relied on BC only, he might not be doing as well as he is now. AB should be plenty for any chemistry program anywhere. Want reassurance? Look up the curriculum map at schools you’re interested in. Guaranteed they’ll have Calc I, which is AB, in their requirements. That means students with no Calculus in HS would still be on track.
@eyemgh - schools vary on this. Some schools expect students to take AB before BC (especially schools that are on a quarter (4x4 block) system in which AB is taken in the fall and BC is taken in the spring. Other schools expect students to take either AB or BC, but not both. (D’s school was like that; after AB, D took Linear Algebra).
I agree that the teacher is probably the most important criterion in deciding between AB and BC, and I also agree that the OP would not be disadvantaged by “only” getting through AB.
At this point, it’s too soon to choose either AB or BC. OP is a rising soph, let him see how his skills develop. He/she is amining for AP calc, that’s good enough, at this point.
It would be rare to set BC as a criterion for a usual stem major. The general idea is to go as far as your hs context and other course requirements allows, in line with your goals. OP hasn’t mentioned goals other than studying chem. We don’t know the colleges, his gpa, and he hasn’t mentioned test scores.
A bsmd program at a single digit college is a different situation, highly competitive and success getting into one depends on much more than the level of math.
Imo, most important, OP, is to aim for AP calc. Prepare for that, both in terms of any prereqs and your own ability to do well. In junior year, you can discuss with teachers which senior year AP is right for you.
In many high schools, BC is a college-pace calculus course taken immediately after completing precalculus, while AB is a slower-pace option. You may want to find out if that is the case at your high school, in which case choosing BC immediately after precalculus should not be unusual.